Why don't manufacturer's provide standard media?

I bought an Asus N81vp-D1. Love the notebook, very disappointed with my first interaction with customer service.

When I got the notebook, I reformatted and installed Linux. I use Linux for 98% of my development work, but I do have a few tools that are only available (or much better) in Windows.

My plan was to install Vista in a Virtual Machine, so that I could quickly start it up when needed, and at the same time I would still have access to the tools I use in Linux.

The installation of Linux when smooth. I then installed Virtual Box. No problems yet. I pop in the recovery CD to install Vista under virtual box, and this is the message I receive:

"The current system was not an ASUS model.
Press OK to reboot."

I can't use their recovery cd to do a clean install of Vista in Virtual box.

I know that this isn't limited to ASUS, most, if not all, manufacturer's do this. Why? I paid for the windows license, I should be able to install it in any way that I want to. I have had plenty of people tell me to just borrow a friends copy...well you know what, they don't have the correct media either.

I contacted ASUS and they wouldn't even send me the media. I was lucky enough to have a 32 bit version of Vista Home Premium that I used for my wife's computer, but the license key from my laptop would not work with it. Microsoft has so many different versions, that it is very tough to find media that works with my license key.

Sorry for the long rant, but I think that it is ridiculous, and had to get it off my chest. Is it just me?

 

Yeah, we all got our CDs...they must not like you.....
















































just kidding.

First, you purchased an OEM installation which by license can only be applied to a single machine. As stupid as it sounds, a virtual machine is actually considered a different machine.

That's why they won't give you a CD for what you want.

Microsoft won't support and OEM install, the OEM computer maker must.

The OEM will create a CD image specifically for a machine with specific drivers so they don't have to worry about supporting millions of different configurations out of the box.

Don't be too harsh on the OEM, Microsoft actually dissuades OEMs from providing actual Windows Disks....and I used to know the reason, but I confess I have completely foregotten.

 

Well since I don't have it installed at all on the direct hardware, it is only on one machine...the virtual one.

 

It is not any ONE machine, it is THE machine you purchased it with. The license is not transferrable to a different machine simply because you took it off another machine.

The OEM license is less costly than the retail license, which would allow you to do whatever you want provided it is only on one machine at a time...the OEM...not so lenient.

 

Gerry is exactly right about why you encountered the error. OEM licenses are only to be used with specific models, and trying to use recovery media in a virtual environment is bound to fail because the guest is "restricted", so to speak.

 

On another note, why don't you just insta Vista and then use partition your drive to use Linux?

Yes, it won't run side by side.

Or if you have 4GB of RAM (3GB OS useable) you could run Linux in a virtual machine...

 

I think everyone here pretty much nailed it on the head. It's a reason of legality. You are out of luck. If having Vista on a VM is critical to your work, I suggest you just install an evaluation copy of Vista. Just grab yourself any Vista DVD, and install it without the product key. The installation is good for 90 days. If you are like me, the VM will be of no use to you at the end of 90 days of work anyways and reinstalling is just a matter of the cost of doing business.

 

I don't want to run Linux in a virtual Machine because I use it 98% of the time (or more).

I don't want to have Vista installed in a different partition, because I don't want to reboot if I don't have to.

Also, in talking to Ken from Gentech PC, he thought the restore disk automatically uses the whole hard drive no matter what.

 

Well, it definitely doesn't for my Sony, the last time I did a restore it only affected my C partition - I had the option to just restore the C partition.

On another note, you can partion your HDD after you installed Vista.