"NEW" computer woes...

[AllanD]

I was recently GIVEN an HP dc7100 Desktop computer.

Socket 775, 3.40GHz processor....

It wouldn't start so looking for dirty contacts, etc...

I finally pulled the Heatsink and CPU... there's a broken "pin"
in the socket... Oops....

I can easily get another dc7100 Mother board, my question is how much trouble am I going to have getting the XP-Pro "Authenticated"
f I swap out the MoBo?

AD

 

[4x4fun]

I can easily get another dc7100 Mother board, my question is how much trouble am I going to have getting the XP-Pro "Authenticated"
f I swap out the MoBo?

AD

depends on how legit you like to stay. i have to remove the WAT on W7 to get it to finally shut up and play nice.

 

[budro]

Dont think it will matter. I have switched out bad motherboards for years and never had it ask to re-activate windows. As long as they are smiliar or exactly the same. Nothing else you should have the xp sticker on your case just call the Microsoft phone number that pops up on the activation screen and activate it manually.

 

[AllanD]

Problem #2 is that the previous owner kept the HD,
so I get to do a fresh install of the OS

I need the Os to be "legit" enough to be able to visit Microsoft
Updated without it squaking

Someone was supposed to be giving me a self authenticating copy
of win7 (USGI) but I haven't seen it yet....

I'm not sure all my software will run under7, but...

I'd be happy with getting XP working squak free.

I thought I was finally out of my win2k trap but then
it turned out the MoBo had this bad pin...

WinXP on a P4 3.4Ghz was what I was looking forward to today
and instead here I am still running a P4 2.4GHz with Win2K.

This was after last weeks frustration of FINALLY getting the Power supply
for the laptop I was previously given by a friend (last year), getting it charged
up and running clearing off the redundant crap (The guy had NINE different Video processing programs that "didn't play nice" with each other) from the HDD, then discovering
that the computers CoA was for WinXP home and he had XP-Pro on it (and it squaked), formatting the HDD starting fresh (his McAfee (not updateable) and Nero (didn't work anyway) refused to be deleted) doing a clean install of XP-Home (which DID authenticate) then having the Optical drive and HDD
fail (mechanically) within 24hours.... ARRRGGGGHHHH!!!!

I'm convinced that the computer was specifically invented to piss me off.

The whole thing is I HATE Firefox and I can't update Explorer past 6.0.whatever
with Win2k, so I actually HAD Explorer 8 up and running for all of seven hours before the laptop proudly displayed the infamous BSD for boot device failure....

Crap I was planning on upgrading from the 60Gig Toshiba drive anyway... I already ordered a 320G drive from NewEgg and another optical drive identical to what died (a DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive) is $25 shipped. (but I can upgrade to a DVD Burner for $45)

But it's always either the timing or there's one little unrepairable thing wrong...

AD

 

[4x4fun]

well i have w7 pro in iso form and a the matching WAT removal tool. its supposed to keep it clean even with the update. but i havent tried to up date w7 yet soo isk but just let me know.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

I am not understanding you said a pin broke off did it break off the Processor into the MB socket so you cant take a pin and a magnet and wiggle it loose put another CPU in and you can probably erase the HDD and reinstall XP with no problems as long as it is not used on another computer all you need is the correct product verification number to authenticate your version to get the updates for your version from microsoft. If you cant boot from a CD go into the bios and change the boot device priority to the CDRom/DVD first then reboot with et CD in then you can reformat the hard drive for a clean install

 

[AllanD]

Socket 775 processors which include "late" pentium 4, ALL Core 2 Duo, and "Quad core" processors have no pins on the CPU the pins are little spring loaded "fingers" in the socket that stick up and touch a gold pad on the bottom of the CPU

On this HP7100 MoBo, one of those fingers is snapped off

No, it's not an "intentionally missing" one for "keying" purposes
I have (or had) the loose piece and can see the broken finger in the socket.

So basically what I got was NOT a computer, but a metal box that contained
a couple 80-wire cables, a SATA compatible power supply a few SATA cables
and a really nice FoxConn heatsink and fan along with a P4 3.4 CPU.

I think I'm going to go on ebay and look for a replacement MoBo there seem
to be quite a few on them from $20-$40...






AD

 

[AllanD]

basically what I know about computers is how to tell when I'm really screwed

 

[Scotty J.]

Check newegg.com for the MoBo. I prefer MSI myself. It'll come with all the drivers you need, if it's a legit copy of XP, you shouldn't have any problems.

 

[AllanD]

Check newegg.com for the MoBo. I prefer MSI myself. It'll come with all the drivers you need, if it's a legit copy of XP, you shouldn't have any problems.

The problem here comes from the various understandings (and misunderstandings, INTENTIONAL and otherwise of the word "legit"

THEORETICALLY if I have a computer with a CoA sticker on it
it should be "legit" but Microsoft often intentionally misunderstands
the law and tries to make you buy a new copy.

that being said Microsoft's stated policy is that the CoA even though stuck to the case goes with the MoBo.

If I put an ASUS or MSI motherboard in this computer and my CoA doesn't "authenticate" I really don't have much I can legally complain about

when my laptops authentication failed several of my applications simply disappeared off the computer and Microsoft offered to sell me a new copy of XP...

greedy bastards.

You only need to buy the OS ONCE for each "computer"

AD

 

[Scotty J.]

The problem here comes from the various understandings (and misunderstandings, INTENTIONAL and otherwise of the word "legit"

THEORETICALLY if I have a computer with a CoA sticker on it
it should be "legit" but Microsoft often intentionally misunderstands
the law and tries to make you buy a new copy.

that being said Microsoft's stated policy is that the CoA even though stuck to the case goes with the MoBo.

If I put an ASUS or MSI motherboard in this computer and my CoA doesn't "authenticate" I really don't have much I can legally complain about

when my laptops authentication failed several of my applications simply disappeared off the computer and Microsoft offered to sell me a new copy of XP...

greedy bastards.

You only need to buy the OS ONCE for each "computer"

AD

I've worked in the Computer Business for 30 years and have never heard such nonsense, that doesn't mean it's not correct though. Hell, anything can be expected from Micro$oft.

I got into the network end of things about 15 years ago and haven't done desktop stuff in quite some time. I'll run this by our desktop repair guys and see what they say. They deal with license for over 5,000 computers.

 

[AllanD]

what I need to find is a corporate Desktop IT guy who has a closet
full of the Win XP installation discs sealed in their bags with the
Paper certificate and the plastic CoA labels who has (until I mention them)
forgotten they have them... (Please I don't need stories like the one I got
a couple of months ago where someone described suffing several large
boxes full of unopened XP Pro installation packs into a dumpster.

Shit like that makes me wanna cry...

I'd be happy to get one, thrilled to get two and if I got a box full of
them I'd just want a picture and adress of whomever I was supposed
to KILL in payment for them.

AD

 

[Scotty J.]

Or one with a site license