IT/Computer freaks

[Lias]

Open source?

Cool.

They open sourced beos after it went bung? Thats kinda cool.

[Sniper]

Cool, so I managed to get my hands on a WinXP install disk, it was the MSDN disk but it had XP on it and it actually worked...... until I got to the part of entering my cd key which I presume is the product key on the sticker on the underside of the laptop. Apparently that is now incorrect according to the setup program.

Would it be a plan if I try installing XPsp1a on the laptop on the off chance the arseholes claim that XPsp2 was installed but it wasnt.

Im starting to think that I might have to pay someone.

[Lias]

Cool, so I managed to get my hands on a WinXP install disk, it was the MSDN disk but it had XP on it and it actually worked...... until I got to the part of entering my cd key which I presume is the product key on the sticker on the underside of the laptop. Apparently that is now incorrect according to the setup program.

Would it be a plan if I try installing XPsp1a on the laptop on the off chance the arseholes claim that XPsp2 was installed but it wasnt.

Im starting to think that I might have to pay someone.

Your key is probably an OEM key if its on a COA on the case of a major pc manufacturer, and you will need an OEM version of XP (rather than a corporate, or retail version).

[imdying]

Different versions of XP have different key hashes.. for example, XP Pro standard keys don't work with XP Pro corporate... which is why a stolen key often will not work with the version of XP you have.

http://www.google.co.nz/search?hl=en...e+Search&meta=
Knock yourself out

[Ixion]

MSDN send you keys for the disks in the MSDN set. A OEM key won't work with the MSDN disk. Get the key from whoever gave you the disk (it's actually vaguely semi legal - you are only setting the laptop up to be used by the MSDN subscription owner for software development aren't you )

[NordieBoy]

They open sourced beos after it went bung? Thats kinda cool.

Just checked.
Not open source but a version is still being developed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YellowTAB_ZETA

[Sniper]

Your key is probably an OEM key if its on a COA on the case of a major pc manufacturer, and you will need an OEM version of XP (rather than a corporate, or retail version).

Dammit! Im going to ring NEC and see if they can help

Different versions of XP have different key hashes.. for example, XP Pro standard keys don't work with XP Pro corporate... which is why a stolen key often will not work with the version of XP you have.

http://www.google.co.nz/search?hl=en...e+Search&meta=
Knock yourself out

Legend, thanks, I'll try that out later

MSDN send you keys for the disks in the MSDN set. A OEM key won't work with the MSDN disk. Get the key from whoever gave you the disk (it's actually vaguely semi legal - you are only setting the laptop up to be used by the MSDN subscription owner for software development aren't you )

Unfortunatly, he doesnt have the key, he used his own too, and that worked.


Please dont tell me I need to go out and buy XP

[Sniper]

Anyone have the MSDN key please, or will the key be flagged when windows validates my version when downloading upgrades

[Clockwork]

Then you work a few years, realise that for all the knowledge you've gained you're still working for @#$ckwits who don't understand anything about code, testing, continuity, etc, and regard you as glorified bricklayers. At least the "admin" jobs can't easily be outsourced to eastern Europe or SE Asia as they're hands on.

I wouldn't tell anyone in a first world country to get into coding. Hell, it's my first love but the opporunities in it seem to get worse every year.

Fully endose this statement. Its not the job that sucks so much as the twats who can't do your job but have no trouble telling you how you should do it.

[jrandom]

Please dont tell me I need to go out and buy XP

I can give you a copy of a hacked no-key-or-activation-required XPSP2 CD I picked up in China, if you like. It's a handy thing to have around, although using it on one's main workstation tends to give one a slightly dirty feeling.

[Sniper]

I can give you a copy of a hacked no-key-or-activation-required XPSP2 CD I picked up in China, if you like. It's a handy thing to have around, although using it on one's main workstation tends to give one a slightly dirty feeling.

I might take you up on that offer. Might send you a PM before the end of the day. Im just going to contact NEC and see what they say and what replacement OEM disks would be worth.

[jrandom]

replacement OEM disks

Yup, best solution, if you can get hold of them.

[Sniper]

Yup, best solution, if you can get hold of them.

I will be a bit pissed off if I need to pay for them, but I might flick this laprop off soon and start looking at something a bit more modern.

[Sniper]

Now getting everything checked under manufacturers warrenty after I bitched to NEC. They were really good, even after admitting that I tried another disk and tried to reset partitions in attempt to get it to work.

They said as long as I didnt open it, it should be fine, its only 2 weeks out of manufacturers warrenty

[scracha]

With all due respect, that's a ridiculous statement. Quite a lot of hardcore software development goes on in NZ.

Maybe you're just not quite as good at it as you'd like to think...

Well if you're gonna get personal. Uni at 16 (and a proper one...not like them glorified polytechnics they call uni's here that don't like to be compared to other international uni's), working for a bluechip company at 21 doing embedded codefor parallel processors, Bell labs at 24 (IP telephony including various jaunts abroad to bugfix). I used to think I was $hit hot, now I'd say I was average after having worked with some real coding guru's.

Thing is, there's PLENTY of real coding guru's in the 3rd world willing to work for peanuts. NZ wages are a pittance and that's one aspect of why coders here still get used (luckily the cost of living is cheaper)....it's probably the cheapest country to find English speaking coders. Back in the UK they seem to all want coders with $hitloads of experience as well as whatever latest programming language/technology is in fasion for crap money like 35K (UKP). Considering the long hours and new skills that constantly have be learnt (for most coders that means in their own time) that's pathetic. A time served plumber or electrician earns far more. Yeah, they start coders on decent money but it doesn't increase that much for most (there's always exceptions) and a hell of a lot of the really good coders get burn't out. It's a sad fact but the engineers who develop the products get far less money than the marketing and salespeople.

I guess we'll see what the situation is like in another 10 years. Myself, I think all but the most specialised will be farmed out to Eastern Europe, etc.