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Question

How to get rid of this operating system

Sep 10, 2012 5:37PM PDT

Hi there

A year or so ago my the hard drive for my laptop failed (it stopped loading the operating system). So I took it to a place to get it fixed. This was just a little place in town that I went to. So they tried to reboot my computer from backups but either they were the backups for a different computer or I had never made any. So they installed a new hard drive. Before they did it they called me and asked me if I wanted to install Windows 7 on it for $150. I said no, thinking that they would put Vista on it (which is what I originally had). I got it back and everything looked like it used to, except some of the interfaces were a bit different. Then six months later I was looking through my properties and such and saw that I had something called Vista Black Edition. I've been reading a few things and I know I can't just upgrade to Windows 7. I don't mind having Vista. My question is, how do I change from Vista Black into another operating system? I have access to the Windows operating systems but I'm not sure how to go about this. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Re: Vista Black
Sep 10, 2012 5:49PM PDT

Vista Black is a pirated version. All you can do: replace it with a legal version of the OS of your choice. The most obvious candidates:
- Windows Vista
- Windows 7
- Windows 8 (wait till October 26)
- Linux (f.e. Ubuntu)
You'll have to BUY one of the first 3 (a DVD or a download with a license code). The last one is FREE (a download without paying for a license code).

Kees

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Answer
In addition
Sep 10, 2012 11:00PM PDT

In addition, if the local place is still in business, you should report them to the BSA (Business Software Alliance) and/or Microsoft. Places that install pirated stuff on customer computers just gives legit operations a bad name and makes it hard for them to stay in business.

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Actually.
Sep 11, 2012 12:37AM PDT