LinuxQuestions.org
Download your favorite Linux distribution at LQ ISO.
Go Back   LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Non-*NIX Forums > General
User Name
Password
General This forum is for non-technical general discussion which can include both Linux and non-Linux topics. Have fun!

Notices


Reply
  Search this Thread
Old 09-14-2016, 12:29 AM   #1
TommyFW
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Sep 2016
Posts: 3

Rep: Reputation: Disabled
Are Windows OEMs bad to buy?


Hi all,

My sister got a used old toshiba satellite laptop with no operating system. I put linux mint 18 on it for her and she agreed. After a week, she wanted to do stuff that requires a windows operating system.

I went to tosiba's website and selected the model of the laptop. According to this laptop, the drivers only work for windows 7 and 8.1.

I went to amazon and purchased a windows 7 OEM for $59.00. When it arrived, I install it, activated it and everything was handy dandy.

Today, the sh!T hit fan. She called me and say her windows is acting weird. Her chrome browser will open and close by itself. She can't login to her yahoo account because it say it's a wrong password. The internet connection which is wifi will not connect at times. I asked her what she did, what website she went to, did you download anything, and etc to get an honest answer.

Then I was thinking about the wndows 7 OEM disc I purchased on amazon. Can this be a bootleg disc? I don't know much about OEMs. I paid $59.00 for this. it can't be a bootleg or is it?

When I first activated the product key, the MS servers replied back it was a genuine key.

I included two images of the packaging and the disc and I blur some details. Perhaps, you can tell me if you can, if this is a genuine OEM or a bootleg. Thanks
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	win7oem1.jpg
Views:	33
Size:	236.4 KB
ID:	23007   Click image for larger version

Name:	win7oem2.jpg
Views:	27
Size:	225.0 KB
ID:	23008  

Last edited by TommyFW; 09-14-2016 at 12:38 AM.
 
Old 09-14-2016, 02:10 AM   #2
ardvark71
LQ Veteran
 
Registered: Feb 2015
Location: USA
Distribution: Lubuntu 14.04, 22.04, Windows 8.1 and 10
Posts: 6,282
Blog Entries: 4

Rep: Reputation: 842Reputation: 842Reputation: 842Reputation: 842Reputation: 842Reputation: 842Reputation: 842
Hello and welcome to the forum

While I'm not sure why your sister has experienced the issues you've mentioned, the main issue is that you purchased the wrong version four sister's laptop. It's not legal to purchase and use OEM versions of Windows 7 (and most likely other versions) in this manner. You would need to purchase a "full retail" version like the one shown here.

Regards...

Last edited by ardvark71; 09-14-2016 at 02:35 AM. Reason: Correction.
 
Old 09-14-2016, 02:12 AM   #3
Germany_chris
Senior Member
 
Registered: Jun 2011
Location: NOVA
Distribution: Debian 12
Posts: 1,071

Rep: Reputation: 497Reputation: 497Reputation: 497Reputation: 497Reputation: 497
If you go here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...nload/windows7

you can download W7 directly from MS's servers so you know it's clean. In the past you could get .iso's from digital river but that seems to have changed
 
Old 09-14-2016, 02:15 AM   #4
ardvark71
LQ Veteran
 
Registered: Feb 2015
Location: USA
Distribution: Lubuntu 14.04, 22.04, Windows 8.1 and 10
Posts: 6,282
Blog Entries: 4

Rep: Reputation: 842Reputation: 842Reputation: 842Reputation: 842Reputation: 842Reputation: 842Reputation: 842
Quote:
Originally Posted by Germany_chris View Post
If you go here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...nload/windows7

you can download W7 directly from MS's servers so you know it's clean. In the past you could get .iso's from digital river but that seems to have changed
Hi...

But the product key would still be from the OEM copy.

Regards...
 
Old 09-14-2016, 03:16 AM   #5
Germany_chris
Senior Member
 
Registered: Jun 2011
Location: NOVA
Distribution: Debian 12
Posts: 1,071

Rep: Reputation: 497Reputation: 497Reputation: 497Reputation: 497Reputation: 497
Quote:
Originally Posted by ardvark71 View Post
Hi...

But the product key would still be from the OEM copy.

Regards...
And that's fine..

He could also use the key that's on the computer
 
Old 09-14-2016, 03:30 AM   #6
Habitual
LQ Veteran
 
Registered: Jan 2011
Location: Abingdon, VA
Distribution: Catalina
Posts: 9,374
Blog Entries: 37

Rep: Reputation: Disabled
Quote:
Originally Posted by Germany_chris View Post
And that's fine..

He could also use the key that's on the computer
IF and only IF the image at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...nload/windows7 accepts OEM keys.

Which I doubt.
 
Old 09-14-2016, 06:09 AM   #7
Germany_chris
Senior Member
 
Registered: Jun 2011
Location: NOVA
Distribution: Debian 12
Posts: 1,071

Rep: Reputation: 497Reputation: 497Reputation: 497Reputation: 497Reputation: 497
I'll try it this evening
 
Old 09-14-2016, 04:00 PM   #8
TommyFW
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Sep 2016
Posts: 3

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: Disabled
I had to enter the product key to verify it before I can download a window's 7 iso, but it failed. I guess the product key it wants is a windows 7 retail key and not a OEM key. Here is the error I got:

Quote:
The product key you entered appears to be for software pre-installed by the device manufacturer. Please contact the device manufacturer for software recovery options.
Which is obviously the OEM version of windows 7 I purchased.

I have no choice but to reinstall the windows 7 OEM back on her laptop. The windows 7 OEM cost me $59.00.

I am grateful for the replies and the link. Thanks

PS: Maybe I can convince her to put linux back on the laptop. :-)

Last edited by TommyFW; 09-14-2016 at 04:05 PM.
 
Old 09-14-2016, 04:05 PM   #9
Emerson
LQ Sage
 
Registered: Nov 2004
Location: Saint Amant, Acadiana
Distribution: Gentoo ~amd64
Posts: 7,661

Rep: Reputation: Disabled
I doubt there was anything wrong with the disk, she probably caught some virii ... inevitable with MS.
 
Old 09-14-2016, 04:08 PM   #10
Timothy Miller
Moderator
 
Registered: Feb 2003
Location: Arizona, USA
Distribution: Debian, EndeavourOS, OpenSUSE, KDE Neon
Posts: 4,003
Blog Entries: 26

Rep: Reputation: 1521Reputation: 1521Reputation: 1521Reputation: 1521Reputation: 1521Reputation: 1521Reputation: 1521Reputation: 1521Reputation: 1521Reputation: 1521Reputation: 1521
Quote:
Originally Posted by Emerson View Post
I doubt there was anything wrong with the disk, she probably caught some virii ... inevitable with MS.
I must admit, this is my first thought.
 
Old 09-14-2016, 04:14 PM   #11
TommyFW
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Sep 2016
Posts: 3

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: Disabled
Quote:
Originally Posted by Emerson View Post
I doubt there was anything wrong with the disk, she probably caught some virii ... inevitable with MS.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Timothy Miller View Post
I must admit, this is my first thought.
Me too.

In fact, I was asking her questions like where did you go, what did you download and install and etc. But, you know how it is, if you're the computer geek and the go to person in the family and someone messes up something in the windows OS, they are evasive to give us the real answer.

Last edited by TommyFW; 09-14-2016 at 04:16 PM.
 
Old 09-14-2016, 04:45 PM   #12
Emerson
LQ Sage
 
Registered: Nov 2004
Location: Saint Amant, Acadiana
Distribution: Gentoo ~amd64
Posts: 7,661

Rep: Reputation: Disabled
Let her know with Windows she has not the same freedom to browse the net as it is with Linux.
 
Old 09-14-2016, 05:24 PM   #13
Habitual
LQ Veteran
 
Registered: Jan 2011
Location: Abingdon, VA
Distribution: Catalina
Posts: 9,374
Blog Entries: 37

Rep: Reputation: Disabled
Quote:
Originally Posted by TommyFW View Post
her laptop.
nuff said.
 
Old 09-14-2016, 05:48 PM   #14
rokytnji
LQ Veteran
 
Registered: Mar 2008
Location: Waaaaay out West Texas
Distribution: antiX 23, MX 23
Posts: 7,099
Blog Entries: 21

Rep: Reputation: 3474Reputation: 3474Reputation: 3474Reputation: 3474Reputation: 3474Reputation: 3474Reputation: 3474Reputation: 3474Reputation: 3474Reputation: 3474Reputation: 3474
Go here and join the forum if wanting to check if she infected Windows.

http://www.computerhope.com/forum/

Follow their sticky instructions

http://www.computerhope.com/forum/in...c,46313.0.html
 
Old 09-14-2016, 05:54 PM   #15
Emerson
LQ Sage
 
Registered: Nov 2004
Location: Saint Amant, Acadiana
Distribution: Gentoo ~amd64
Posts: 7,661

Rep: Reputation: Disabled
Nah, wipe her computer clean every time it gets infected and do a fresh install. One of you will get tired of this and this hopefully will lead to a better solution.
 
  


Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off



Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
LXer: Microsoft (Illegally?) Demanding ARM OEMs to Block Linux on Windows 8 Hardware LXer Syndicated Linux News 0 01-15-2012 03:33 AM
LXer: Windows 7: Microsoft Takes Netbook OEMs on Short Leash LXer Syndicated Linux News 1 08-13-2009 07:27 AM
LXer: Bad, Bad Reasons Not to Buy Open-Source Software LXer Syndicated Linux News 0 06-21-2007 10:47 AM

LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Non-*NIX Forums > General

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:35 AM.

Main Menu
Advertisement
My LQ
Write for LQ
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute content, let us know.
Main Menu
Syndicate
RSS1  Latest Threads
RSS1  LQ News
Twitter: @linuxquestions
Open Source Consulting | Domain Registration