Hi Guys I'm a rookie technician at Staples and I had to format a computer one day and it had a sticker on it with the XP Pro CD key so I took my XP pro CD and loaded it but it would not take that cd key on the PC, instead I had to load the cd key form the cd i used.

This happened before to me as well on a XP home edition. So I just wanted to know if there is anyway I can format a computer without giving the people my own cd keys and just use the one that is on the PC the original cd key the computer came with?

Something smells fishy here. Your Staples boss is aware that you used your personal key code on a customer's PC? Someone needs to go to jail! Or at least be fired!!!

By all rights, you gave away your license and you are no longer authorized to use that license on ANY other computer. If you do, you are violating internationally recognized copyright laws. So, for your machine, you need to buy a new license or you are breaking the law.

To answer your question, and for what should be Staples published policies - if a customer brings in a computer, they bring in their license key. If the key does not work, that is the customer's problem, not Staples, and definitely NOT a rookie technician's problem at Staples (or at home).

If what you say is true, and Staples is allowing or encouraging this practice - quit. Now! Then tell me which Staples and I will contact the authorities. They are promoting software piracy.

I just wanted to know if there is anyway I can format a computer without giving the people my own cd keys and just use the one that is on the PC the original cd key the computer came with?

You must use an OEM install media. The key on the sticker must match the version (Home, Pro or MCE).
You may have to call M/S to activate. (Many OEM's have a "Golden" copy of the O/S, which when used on their machines, precludes activation (like/similar to a volume license).)

Dan's right, but the assumption is still that you have the legal license for that specific machine. And so again, if using your personal CD key was something Staples management was aware of, and condoned, that is bad - real bad! The courts don't side on big corporations condoning the illegal use of copyrighted materials.

Enter Best Buy Geek Squad Winternals settlement in Google. Winternals is now owned by Microsoft.

Originally Posted by Digerati

Something smells fishy here. Your Staples boss is aware that you used your personal key code on a customer's PC? Someone needs to go to jail! Or at least be fired!!!

By all rights, you gave away your license and you are no longer authorized to use that license on ANY other computer. If you do, you are violating internationally recognized copyright laws. So, for your machine, you need to buy a new license or you are breaking the law.

To answer your question, and for what should be Staples published policies - if a customer brings in a computer, they bring in their license key. If the key does not work, that is the customer's problem, not Staples, and definitely NOT a rookie technician's problem at Staples (or at home).

If what you say is true, and Staples is allowing or encouraging this practice - quit. Now! Then tell me which Staples and I will contact the authorities. They are promoting software piracy.

Maybe we had some missunderstanding I work at staples I did not say I did that at staples it was at home on my cousins computer that I called customer to make it sound like proffession, didn't know you were going to take it the wrong way and be so uptight about it. As if you never downloaded music or files off the internet because I forsure don't. People work hard on thire programs that they build and we should not download them or pass them on because that is not what I'm doing............ I will never use my personal key on a person I don't know I paid for it and I will use it on my familys computers only NOT staples.

Dan Penny you gave me a great answer and I thank you.

Whew! I am glad you cleared that up - even after rereading it, I thought you were saying you did this at Stables. My apologies for coming on strong.

But understand that badguys love illegal Windows because many users don't have the discipline, or are afraid to keep their systems patched, updated, blocked and scanned out of fear of being caught. They then become the "easy pickings" for badguys, and even "wannabe" badguys. Those machines become compromised and often used to distribute malware, spam, DDoS and other attacks against the rest of us. So I think the message needs to get out when it can - it was not meant to appear directed at you, sorry again.

There are sites where you can download music legitimately. but sadly, many don't use those and come to support forums like D-A-L after being infected from shared files.

**********

Back to your license issue - you have to be careful with OEM "branded" versions of Windows, that is, the licenses that come with Dell, HP/Compaq, Gateway, and others. Sadly, (for the consumer) the license follows the motherboard, not the computer case, or the hard drive. So be careful with upgrading pre-built machines. Check the PC maker for specifics.

It's all good Digerati you had me on my toes for a sec. So if the key on the case does not work even with OEM theres nothing we can do?

It's all good Digerati you had me on my toes for a sec.

You got to be! Until our lawmakers wake up and fund our law enforcement resources to keep bad guys off the Internet, you have to be on your toes. Remember, the anti-malware industry has no incentive to rid the world of malware. And the big backbone telecommunications carriers are happy to sell you more bandwidth, rather than rid the current pipes of spam and it's cargo at the sources: corrupt and/or government controlled ISPs.

If the user cannot provide a valid license, and the call to MS as Dan suggested doesn't work, then I don't see any legal way out, assuming the previous installation is toast. If the machine runs, you can see the key that was used to install that installation, but then if the machine runs, formatting is probably not needed.