windows expired?

Question

i paid for xp windows 2 years ago when i bought a new pc through a friend of a friend, my first time using a pc, anyway microsoft are now saying my windows are not genuine and want me to pay i was conned by the friend who downloaded his windows on to my pc, i am now without windows please help if you can

Answer 1

Windows dosent just expire like that, i suspect you are a victim of a joke or some stupid attempt to defraud you.
Go to windows web site and try to download anything, it really dosent matter. Windows will validate your copy in order to carry out a downlaod( you dont need to go ahead with the download!) if it validates you have nothing to worry about.
If for some reason you have a moody copy just get firefox or opera .
Good luck

Answer 2

.
Your question does not make good sense.
For people that have windows XP that Micosofts interprets as "pirated" > those people will get a continuing "Notice" that their copy of XP is not genuine,
blah, blah, ...they want you to purchase a key.
But they DO NOT make your windows stop working.

The only thing that would make your Windows stop working is if you failed to "register" prior to the 30 day period; but I would think your friend did that for you, when he installed windows for you.

If you go to the Windows Update Site
they have a tool that will stop the "Nag" message from bothering you. They give you the tool to download and instructions.



If you have forgotten your key on the first use this to find it:
http://www.product-key.com/


.
Windows has had so many complaints about the NAG
that they have issued this work around:
see below

Only when you download IE7
then does MS now require "valadation" for those that the "notifier" code determines may have pirated XP .
So if you believe your version of XP may not be genuine
GO BACK to IE6
Just go to Add/Remove programs and "remove" IE7
Your pc should revert to IE6 then.

h2h

Answer 3

You have four options:

#1: Go buy your own copy of Windows.

#2: Find another illicit -- but not expired -- copy of Windows and install it. I do NOT recommend this option.

#3: Go buy a brand-new computer with Windows (or some other operating system) on it.

#4: Install a free operating system like Linux on your machine.

Odds are, you're going to have to do the first option; it's not the cheapest, but the other options are either illegal, more expensive, or have a significant learning curve (in that order.)

I guess you've learned a lesson here. Sorry.

Answer 4

Sorry. It looks like you didn't get such a good deal after all. There is nothing you can do except purchase the program.

Windows98 is no longer supported
Windows 2000 seemed to have a lot of bugs
You might want to consider going for WindowsXP if you can afford it and if your PC will tolerate it.
Check for price and availability here:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_sw/105-9414119-0001222?url=search-alias%3Dsoftware&field-keywords=Windows+XP

To check your PC to see if it is compatible with WinXP, run the advisor:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/upgrading/advisor.mspx

Whatever you do, be sure to get it on a CD and be sure it comes with a product key.

Answer 5

all the answers so far are great. but let me put my 2 cents in. evidently since microsoft added the validation soft ware to the windows update site, now none of the editions of windows xp can be activated and registered on more than 1 computer legally. back when xp first came out you could register/activate win xp pro on as many computers as you wanted to as long as they were done under the same name. no longer so. i own a copy of xp home and a copy of xp pro that means i can activate/register 2 computers. for that reason and the fact that vista is'nt gamer friendly i am in the process of learning linux with kubuntu and freespire. freespire seems to be the easiest to use since it is windows based and does'nt need any of the command line stuff that kubuntu seems to need. still freespire does'nt seem to have driver support for sony's onboard sound on even the older vios.

my suggestion is to forget microsoft and learn linux. if enough of us vote with our feet so to speak the prices of vista have to go down. my plan is learn linux on a learner machine then trash windows and convert all my machines to linux more than likely with freespire. basically linux does'nt have the security holes that all the editions of windows have had and i hear that vista is as holely as swiss cheese too.

Answer 6

When your friend downloaded XP to your PC
he must have entered the regn code. Did you update
regularly the XP ?.. Windows does not expire.
You cannot update till you confirm the regn code.
Get it from your friend.

Answer 7

Why are you without windows? If you are not worried about using a copy of windows then just start your PC and carry on.
Be careful, you may be a victim of a scam.

Answer 8

2 options.

1. pay $99 to Microsoft and they will give you the proper software
2. Buy the OS someplace else and reinstall completely.

your friend is not exactly your friend.

But if you really want to screw him, report him to Microsoft and you could get a reward as well.

Answer 9

You could sue your friend. :)

You could probably call Microsoft - play dumb, say you've upgraded your motherboard and the key isn't working. They'll probably activate it. Find out if the serial number you have is registered - if not, register it under your name.

Answer 10

Unfortuantly you are out of luck, you will have to buy a new copy of Windows.