Microsoft genuine validation tool says software 'not genuine'

[Deleted User]

spaceboy wrote: »

It's easily fixed though.:beer:

Yes it was easily fixed! :beer:

AirCooledHeaven

Jaffa. wrote: »

http://www.microsoft.com/nhs/office if your intrested.

!!!!!!! I'm trying to understand why an NHS employee should have the benefit of being able to purchase this under a 'home user program' for personal use for £9

[Deleted User]

AirCooledHeaven wrote: »

!!!!!!! I'm trying to understand why an NHS employee should have the benefit of being able to purchase this under a 'home user program' for personal use for £9

To enable them to work from home. If they leave the employment of the NHS they have ot surrender use of the software, they can't keep it.

asininity

Hope they get their £9 back!

spaceboy

AirCooledHeaven wrote: »

!!!!!!! I'm trying to understand why an NHS employee should have the benefit of being able to purchase this under a 'home user program' for personal use for £9

Baffling isnt it. The only real reason is it's the government wanting to win the votes of the NHS workers. And they think nobody else will grudge an NHS worker a bribe... I mean a little thank you treat.

DodgyLurgy

Would like to add my tuppence worth....

I started a course with the OU way back (in the depths of 2008) and while on this course as I was registered as a student (mature but still a student :-) ) I has access to various downloads which were entirely legal. These included Visual Studio 2008 which I was very interested in.
Now, to buy this you are looking are at least 300 to 400 quid minimum (direct from Microsoft it's £709! (I just checked)), ......I got it for nothing!!!

IMO reason that MS (and others) do this is because they hope that the people using their software (either illegally or via the student downloads) will learn something and end up using it commercially thus paying something back to them (usually when they update the software the user will update with them).

As to the NHS...well maybe they have a deal with M$ :-)

alwynfolk

Hi everyone, thanks so much for spending time on my query (I own a computer bought with preloaded software from PCWorld and it has recently been deemed illegal by Microsoft’s Genuine Validation tool).
I am a small business and this has had me in bits to be honest (and no, none has had access to my computer to put a pirate copy of Office on). Good idea about the display copy - yes, they only had one Compaq computer in stock - and it was on display at the time.

It took two days to find a number for my local PCWorld at Garston, Liverpool (PCWorld only has a central number that takes through lengthy menus then cuts you off). When I finally got through they said I would have to prove I hadn’t put an illegal version on myself. I pointed out that Microsoft had flagged that this ‘illegal’ version was registered to PCWorld. I also asked aloud if there was an ‘installation date’ of a programme on the computer - thereby proving it was loaded before I bought it. PCWorld said I could do what I liked - they weren’t interested.

I’ve been a regular customer at this branch of PCWorld for years, but both they, and Microsoft have been brusque. A chat with either of them really does leave you feeling like a lesser being. I was sold a computer with Office preinstalled and assumed it was a valid copy. It makes me laugh (in between the teeth-gritting at the thought of having to pay our £399 for a new version of Office) that when I asked, in full irony, where to buy the software, Microsoft recommended that I pop into PCWorld.

Hmmmn, I wonder which marketing genius decided to come up with this strategy: ‘make em buy it twice!’ Each time I log on to Word I get the pop-up: ‘This copy of Office is not genuine’. What happens in the end? Will my computer self destruct? Will I be barbequed, smoke rising off fingers still clawed over the keyboard….

Seriously, I am hearing more and more people mentioning this: software bought preloaded from High Street retailers being deemed ‘illegal‘ via Microsoft updates. Obviously a lot of genuine customers are being re-labelled as pirates. Any chance of someone at Money Saver.com looking into it? Cheers, Alwynfolk

bitsandpieces

It's worth contacting Trading Standards about this http://consumerdirect.gov.uk/

Re dealing with PC world, you may find you need to contact the head office (in writing) rather than more junior staff at the store.

[Deleted User]

PCWorld/Dixions/Currys have a habit of saying the only one left in stock is the one on display. I would never buy an ex-display item unless I was able to negotiate a good discount there and then. Too many horror stories in the past with that company.

surreysaver

anewhope wrote: »

To enable them to work from home. If they leave the employment of the NHS they have ot surrender use of the software, they can't keep it.

In which case their employer should be providing them with the software and a computer?