Kilroy@washere.com wrote:
>
> On Mon, 19 Feb 2007 06:10:32 +1100, "Rod Speed"
> <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >kilroy@washere.com wrote:
> >> Does anyone know if the version of the OS on the HP & DELL Media
> >> Center Edition 2005 machines is just like MS Windows Media Center
> >> Edition 2005? Or are those OS's changed by HP & DELL to suit their
> >> use (including their logos etc)?

It's just an OEM installation with an OEM license just like the OEM ones for the
standard XP and other varieties.

> >> Asked another way - what happens if you restore a HP or DELL Media
> >> Center Edition 2005 machine by installing on it a MS Windows Media
> >> Center Edition 2005 OS?

Then you use the license for that RETAIL version and the original OEM license
goes to waste. Unless the thought is to use the installation that is for a
different computer. Microsoft might then be interested when they discovered 2
computers doing online updates with the same license number.

> >> Reason for the question - my brother has a HP Media Center Edition
> >> 2005 given to him for Xmas that requires recovery, on a new virgin HDD
> >> (his original HDD is defunct & un-readable). He does not have a copy
> >> of HP's Media Center Edition 2005, and has no 'recovery disk' if there
> >> ever was one.
> >
> >He was supposed to have written one when he first got the machine.
>
> He said he didn't get any instructions when he opened the box.

The Desktop had, among other things, a large ? Icon that says Help & Support and
includes User manuals. Start Menu includes PC Tools Help with instructions on
how to burn the Recovery DVD/CD(s), although the importance of that might be
lost on a beginner.

> His
> son bought it for him on the other side of the country (CA) and mailed
> it to him. I'll see if he can find instructions in the Start Menu. He
> is some 800 miles from me, so I can't look for him.

Won't that be a little difficult if "(his original HDD is defunct &
un-readable)"?

> >> But he says he can get his hands on a installation-copy of what
> >> he calls a vanilla MS Windows Media Center Edition 2005.

That system should still be under warranty. His best bet might be to call
support and tell the sad story. I know they seemed willing to send me the
recovery disks for a different system at a time when my DVD burner was acting
up, but only as a last resort.

Bob