Siginet wrote:Damn this TCPA crap!
D00D......I relate to this too much. I always urge my customers to go VLK. Even if they have like 15 computers and none of them are running virtual machines. It's just so much easier to get work done when you don't have an annoyance hanging over your head to activate the OS. This annoyance was the first step towards creating a corporate installation environment. It didn't take me long to get wise as to what was going on here. It's not exactly a Microsoft problem, but it's like the EPA sneaking around an old oil rig still working. The TCPA was the start of these problems because it
somehow became a standard for the majority of their partners. Now it's 5 years later down the line and Microsoft has yet to release an updated operating system for end users. 3 years if you're running a server OS. The Vista betas are really making Microsoft's future look dim.
IBM of all people doesn't like the way Vista is going to deploy and function so they're already talking about switching their servers over to Redhat.
As for Apple, the last thing I want to see is Apple taking over the computer market(but it's still on the list). Without competition, we're all screwed. OSX isn't what I can actually call an OS. Xsan
almost fits the bill. Speaking of such, is there any of that TCPA crap present in OSX? Why not? What are
corporate customers saying about it? You can see where I'm going with this one and why I already don't like it.
The next TCPA annoyance to deal with was updates. SP1(Server 03) had several updates before the service pack and now I need to waste precious bandwidth on a 100MB+ file that I can run and
slipstream into Server 03 distributions! Squee!
After slipstreaming, some keys are rejected when doing an in-place upgrade. Why this happens, I have no idea. It happens to me even though my key really is valid. I don't deal with this because this problem doesn't exist in PE.
The final and most horrible TCPA annoyance now is getting to updates. There are customers that have and use valid keys, then BAM! 3 or 4 out of 10 fail the WGA check when going to Microsoft Update. WTF?!

I am sick and tired of dealing with this. I know going to Microsoft Update isn't necessary to grab updates, but my clients want and several of them actually need that option. This is the reason I use a cracked WGA in my installs from this point. I'm just sick and tired of worrying about a problem that shouldn't exist in the first place.
By 2008, TCPA problems will outweigh annoying DirectX-based popup ads. o_O
RyanVM wrote:...and all activation does is annoy honest users.
Urge to destroy world....Rising. >.<'
keytotime wrote:That is why I am so happy I have a VLK from my old Job.
Why hello there smart and tired OS deployment buddy!

I think we'll be seeing a lot more VLKs used in the future. So far they seem to be the only key types used to deploy Vista. They don't work like volume keys should though.
RyanVM wrote:Once I can afford a laptop, I'm going to order it by phone so I can hopefully get it with no OS preinstalled (and save a few bucks while I'm at it).
This makes me wonder...What OS will you see preinstalled on a tablet in the near future?
RogueSpear wrote:In my experience, ordering a computer without an OS can be a bit of a hassle. It's still worth it, but I usually get the old "you won't be eligable for tech support" routine. Big woop. I'm about 10x more knowledgable than any tech support person I've ever talked to. So I ask them if the warranty is still valid on the hardware, and of course it always is.
Hardware warranty > Software warranty
Always.
RogueSpear wrote:With my clients, I always stress the bennies of getting a VLK. You'd be surprised what creativity can do to that end as well. One of my client's owns a truck dealership. He has like 30 computers. Now he has this deal where whenever he orders a computer or server, he goes through Dell and uses truck manufacturer's Dell account to get the chisel price. So it dawned on me, the main company could get a VLK to cover all the dealerships and the dealerships would all pony up to the manufacturer for their share.
I like these classic deployment routines.

How does volume licensing come into play when the majority of your computers are virtual machines?
RogueSpear wrote:I grew sick and tired of trying to "sell" people of Microsoft Office. Once you show them the $$ involved, they give you the thousand mile stare. Well nobody I've ever known has used any of that collaboration BS, so now they all use Open Office. I'm even converting everyone at my main job to OO. I've really had it with Microsoft's highway robbery.
I still use Microsoft Office because old versions of Open Office have been responsible for eating a lot of group work when I was still in high school. Needless to say, I'll never trust it. o_O
I currently use Office 03 Professional.
RyanVM wrote:How much do you save by ordering it without the OS?
Depends on the OS and instances of it needed(number of machines). Last I checked the minimal pricings were...
Windows NT Server: $40
Windows XP Home: $90
Windows XP Pro: $180
Windows 2000 Pro: $110 (FINALLY!)
Windows 2000 Server: $350
Windows Server 2003: $440
Of course you can mess with the licensing modes on everything made before XP, but I won't get into that since that's sort of a gray area.
tbone2 wrote:As I stated in the IM I sent....I have bought to many to count, windows xp pro... and ta call MS every time I have to format and reinstall

...being a beta tester for many companies and sales of my systems...its a load of crap that it taking time from my company because of a few bad apples....
This is why it's a good idea to prepare images for deployment.
I still have a Windows .NET Enterprise Server candidate around here somewhere and I can still activate with the same key(even though I install in volume license mode).
Betas are weird.
ozzy214 wrote:Its easy enough.After install and activation via phone...go onto your windows directory. Copy the wpa.dbl file onto floppy. Next time you reinstall just boot into safe mode and put the wpa.dbl file back in there. As long as there isnt sufficient hardware change since last activation you will be fine and it will be activated. I recommend safe mode, but I have done it in normal use and rebooted for the effect to take place. And this isnt a crack...its well known common knowledge. And I do this on the cusatomers computers I work on. Save it before wiping and reinstall and replace the file.:>
Does this work on all machines or just the computers with identical hardware?