kony <spam@spam.com> wrote
> Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote
>> Kilroy@washere.com wrote
>>> 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)?

>>>>> 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?

>>>>> 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.

>> Bet it was installed on the system and could have been read online.

> ... and this kind of burden being placed on the user to
> proactively seek resolution to a product failure ahead
> of time is why such OEM systems should be avoided,

Wrong. Its that approach which reduces the price, stupid.

> unless the user is already well aware of it before
> purchase and accepts this (potential) cost savings.

Taint potential, its real.

> To address the OP, it doesn't matter of MCE had logo changes,
> more significant is if there is any loss of OEM installed software,
> and the time required to hunt down drivers

And the ability to be able to do what the phone answering
monkey suggests if 'support' is ever needed in future.

> (some would care about that, others won't, would even prefer
> a clean install instead of the OEM factory bloated install).

You dont know that it is bloated.

> As for the OS itself, if the HDD fails and no recovery CD is
> present, no backup made, the owner is left borrowing the
> same OS version (Including it being OEM) from someone

Not necessarily if HP can flog you want you didnt burn yourself.

> and using their license, key with it

Depends on whether his own key is available somewhere.

> - and it'll probably require activation manually.

Or may not require any activation at all. Most of those preinstalled OEMs dont.