On Sun, 18 Feb 2007 13:23:46 -0800, Robert Heiling
<robheil@comcast.net> wrote:

>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)"?

Just a little. What was I thinking?
>
>> >> 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

Maybe he should try to get his son to get him a recovery cd.

Thanks