How much time is wasted due to the silly lines of demarcation that companies like Microsoft artificially create. I received a computer from a client that needed to have Windows 7 reinstalled. Everything looked OK. I had the disk and the product key label was affixed to the computer.
As it turned out I didn't quite have everything. On closer examination when I went to enter the product key I noticed the last two characters of the product key missing. The characters had been pulled off when an overlapping label had been removed previously. Now perhaps I was remiss. Perhaps I should have looked closer and noticed the missing characters and then used a hacking tool (probably available on the internet) to determine the product key. But really, should we need to hack when there's proof of purchase.
A call to Microsoft support (with the obligatory wait) and then advised to do a key-less install without the product key. Then come back when ready and they'd activate. With everything ready I placed another call to Microsoft with the obligatory wait and being passed to another group. This time the answer I received was, they weren't able to provide the product key as that was up to the manufacturer since it wasn't a retail product. Now of course the manufacturer doesn't keep those details do they.
Not one to give up and I decided the easiest approach (if you can call it easy) was to determine the characters used by Microsoft product keys and simply enter all the two letter combinations. Slow, tedious, and painful, but in the end the client gets their computer and there's no additional cost for a new package of software they already own. Microsoft wins no friends by this ridiculous behaviour.
This however is a good warning to everyone. Make sure you have recorded your product keys. So many times I see people who have thrown out their packaging, or lost the email with their product key (it was on their computer which just failed) and it ends up costing them money they need not spend. Basic administration and recording of the appropriate product keys is important. You really don't want to spend money you don't need to.
Have you written down your product keys for your software?
Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for IT support.
As it turned out I didn't quite have everything. On closer examination when I went to enter the product key I noticed the last two characters of the product key missing. The characters had been pulled off when an overlapping label had been removed previously. Now perhaps I was remiss. Perhaps I should have looked closer and noticed the missing characters and then used a hacking tool (probably available on the internet) to determine the product key. But really, should we need to hack when there's proof of purchase.
A call to Microsoft support (with the obligatory wait) and then advised to do a key-less install without the product key. Then come back when ready and they'd activate. With everything ready I placed another call to Microsoft with the obligatory wait and being passed to another group. This time the answer I received was, they weren't able to provide the product key as that was up to the manufacturer since it wasn't a retail product. Now of course the manufacturer doesn't keep those details do they.
Not one to give up and I decided the easiest approach (if you can call it easy) was to determine the characters used by Microsoft product keys and simply enter all the two letter combinations. Slow, tedious, and painful, but in the end the client gets their computer and there's no additional cost for a new package of software they already own. Microsoft wins no friends by this ridiculous behaviour.
This however is a good warning to everyone. Make sure you have recorded your product keys. So many times I see people who have thrown out their packaging, or lost the email with their product key (it was on their computer which just failed) and it ends up costing them money they need not spend. Basic administration and recording of the appropriate product keys is important. You really don't want to spend money you don't need to.
Have you written down your product keys for your software?
Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for IT support.
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