Very misleading, unethical

[Guest Airwerx]

I recently went on a mission to buy the best PC available for under

$1,000.00 US... I did some homework prior to making what I thought was a

good purchase.

 

My objectives were simple. I wanted a 64-bit processor and a 64-bit

operating system. I searched and searched and finally found the m8124n at

Circuit City. This HP Media Center PC came with the 32-bit edition of

Windows Vista Ultimate. I'd already read the following link

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/editions/64bit.mspx

where Microsoft states "Note: 64-bit media is included in the box with

Windows Vista Ultimate."

 

So, I made the purchase and arrived home expecting to find 64-bit software

included in the box. After two unsucessful attempts to get the software from

HP support I contacted Microsoft's Alternate Media support only to hear,

"You'll need to shell out another $400.00 if you want 64-bit Windows Vista

Ultimate software."

 

I don't get it... Consumers cannot buy over the counter PC's without an

operating system already installed. Those who want 64-bit Vista are forced

to pay B.G. twice (double-dipping)... What kind of scam is this?

[Guest John Barnes]

Re: Very misleading, unethical

 

Too bad you didn't post here before you purchased your computer. I don't

know how many times, in this group and in the Vista groups it has been

pointed out that OEM is either/or with respect to bitness. You however

benefited from the cheaper OEM 32-bit version and now you can buy the 64-bit

version for $200 or less for about the same amount you would have paid for a

Retail version with both. Good luck. Make sure that you can get drivers

for the 64-bit version for your computer and check about your software

BEFORE you make another mistake.

 

"Airwerx" <sthompson@airwerx.com> wrote in message

news:%23dH3FnSBIHA.1208@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>I recently went on a mission to buy the best PC available for under

>$1,000.00 US... I did some homework prior to making what I thought was a

>good purchase.

>

> My objectives were simple. I wanted a 64-bit processor and a 64-bit

> operating system. I searched and searched and finally found the m8124n at

> Circuit City. This HP Media Center PC came with the 32-bit edition of

> Windows Vista Ultimate. I'd already read the following link

> http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/editions/64bit.mspx

> where Microsoft states "Note: 64-bit media is included in the box with

> Windows Vista Ultimate."

>

> So, I made the purchase and arrived home expecting to find 64-bit software

> included in the box. After two unsucessful attempts to get the software

> from HP support I contacted Microsoft's Alternate Media support only to

> hear, "You'll need to shell out another $400.00 if you want 64-bit Windows

> Vista Ultimate software."

>

> I don't get it... Consumers cannot buy over the counter PC's without an

> operating system already installed. Those who want 64-bit Vista are forced

> to pay B.G. twice (double-dipping)... What kind of scam is this?

>

>

[Guest Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Re: Very misleading, unethical

 

Unfortunately you missed the line above:

"If you bought Windows Vista Home Basic, Home Premium, or Business as

a retail, packaged product,"

"retail" is the key word.

Since Windows Vista came with the computer, it is OEM and the OEMs and

not Microsoft determines what they include with their products.

 

"Consumers cannot buy over the counter..."

Yes, you can and the best place to do so is usually a local shop.

 

There are many differences between OEM and retail and this is one of

the reasons you paid less for your retail.

 

Return the computer and purchase what you need.

 

--

Jupiter Jones [MVP]

http://www3.telus.net/dandemar

http://www.dts-l.org

 

 

"Airwerx" <sthompson@airwerx.com> wrote in message

news:%23dH3FnSBIHA.1208@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>I recently went on a mission to buy the best PC available for under

>$1,000.00 US... I did some homework prior to making what I thought

>was a good purchase.

>

> My objectives were simple. I wanted a 64-bit processor and a 64-bit

> operating system. I searched and searched and finally found the

> m8124n at Circuit City. This HP Media Center PC came with the 32-bit

> edition of Windows Vista Ultimate. I'd already read the following

> link

> http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/editions/64bit.mspx

> where Microsoft states "Note: 64-bit media is included in the box

> with Windows Vista Ultimate."

>

> So, I made the purchase and arrived home expecting to find 64-bit

> software included in the box. After two unsucessful attempts to get

> the software from HP support I contacted Microsoft's Alternate Media

> support only to hear, "You'll need to shell out another $400.00 if

> you want 64-bit Windows Vista Ultimate software."

>

> I don't get it... Consumers cannot buy over the counter PC's without

> an operating system already installed. Those who want 64-bit Vista

> are forced to pay B.G. twice (double-dipping)... What kind of scam

> is this?

[Guest Airwerx]

Re: Very misleading, unethical

 

I hear you. What is the most upsetting is how consumers are treated. One

would think that Vista Ultimate would be the same no matter how the consumer

buys it. The word retail should have only one definition regardless of

whether or not the purchase was for a box of DVD's or a fully assembled PC

with the software already installed on the local disk.

 

If Microsoft wants to sell different versions of the same edition of OS then

consumers of PC's should have some choices of which version of the

particular edition they buy.

 

When I purchased this PC I paid a much greater price for a model with Vista

Ultimate over the less expensive PC with Vista Home. The fact that this

version of Vista Ultimate is less than the 'boxed' version is a matter for

HP to address or the PC will be returned to the retailer...

 

"Jupiter Jones [MVP]" <jones_jupiter@hotnomail.com> wrote in message

news:%23uIKDWTBIHA.484@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

> Unfortunately you missed the line above:

> "If you bought Windows Vista Home Basic, Home Premium, or Business as a

> retail, packaged product,"

> "retail" is the key word.

> Since Windows Vista came with the computer, it is OEM and the OEMs and not

> Microsoft determines what they include with their products.

>

> "Consumers cannot buy over the counter..."

> Yes, you can and the best place to do so is usually a local shop.

>

> There are many differences between OEM and retail and this is one of the

> reasons you paid less for your retail.

>

> Return the computer and purchase what you need.

>

> --

> Jupiter Jones [MVP]

> http://www3.telus.net/dandemar

> http://www.dts-l.org

>

>

> "Airwerx" <sthompson@airwerx.com> wrote in message

> news:%23dH3FnSBIHA.1208@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>>I recently went on a mission to buy the best PC available for under

>>$1,000.00 US... I did some homework prior to making what I thought was a

>>good purchase.

>>

>> My objectives were simple. I wanted a 64-bit processor and a 64-bit

>> operating system. I searched and searched and finally found the m8124n at

>> Circuit City. This HP Media Center PC came with the 32-bit edition of

>> Windows Vista Ultimate. I'd already read the following link

>> http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/editions/64bit.mspx

>> where Microsoft states "Note: 64-bit media is included in the box with

>> Windows Vista Ultimate."

>>

>> So, I made the purchase and arrived home expecting to find 64-bit

>> software included in the box. After two unsucessful attempts to get the

>> software from HP support I contacted Microsoft's Alternate Media support

>> only to hear, "You'll need to shell out another $400.00 if you want

>> 64-bit Windows Vista Ultimate software."

>>

>> I don't get it... Consumers cannot buy over the counter PC's without an

>> operating system already installed. Those who want 64-bit Vista are

>> forced to pay B.G. twice (double-dipping)... What kind of scam is this?

>

[Guest Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Re: Very misleading, unethical

 

Then returning is what you need to do.

If Windows Vista were retail instead of OEM, you probably would have

spent at least $100, but probably more than $200 for that same

computer with Windows Vista Ultimate.

 

"Vista Ultimate would be the same"

It is, only the packaging differs.

 

"consumers of PC's should have some choices"

Consumers have the choices and more.

They may need to purchase from a different seller to get the desired

choice.

 

--

Jupiter Jones [MVP]

http://www3.telus.net/dandemar

http://www.dts-l.org

 

 

"Airwerx" <sthompson@airwerx.com> wrote in message

news:%23%23jJCnUBIHA.4584@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>I hear you. What is the most upsetting is how consumers are treated.

>One would think that Vista Ultimate would be the same no matter how

>the consumer buys it. The word retail should have only one definition

>regardless of whether or not the purchase was for a box of DVD's or a

>fully assembled PC with the software already installed on the local

>disk.

>

> If Microsoft wants to sell different versions of the same edition of

> OS then consumers of PC's should have some choices of which version

> of the particular edition they buy.

>

> When I purchased this PC I paid a much greater price for a model

> with Vista Ultimate over the less expensive PC with Vista Home. The

> fact that this version of Vista Ultimate is less than the 'boxed'

> version is a matter for HP to address or the PC will be returned to

> the retailer...

>

> "Jupiter Jones [MVP]" <jones_jupiter@hotnomail.com> wrote in message

> news:%23uIKDWTBIHA.484@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

>> Unfortunately you missed the line above:

>> "If you bought Windows Vista Home Basic, Home Premium, or Business

>> as a retail, packaged product,"

>> "retail" is the key word.

>> Since Windows Vista came with the computer, it is OEM and the OEMs

>> and not Microsoft determines what they include with their products.

>>

>> "Consumers cannot buy over the counter..."

>> Yes, you can and the best place to do so is usually a local shop.

>>

>> There are many differences between OEM and retail and this is one

>> of the reasons you paid less for your retail.

>>

>> Return the computer and purchase what you need.

>>

>> --

>> Jupiter Jones [MVP]

>> http://www3.telus.net/dandemar

>> http://www.dts-l.org

>>

>>

>> "Airwerx" <sthompson@airwerx.com> wrote in message

>> news:%23dH3FnSBIHA.1208@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>>>I recently went on a mission to buy the best PC available for under

>>>$1,000.00 US... I did some homework prior to making what I thought

>>>was a good purchase.

>>>

>>> My objectives were simple. I wanted a 64-bit processor and a

>>> 64-bit operating system. I searched and searched and finally found

>>> the m8124n at Circuit City. This HP Media Center PC came with the

>>> 32-bit edition of Windows Vista Ultimate. I'd already read the

>>> following link

>>> http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/editions/64bit.mspx

>>> where Microsoft states "Note: 64-bit media is included in the box

>>> with Windows Vista Ultimate."

>>>

>>> So, I made the purchase and arrived home expecting to find 64-bit

>>> software included in the box. After two unsucessful attempts to

>>> get the software from HP support I contacted Microsoft's Alternate

>>> Media support only to hear, "You'll need to shell out another

>>> $400.00 if you want 64-bit Windows Vista Ultimate software."

>>>

>>> I don't get it... Consumers cannot buy over the counter PC's

>>> without an operating system already installed. Those who want

>>> 64-bit Vista are forced to pay B.G. twice (double-dipping)... What

>>> kind of scam is this?

>>

>

[Guest Airwerx]

Re: Very misleading, unethical

 

Thank you John,

 

After a night or two I decided to take your advice. My OEM version of Vista

Ultimate 64 is on its way. I'll scan this group and see what I can learn

about dual or tri-boot. I installed Ubuntu awhile back on my old solo

notebook (w/WinXP) and the single CD install disk took care of the new

partition and installed the grub boot loader that works perfectly...

 

"John Barnes" <jbarnes@email.net> wrote in message

news:%23sBuE9SBIHA.1208@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

> Too bad you didn't post here before you purchased your computer. I don't

> know how many times, in this group and in the Vista groups it has been

> pointed out that OEM is either/or with respect to bitness. You however

> benefited from the cheaper OEM 32-bit version and now you can buy the

> 64-bit version for $200 or less for about the same amount you would have

> paid for a Retail version with both. Good luck. Make sure that you can

> get drivers for the 64-bit version for your computer and check about your

> software BEFORE you make another mistake.

>

> "Airwerx" <sthompson@airwerx.com> wrote in message

> news:%23dH3FnSBIHA.1208@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>>I recently went on a mission to buy the best PC available for under

>>$1,000.00 US... I did some homework prior to making what I thought was a

>>good purchase.

>>

>> My objectives were simple. I wanted a 64-bit processor and a 64-bit

>> operating system. I searched and searched and finally found the m8124n at

>> Circuit City. This HP Media Center PC came with the 32-bit edition of

>> Windows Vista Ultimate. I'd already read the following link

>> http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/editions/64bit.mspx

>> where Microsoft states "Note: 64-bit media is included in the box with

>> Windows Vista Ultimate."

>>

>> So, I made the purchase and arrived home expecting to find 64-bit

>> software included in the box. After two unsucessful attempts to get the

>> software from HP support I contacted Microsoft's Alternate Media support

>> only to hear, "You'll need to shell out another $400.00 if you want

>> 64-bit Windows Vista Ultimate software."

>>

>> I don't get it... Consumers cannot buy over the counter PC's without an

>> operating system already installed. Those who want 64-bit Vista are

>> forced to pay B.G. twice (double-dipping)... What kind of scam is this?

>>

>>

>