News Only resellers can install XP, Microsoft claims

From the Inquirer:

A MICROSOFT ADVERT in an Israeli newspaper claims that only resellers are competent to install Windows XP otherwise machines are bound to crash.
But the claim, which is originally detailed on an Israeli web site but translated by PC Linux Today, apparently is targeted at pirates rather than at Jane Doe.

The advert shows a shot of a PC in a trash can, alleged that 75% of computers with OSes not installed by an authorised reseller are likely to crash.

Full story here

 

I have never been happy with a Windows installation not done by myself.

 

This is wrong on so many levels. It's like saying that if you were to buy a home electronics appliance like say a hi-fi only a qualifed person could install it. This is just typical M$ rubbish. If this was the case then why do Mircosoft sell retail copies of their software?

 

Next MS will be saying we will have to pay THEM to install it properly!

 

I am sure they would be most happy with that arrangement

 

What they told you...

What they didn't tell you...

But all they're really saying according to PCLinuxOnline is they they can't guarantee what's on a copy, which they can't. See, there are plenty of areas in that region which have no copyright laws. And they can't guarantee that the chap you bought that copy from didn't put something extra in your windows installation.

Their numbers are probably right, actually. That means that 25% of computers with self-installed OSes haven't crashed. That's quite a few systems... They didn't claim that having a reseller install the OS would keep it from crashing, they just used a scare tactic that would stop about .005% of the population from purchasing less than legit copies of windows...

In all, Microsoft has done/said worse...

 

How the ******* hell can they say that, windows practicly installs its self, cheecky ********, , comments like that are rediculous imo

Please don't subvert the swear filter. GOO

 

lol!

Honestly, though, Windows crashes ALL THE TIME! I don't think there is a human on this barren rock of a planet that could install Windows so that it becomes a completely stable inviroment.

Having said that, my comptuer is acting crankey again (after only 2 weeks of use), and I think it wants another windows reload. Gonna have to wait until I either upgrade or the system becomes unusable, though. I'm not going through all that again

 

I think there's a good deal of confusion about instability and Windows.

If you run IE, it's pretty much game over. (And I don't necessarily mean to suggest other browsers are better.)

If you're serious about running a server though, you disable the raft of useless services, strip down to running what you need.

I can attest that if you run stable apps (and that rules IE out entirely, much other bloatware by MS, state-of-the-art video drivers, so on and so forth) on a decently-configured Windows server install (I would never suggest that XP counts as a server OS), you won't have stability issues. In other words, core Windows is not the issue, it's dodgy apps (have I mentioned IE?).

Now I'll grant you the point that a well-designed OS ought not to be breakable by a bozo in a browser. But don't trash all versions of Windows equally here, some are notably more stable than XP.

 

ive managed to get windows completely stable: its called running an intel chip on an intel mobo using intel WHQL drivers

I must have changed the system completely, even the mobo from an 845 to 875 and it still chugged on

Its not that hard tbh

 

I'm with linear. Since installing server2003 and going in and configuring everything I have yet to have a stability issue (even with latest video drivers and some other less-than-100%-tested apps such as powerstrip, gaim, and mbm or resource hoggers such as winamp3)
I've begun to wonder how much more stable a normal system would be if you went in and configured each service, disabling all of the ones you don't need...

 

I have to agree with Ubermich on this one as he put it best, and I think that is what MS were trying to say.

I don't think they are really telling people that no-one apart from 'authorised resellers' are competent enough to install an OS, and especially not software pirates since they know more about PC's and software than the average Joe.

Oh and btw, just what is the requirement for someone to be an authorised reseller? Because if they are suggesting that the guy who works in the local computer shop can install an OS better than most people then that's really silly - hence me agreeing with Ubermich's view.

Oh and also Windows 2000 server is very very stable in my view.
So is Windows 2000 Pro, it's all down to how much carp you mix in that makes it unstable sometimes.

 

What u mean like "bonzai buddy" or "realplayer" or numerous pr0n installers or "windows update"...

 

The only time my Win XP Pro has crashed is when ive tried to overclock too far.

I might just be lucky, I'm not sure - oh and I use IE