A friend of mine recently purchased a new computer, less than a year old. She was having some issues and a Computer Tech not only reinstalled Windows 7 but sold her a new copy of Windows 7, same version. I feel he ripped her off since she already owns a Windows 7 license. Best Buy, where she bought her computer and where the Computer Tech bought Windows 7, said they could not take back the Windows 7 program since it was opened. Can anything be done? Margaret M McKinley

The complaint must be made with management at the repair location. Then escalated to regional and national if there is no satisfaction. With the COA on the computer from the manufacturer and the reinstallation dvd, there is one licensed set. The new disk and key is a second. Sounds like the new is installed now. The original should technically only be used on a computer by the same manufacturer. I agree, not the best service and approach. There was probably a reinstall partition on the hard drive from the manufacturer, if that was what was needed to resolve the issue.

Unfortunately this is a one man operation. Looks like he made a presentation to a ladies group and she called him. She’s in her 80’s, not computer literate and relied on his judgment. I have attempted to contact him with no answer. Will Microsoft do anything? She’s out over $200 on a limited budget. I do have her original Windows 7 activation code and the actual disks and packaging that he purchased including the receipts for both. Margaret M McKinley

Unfortunately this is a one man operation. Looks like he made a presentation to a ladies group and she called him. She’s in her 80’s, not computer literate and relied on his judgment. I have attempted to contact him with no answer. Will Microsoft do anything? She’s out over $200 on a limited budget. I do have her original Windows 7 activation code and the actual disks and packaging that he purchased including the receipts for both. Margaret M McKinley You expect Microsoft or Best Buy to make good on an unnecessary purchase made by an incompetent independent computer repair tech? Possible, I suppose, but it would be an act of charity. There is no de-activation of a Windows license key, so you can't really return it to Best Buy, even if they waived their open-box policy. If you can find someone who can re-install the OEM version of Windows, using its license key, the retail version could be transferred to someone else. Perhaps at a discount (because the new owner would probably have to activate by telephone), but your friend could get some of her money back. It may be easier to arrange something like that than to persuade someone at Microsoft or Best Buy to give her $200.

Unfortunately this is a one man operation. Looks like he made a presentation to a ladies group and she called him. She’s in her 80’s, not computer literate and relied on his judgment. I have attempted to contact him with no answer. Will Microsoft do anything? She’s out over $200 on a limited budget. I do have her original Windows 7 activation code and the actual disks and packaging that he purchased including the receipts for both. Margaret M McKinley You expect Microsoft or Best Buy to make good on an unnecessary purchase made by an incompetent independent computer repair tech? Possible, I suppose, but it would be an act of charity. There is no de-activation of a Windows license key, so you can't really return it to Best Buy, even if they waived their open-box policy. If you can find someone who can re-install the OEM version of Windows, using its license key, the retail version could be transferred to someone else. Perhaps at a discount (because the new owner would probably have to activate by telephone), but your friend could get some of her money back. It may be easier to arrange something like that than to persuade someone at Microsoft or Best Buy to give her $200. I never said I "expected" anything to be done, I simply asked for some advice. I get very upset when someone is taken advantage of. A Microsoft product was purchased that is not needed. I was hoping for some understanding of the situation. I have the ability to reinstall the OEM version...is there a way to tell which version is activated on her machine?Margaret M McKinley

Click Start->right-click Computer->select Properties Look at the bottom of the page under the activation section at the bottom...if you do not see the letters OEM in the activation id, the retail version is installed. (That's not the key, only a system generated id) Ok, confirm some facts. Was a reinstallation disk provided with the purchase of the computer? (This is no more times than yes.) Did the computer have a reinstallation partition? (Review the Owner's Guide or manufacturer's support for the product. Sometimes, this is a no) Is the computer operating properly at this point in time? If you have answered a no, no, and yes, then the repair person provided a computer that works, when possibly, it didn't previously. I would wait for a response from the individual. Then you can determine what happened and base further actions on that information. I don't know if your friend was taken advantage of in this situation. Just an inexperienced technician or one that needs to improve their skills.

I never said I "expected" anything to be done, I simply asked for some advice. I get very upset when someone is taken advantage of. A Microsoft product was purchased that is not needed. I was hoping for some understanding of the situation. I have the ability to reinstall the OEM version...is there a way to tell which version is activated on her machine? Margaret M McKinley I'm sorry that I didn't display more sympathy (which is what I suppose you mean by "understanding"). I have elderly parents myself. (They don't have, and don't want, a PC or Internet access. That's probably for the best. They'd be too trusting.) I think the page that NanoWarp refers to is the system control panel. There's a product ID that shows at the bottom of the window. (It's not the same as the product key. The ID is a code that's generated when Windows has the product key installed.) I can't verify whether the product ID would contain "OEM". I believ that the product key would contain "OEM". You can check the product key itself by using a freeware utility like MagicalJellybean key finder: http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/ The free version is all that you need. Belarc Advisor may do the same, but I've not used it for that. Whether the key contains "OEM" or not, you can match it against your keys. You have an installation DVD that will accept an OEM key? If not, someone here can probably help you prepare one from a retail DVD. I've read of the standard method for preparing a universal installation DVD (involves removing ei.cfg, a file that determines the type of installation). I've never tried it, abd I don't know whether the "universal" disk generated that way can be activated using an OEM key. (I believe that it works, but I'm not certain.)

Thank you bobkn for your comment, I appreciated it greatly. Thank you both, bobkn and NanoWarp for your advise. I will see what she wants me to do and how far she wants me to take it.Margaret M McKinley