Whats a legal W98 CD?

[mikeford]

I bought 3 copies of Windows 98 this weekend at the swapmeet. One I am sure is fully legal, its a book with COA on the front and a nice MS CD (it does say for dist with a new PC, but that I can let slide in good concience). The other two are Packard Bell Companion CDs containing diagnostics, library, and W98 files, but no COA. Do I just need to buy a couple COA or what? I do have LOTS of old Packard Bell bits around, but don't use any, just strip for parts.

Also just to be complicated I will be updating them all with official MS 98se update cds.

 

[bacillus]

is the PB cd a master restore one?

 

[mikeford]

The PB CDs don't look that anal, or maybe call it advanced. My HP Pavillion, what a POS, came with a strictly restore CD, that checks for a tattoo in the MB CMOS and gripes if you don't have it and won't install. If you do have the tattoo it restores with a couple minor options (such a pain due to all the needed patches etc.).

I tried just sticking the PB CD in my existing 98se system, but it wasn't "happy" during some test, and quit with a execution error. OTOH it looks like it may not like my DVD instead of CD drive, and doesn't look buried or encrypted like the HP CD is, just folders and files. I don't plan to fiddle much with them, the main point to me is a legal COA, and they don't have them. If I dig up another couple COA I dont' have a problem in reusing one of my OEM W98 CDs that easily install. I like to have both, CD and COA, but I think of the COA as the legalizing part. Dig through enough boxes of old junk, and the original Manual COA turn up often enough.

 

[Darkcirc]

I do not believe they are legal as ms licenses them to PB for distribution in new PCs. They are AFAIK licensed ONLY for PB Pcs. I've never heard of MS endorsing the transfer from one PC to another. The for distribution only with a new pc is marginally legal, as one could argue that you are not an end user. MS licensing is rather ambiguous if you do not accept that they own you and your hardware as soon as you install a windows product. You could simply call thier legit line and ask, there's no harm in that, I'm sure they would just give you an answer. Keep in mind behind the monster is people like you and me. ::shudder:: good luck
BTW I think the number is 1800RULEGIT, corny but easy to remember.
dc

 

[mikeford]

The MS view is that they own you, all your offspring, anything you create, might create, find, think you might find, etc. etc. My view differs slightly.

If I buy an old Packard Smell computer, which MS through its illegal monopoly only allowed to be sold with a windows OS, I figure I now should legally have the right to use the windows OS that is on that machine. ie license goes with hardware it was bundled to. MS view slightly differs.

The practical fly in the ointment is that MS also controls how its material can be distributed, ie CD and COA or no install. Now if one or both of those items are missing/lost/ damaged in some cases Pack B will sell me replacements, HP for example charged me about $35 to replace my Pavillion restore CD (mostly due to hose head shipping and minimum order charges), but I don't think that included a new COA. I think a CD with a COA and KEY was more, but its been awhile.

A lot of gray is in this issue, but I work at keeping on the practical side, every machine needs a COA, but its just too anal to make the leap to only the original purchaser is entitled to use the OS that shipped on a PC.