Join or sign in Register for your free TechRepublic membership or if you are already a member, sign in using your preferred method below. Use Your Email Use FacebookUse Linkedin

what to do now?

Locked

i bought a what seemed “too good to be true” type of deal, but not really knowing about computers and how much they should cost, i went ahead and got it. my problem is that i think i purchased a stolen computer. it’s a dell 2.2 hertz tower something? i paid $400 for it used. i got it from a friend, who said he bought them from a guy he knew who was selling them for a major corporation who was upgrading. i guess i didn’t ask about “The guy” since we we’re dealing with a “corporation??” i tried upgrading the software on it and it wouldn’t allow me to do so. something about it not being able to identify or verify the authentication. so i’m not sure if the software is the bad part, or if it’s both hardware and software? i’m rather concerned now.

my dilema is this:

i don’t have enough to purchase a new computer and OBVIOUSLY i don’t want to get into trouble. can anyone with similar experience help me or advise me on what i should do??

Topic

Thoughts

In reply to what to do now?

It is quite possible that this is a perfectly legitimate PC sold to you legally.

BUT just because they transfer the hardware to you legally, doesn’t mean you have the right to the software.

Corporate volume license versions of the OS are designed to be upgraded not from MS’s website but by putting the updates in a corporate server. MS closed that loop in SP2 if I recall correctly, and now that is the only way to go. Thats why you got the error message – MS recognizes this as a corporate desktop under volume licensing and won’t allow you to do the updates.

What can you do? You can buy a new retail copy of MS XP and install it. Format the HD and start from scratch and you will be fine.

By the way, it doesn’t sound like a huge deal, you can buy refurbished PCs for the same amount from places like tigerdirect.com, and they come with a warranty. If you can get your money back, you might do better from them – and most of the main manufacturers PCs come with XP. I paid $429 CDN for a modern refurbished desktop with lots of toys (DVD Burner/card reader) with a legal copy of XP and a 90 day warranty.

Or you could just put Linux on it.

James

Police Auction Purchase

In reply to Thoughts

I bought a PC from a police auction. I searched the contents and found the name of the orginal owner. I called him. Boy, was he upset. He had been calling the police every week asking about his computer. His insurance finally paid off and he got another. He had already spent hours and hours rebuilding his data so he didn’t want it back, but was upset that the police did not call him. The serial number was still on the computer and easily read.

Police auctions?

In reply to Police Auction Purchase

SNicholson,

I live in the Chicagoland area…where are the police auctions?

Please email me details/links. Thanks

Not quite right

In reply to Thoughts

JamesRL scribbled: “Corporate volume license versions of the OS are designed to be upgraded not from MS’s website but by putting the updates in a corporate server. MS closed that loop in SP2 if I recall correctly, and now that is the only way to go. Thats why you got the error message – MS recognizes this as a corporate desktop under volume licensing and won’t allow you to do the updates.”

Odd, I’ve never seen that here. We use VLM licensed versions of Microsoft products and haven’t run into any issues with Windows/Microsoft updates requiring us to use a local SUS/WSUS server.

I have seen corporate discard computers that had the hard drive overwritten with a image that had a recyled Windows XP license code. This required a new license to be purchased since Microsoft showed the license as already in use. I’ve also had flinking IBM laptops that when the laptop was restored from the restore partition required re-activation. Again more calls and discussion with MS’s support about the legitimacy of doing so.

Check the hardware first

In reply to what to do now?

If the hardware appears intact, I’d get a new upgrade version of WINXPHOME W/ SP2. They run around $60. and would allow you to upgrade with authentication, and the any upgrades of other software will be okay. I actually prefer to do the upgrades anyway, as then it will be installed the way I want it, with or without the options.

Upgrade would not be legal

In reply to Check the hardware first

An XP Home upgrade would not be legal because you have to own the original software you are upgrading from and in this case the person doesn’t own the original software.

You would have to purchase an FPP ( Full Packaged Product ) from a retailer, format and install to be legal with the software.

As for the hardware, ask the friend you bought from for the corporations name then check and see if they have upgraded their hardware for your peace of mind.

Legal.

In reply to Upgrade would not be legal

This is the quote from Microsoft today. First relevant part of XP/Pro SR2 EULA
14. SOFTWARE TRANSFER.
Internal.
You may move the Software to a different Workstation Computer. After the transfer, you must completely remove the Software from the former Workstation Computer.
Transfer to Third Party.
The initial user of the Software may make a one-time permanent transfer of this EULA and Software to another end user, provided the initial user retains no copies of the Software. This transfer must include the Software and
the Proof of License label. The transfer may not be an indirect transfer, such as a consignment.
Prior to the transfer, the end user receiving the Software must agree to all the EULA terms.

Then the XP home EULA although in my world no sane person would run the ‘home’ edition as it is lacking an many fields, especially security. Anyway here’s the EULA

14. SOFTWARE TRANSFER.
Internal.
You may move the Software to a different Workstation Computer. After the transfer, you must completely remove the Software from the former Workstation Computer.
Transfer to Third Party.
The initial user of the Software may make a one-time permanent transfer of this EULA and Software to another end user, provided the initial user retains no copies of the Software. This transfer must include the Software and the Proof of License label. The transfer may not be an indirect transfer, such as a consignment. Prior to the transfer, the end user receiving the Software must agree to all the EULA terms.

Volume licensing and OEM are different – and very hard to find. Some good reading can be found here http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/deploy/oempreac.mspx

Sounds Legal

In reply to Legal.

Well, I would basically agree with what everyone else has said here.
The sale sounds legit on the basis of the price, it doesn’t sound like a “too good to be true” deal, it’s reasonable.
The reason the software won’t upgrade is probably due to the fact that you have been sold only the PC and not the Operating System Software.
As far as I know there is no way of rendering hardware unusable if it is stolen, only software and there are ways around this.
I would suggest you get hold of a full copy of Windows or another operating system and test it out before making any purchases. Maybe the guy who sold you the PC can help you with that.
Don’t forget that you will maybe need drivers for all the hardware so I would write out a list of all the installed hardware before formatting anything and make sure you have the drivers first.
Good Luck.

sounds like a simple fix to me

In reply to Sounds Legal

Same thing happened to a friend of mine. He purchased a used pc with xp pro but got no disk. Turns out it was an illegal copy of windows. As one of the previous poster’s suggested make a list of the hardware, buy an oem copy of your choice ,home or pro (much cheaper than retail) and format and install and your legal. You can also just go to the dell site and d/l the drivers for that particular model of dell before formating and copy them to a cd for after your windows install. Good luck

leagle software

In reply to Upgrade would not be legal

doesn’t matter where you got it from, you can go to the authentication web site and buy online the authentication package. Don’t know how much the home is but pro was 169.00 plus tax. simpist way if you don’t want to wipe out and reinstal. or go to ebay and buy a secnd hand copy.

jdawg

Check for Microsoft Lable

In reply to Upgrade would not be legal

Most of the PC’s we purchase come with at OS of some sort pre-installed. There be lable with the O/S type and Product Key.
This help you with your upgrade options, as Win 95 / 98 / ME / NT4 to either XP Home or Pro
XP Home can be upgrade to XP Pro

2 issues, and a Law Enforcement perspective

In reply to what to do now?

OK – there are some great responses to this post, so I thought that I would add my $.02.

Let’s deal with the big one first. I don’t know what state you live in, but in PA the law is clear. If you “believe” that the property is stolen, then you are guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, based upon the value of this item (PA Title 18, ss3925(a): Receiving Stolen Property). The burden is upon YOU to find out for sure, and notify LE as appropriate. Actually, Dell can be a big help with this. I was involved in a major theft case (similar circumstances as yours) several years ago, and Dell’s Security division helped ID the rightful owner and prove the items were stolen. Good news – in my case, the true owners were not interested in recovery of the property, and allowed the purchaser to keep the computer.

As to the software – it is possible that this computer was licensed through a corporate site license, and legally sold. You would not be able to upgrade if this is the case. You could, however, install a copy of Win98SE (I have several dozen in my office!) and then purchase the upgrade to XP Home or Pro. This would be perfectly legal. Check here: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/upgrading/matrix.mspx.

This will always be a problem….

In reply to what to do now?

This will always be a problem with any hardware if ever stolen. I have more clients ask me every time they are looking to purchase a new system what would keep someone from stealing the machine and just reloading new software? Someone thought that by creating Lojack software for your computer would be the answer, and now they are selling it like hot cakes, but again it is useless if someone stole that hardware and just reloads new software wiping out the Lojack and all. There needs to be some sort of Lojack developed in a chipset added permanently to the motherboard that is tide in with the Hard drive and other vital components as a permanent measure of safeguarding the equipment from theft or tampering.
This is not saying your situation is a theft or not, but there is a way to find out if it is and whether or not any vital data was stored or left on the hard drive that whom ever owned it may need, by reporting what you suspect to Microsoft and see if whether or not they can trace the previous registered owners to find out. It may be a simple as exchanging the hard drive(s) for a new one in order to save anything they may want to keep. But what I find as a surprize is that no one has suggested that you try and locate the previous owners and do the right thing, if for nothing else your own peace of mind.

some time back

In reply to This will always be a problem….

Wasn?t there a time when the CPU chip had a code in it that was unique but people, out of paranoia wanted it band?

Stealing a computer is not a big deal. The software, if running windows can easily be cracked with various tools available all over the internet. And because of the lack of security, many types of information is viewable via a regular text file.

In this case, if wondering if a piece of hardware is stolen, you may opt not to purchase anything that would give you cause. This is not to say that going to a pawn shop isn?t a front, but you never know. I know of a notebook that was stolen but all the thief did was to purchase the bottom of the notebook on Ebay which had a different serial than the original cover, thus circumventing that problem.

But should a notebook be stolen, and you know about it, it?s like the previous poster said, you are an accessory to the fact..

assume = ass + u + me

In reply to what to do now?

Generally speaking…. Unless you were handed the distributions disks for the OS/software you need to presume you are not licensed to use it.

Don’t forget to file off the VIN numbers on the machine.

you ASSume

In reply to assume = ass + u + me

Many HW vendors like HP do not distribute the CDs, but do attach a license sticker to the PC. These can be legally resold = the license goes with the computer.

What you can’t do is sell a computer with a volume license copy of the OS or a non oem supplied copy/upgrade. I bought a legit copy of Windows 2000 with a refurbed compaq for my parents. If I put a Win XP update on it, I can’t resell the update, according to the EULA. I can resell the computer with the original OS, as thats within the EULA.

James

WHAT TO DO

In reply to what to do now?

here are a few suggestions.

1. go to control panel & change view to open all hidden files.
2. check hard & all partitions.
3. especially look for any confidential, such as a
company name or employee registry.
4. if you find company name, check with the company to determine if they had reported a stolen
computer or simply gotten rid of it.
5. if company says they no longer require the
computer reformat the hard drive.
sometimes when a company gets rid of obsolete
or obsolcent wquipment they forget to wipe out
any information that may remain. this happens
more times then you can imagine

2 step process

In reply to what to do now?

Call Dell with the Service tag number and they can tell you the purchaser contact them and verify that it is not stollen.
There should also be a Microsoft sticker on the machine with a license number, if so the Operating system should be legal. I have run into several instances where Microsoft incorrectly identified the OS as illegal.

Another option is to verify the legality of the hardware and install Kubuntu.

Homepage

What to do….

In reply to what to do now?

I work in law enforcement and your best option is to contact Dell with the service tag number on that computer. Dell should be able to tell you who the original owner is for that computer. It could be the authentication problem is in windows meaning it is a pirated copy of the OS or it is a company networked copy. Another option is contacting your local PD and providing them with serial numbers from the system and having them check them in NCIC which is a national database of reported stolen items. If it comes back stolen you will not get in trouble but the Police will probably have to return the computer to the original owner which is only right. I found some times if it belongs to a company they do not want it back. They may ask you to describe your friend for prosecution. Only you can do what is right and to make it right.

bite the bullet

In reply to what to do now?

Mott,
Just go to cops with your suspecions and have them check for the serial number in NCIC. They can tell if it has been reported stolen. you will not get in trouble if you just pony up and tell them the truth. You MAY be out what you spent but your conscience will be clear.
Rog

Check it out

In reply to what to do now?

Well first you would want to check and make sure that the hardware is legal. Use whatever means necissary to ensure the laptop is not stolen. Contact the manufacturer, the original purchaser, etc. to follow the trail. If it turns out it is stolen, immediatly contact the authorities. I am sure the original purchaser would like to get it back if it is stolen.

If the Laptop is legal, then likely it has OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) software on it. Now it may have been upgraded with a corporate version, which you couldn’t legally use, but if it is legal, there should be a Microsoft sticker (Certificate of Authenticity) with the key code for whatever version of software came with it on the machine. This version of the software is not transferrable to another machine and can be reloaded (if you can get the disk, the manufacturer may be able to help with that) and the key is legal.

Any upgrade after that point must be Retail versions of Upgrade or full product.

You could always just purchase a full retail of XP and install it too, which could be moved to another machine later.

Either way, contact the company that built it, give them the Express Service Code or Service Tag or serial number and they can tell you what it came with and maybe help you find out if it was stolen.

Pet Pieve

In reply to Check it out

Anyone else get a little annoyed by people who give advice but don’t take the time to read the question/problem in detail? While in this case its minor saying laptop while the poster specified tower it could be something meaningfull nextime.

Pet Pieve

In reply to Pet Pieve

People who go out of their way to correct a poster for a simple mistake and not an error in their advice. Especially when that poster can’t even spell pet peeve.

Erm …

In reply to Pet Pieve

“People who go out of their way to correct a poster for a simple
mistake and not an error in their advice. Especially when that
poster can’t even spell pet peeve”

How about people who don’t write in complete sentences
correcting those that cannot spell? 😉

Sorry, couldn’t resist 🙂

R.

I wasn’t correcting anyone though

In reply to Erm …

The poster before me was correcting someone , I merely pointed out the hypocrisy.

:)

In reply to I wasn’t correcting anyone though

Sematics 🙂 Regardless, I still found it amusing 🙂

Two wrongs don’t make it right.

In reply to what to do now?

So the first guy got “desktop” wrong by saying it was a “laptop”, but he gets corrected by another one who can’t spell “Pet ‘Peeve'”. Come on, give me a break.

So… What’s youre problem

In reply to what to do now?

If yo are honest, report it to the cops… If you don’t care keep using it. If you are afraid that they will catch you using a stolen computer, and if you think they could prove it because of the information inside… then format the disk, use a stolen software operating system to make it fonctional again, and as Bob Dylan is often saying “Keep on keeping on”

Magic Tom

Ethics

In reply to what to do now?

I wonder how many of these replies would pass the ethics test are we really serious about a code of ethics for IT

chill out…

In reply to Ethics

I’ve purchased used equipment before from “corporations” that are upgrading. What you paid sounds like the going rate, so it doesn’t sound like a “HOT” computer. Besides, he wouldn’t be much of a “friend” if he sold you known stolen property.

You said it was a DELL… look for the service tag (serial number) on the back of the tower or in some instances on a sticker on one of the panels. With this service tag number, you can go to Dell’s website and determine what equipment and OS originally came with the computer. You can also use the service tag to find out the original purchaser (like others have posted).

I work for a Govt. Agency, and we have two different conditions that our used PCs get sold with.

If the computer was originally a STATE owned PC that we inherited, they have a volume licence with Microsoft, and the COA stickers on the PCs are useless and those numbers are already as listed as “bad” in Microsoft’s database, before we sell these PCs, they must be wiped clean and sold WITHOUT an operating system.

If the computer was orginally purchased by our agency (county), we have to wipe the drives clean of confidential information (usually killdisk and then partition and format), and either reload the OS or sell the PC with the install disks. Since new/replacement PCs come with an OS, there’s no need for us to keep the OS from a PC we are selling.

Depending on how the corporation handles it’s licencing policy, you may have bought a PC that SHOULD NOT have come with an OS. Most comapnies don’t deal with Microsoft directly, and just purchase hardware as they need it… meaning they don’t need to keep unused OS’s laying around. Their replacement PCs should come with an OS so, they should sell their old equipment with the OS that origianlly came with it. Good Luck

Polischeck

In reply to what to do now?

Check it out with the polis as this will help clear your fear of either it is legal or not.
Better still to check out with a lawyer friend.
So wise on.

It’s a Dell, so…

In reply to what to do now?

…if memory serves me correctly, it was supplied with an OS license that was valid on only that hardware. This license, as far as I can see, should always be legit, since it cannot be used anywhere else. Given the vintage of the machine, it is highly likely that this license would be for XP. This is the upside of the “Microsoft Tax”

My advice would be to speak to Dell Support. They would be able to assist with reassuring you about its legitimacy, and you should be able to get a System Restore disk from them at fairly modest cost, certainly less than running out and buying a full install new license.

[Author]

Replies