Fake windows?

[R3v0Lut10N]

Hi guys,

my dad got a samsung laptop for a gift couple months ago, recently it has a message that says that this windows is not genuine.

So i inspected the back of the laptop and there is no windows serial key as well as no dvd that came together with the laptop incase reinstallation was needed.

I then proceeded to call up the guys that supposedly sold the laptop and they told me that this copy is a "pre loaded windows" and that if i wanted to do anything i needed to pay $40 for the license. So i kept asking is this an unlicensed version and he kept saying no this is "pre loaded windows"

Question, is this pirated windows? Did i buy a laptop which is using unofficial windows? What should i do?

 

[s7460597]

You bought it from a shop in Kembangan from Qoo10?

Its original Windows but it's not activated. Need a licence key to activate it.

 

[ykgoh]

High chance, meaning a copy of Windows was installed, but with no license key. That's why the shop carefully chose the term "preloaded" instead of "licensed".

Anyone can take a Windows DVD and install on many computers, all of which runs on trial until activation period ends. I think Windows must be activated within 30 days for Windows 7 and 90 days for Windows 8.

Technically, it is not fake since the shop never use some stolen, illegally reused or pirated license key or serial code to install it. Furthermore, it has never claimed it is a licensed copy. The shop only helped installed a copy on the hard disk but without a proper license key to activate it.

 

[R3v0Lut10N]

yes it was purchased from the shop at kembangan.

point noted, so this is the case i do not have a proper licensed working windows. is that even allowed to be sold in singapore?

 

[killerslayer92]

wow this is new... since when does samsung ship laptops with "preloaded" windows? and whats with that kembangan shop? they dont seem to be very honest even when selling smaller items.

tbh $40 for windows license is cheap. granted that its kinda cheating cos ppl think laptop should come with fully activated windows os.. but if they alr fully "earn" from you just from the sale of the laptop, paying $40 more for the os is fully profit to them. evil

 

[yusoffb01]

40 for new windows key is cheap. Unless for that price they just use windows loader to activate

 

[ykgoh]

Sounds too cheap to be true btw. A bit dodgy to me.

Go SLS buy OEM copy (not retail) of Windows also need ~$120 for Windows 7, and ~$130 for Windows 8.

If there's a cheaper edition, SLS would have sold it.

 

[killerslayer92]

Sounds too cheap to be true btw. A bit dodgy to me.

Go SLS buy OEM copy (not retail) of Windows also need ~$120 for Windows 7, and ~$130 for Windows 8.

If there's a cheaper edition, SLS would have sold it.

thats why im saying probably they alr earn enuf to cover cost of laptop. if u pay them the $40 is add to their profit only

 

[Calvin.Lee]

For a shop like this, it is indeed unfortunate buying from them. I will advise you to double check your laptop warranty with Samsung. All windows should comes preloaded with activation already as it is part of the cost of the laptop you paid for.

I would not be surprise if Samsung Singapore does not acknowledge the warranty of the laptop sold by this shop unless the shop get from the distributor/reseller directly and repackage it to sell it with some modifications.

 

[ykgoh]

yes it was purchased from the shop at kembangan.

point noted, so this is the case i do not have a proper licensed working windows. is that even allowed to be sold in singapore?

No law states that all computer sold in Singapore must be installed with a licensed copy of operating system, though all reputable retailers would sell one with Windows pre-installed. So it's legal, so long as the advertisement and description does not claim to have licensed Windows installed to mislead customers.

wow this is new... since when does samsung ship laptops with "preloaded" windows? and whats with that kembangan shop? they dont seem to be very honest even when selling smaller items.

I suspect this Samsung notebook may be some parallel import set/gray set from overseas, and not carried in by Samsung Singapore.

So at most can get shop warranty and servicing only? I think this shop used to sell some computers loaded with FreeDOS. Not sure if it still does it today.

The deal is that by cutting out on the Windows license, they can offer notebook of comparable hardware specs cheaper than other shops by $100 or $200.

For people who already have their own licensed copy of Windows or those intending to use other operating systems, this is one way to save money.

tbh $40 for windows license is cheap. granted that its kinda cheating cos ppl think laptop should come with fully activated windows os.. but if they alr fully "earn" from you just from the sale of the laptop, paying $40 more for the os is fully profit to them. evil

Did the shop say which version of Windows a customer will get for paying $40? Later power on see:

Afaik, there was a US$40 deal for the Windows 8 upgrade for a limited period in 2012 I believe. But since then, I do not know of any such deal from Microsoft to get Windows legally this cheap.

 

[zhtan10]

I am personally a victim of Kembangan's scam.

This is what happened:
Bought a Lenovo from Kembangan (Pactech) in Qoo10 due to the cheap price. The windows loaded is Windows 7 Professional. Used for 1 month then the not genuine message came out. Call Kembangan, they say just call Microsoft can do activation over phone. Did what they ask. However, probably I missed the auto activation and was contacted to the operator.
After doing some verification with the operator, to my horror the operator said that the installed key has already be activated in another machine. To prove the the license belongs to me, I have to email them the license key + photos + Lenovo laptop serial number. As there is no license sticker provided, I then realize I am scammed by them.

What to do? Want cheapo things, get cheapo pirated license.

Just curious that why Microsoft allow this in Singapore? Believe Pactech sell few thousand units with pirated OS already!

 

[ykgoh]

I am personally a victim of Kembangan's scam.

This is what happened:
Bought a Lenovo from Kembangan (Pactech) in Qoo10 due to the cheap price. The windows loaded is Windows 7 Professional. Used for 1 month then the not genuine message came out. Call Kembangan, they say just call Microsoft can do activation over phone. Did what they ask. However, probably I missed the auto activation and was contacted to the operator.
After doing some verification with the operator, to my horror the operator said that the installed key has already be activated in another machine. To prove the the license belongs to me, I have to email them the license key + photos + Lenovo laptop serial number. As there is no license sticker provided, I then realize I am scammed by them.

What to do? Want cheapo things, get cheapo pirated license.

Just curious that why Microsoft allow this in Singapore? Believe Pactech sell few thousand units with pirated OS already!

In all fairness, Microsoft may not be aware of this shop/business. It is the responsibility of the seller to communicate clearly to buyers that the set does not include a licensed copy of Windows. Buyers must know that they are running Windows in a non-licensed time-limited trial mode. Somehow I feel it's the seller that is deliberately evasive and shady about this aspect.

Also, Microsoft allows its Windows to be installed freely without a license key (pre-loaded) and run on a trial basis for a limited period (30 days or 90 days). This is a fair gesture from Microsoft for users who wish to test drive Windows before buying.

 

[zhtan10]

Dwell more into the issue after I got scammed by them.

Few points to take note:
1) My machine is indeed installed with pirated OS. The Kembangan Pactech people told me to re-activate the windows will do by calling to microsoft. But after calling, Microsoft said that my license is correct, but USED by others. I believe they change to installing Trial OS after many complaints from users

2) Their $40 license is a license sticker which looks like a reprint of the sticker from recycled machines. All OEM windows should comes in Microsoft packaging. But their license comes in one whole roll. No resellers will have licenses in one roll, unless they are illegally reprint or pluck out from old machines.

 

[ykgoh]

Dwell more into the issue after I got scammed by them.

Few points to take note:
1) My machine is indeed installed with pirated OS. The Kembangan Pactech people told me to re-activate the windows will do by calling to microsoft. But after calling, Microsoft said that my license is correct, but USED by others. I believe they change to installing Trial OS after many complaints from users

I believe Pactech might be giving the same license key to all their customers, and pushing them to Microsoft to settle.

2) Their $40 license is a license sticker which looks like a reprint of the sticker from recycled machines. All OEM windows should comes in Microsoft packaging. But their license comes in one whole roll. No resellers will have licenses in one roll, unless they are illegally reprint or pluck out from old machines.

Sounds like some deliberate scams or piracy going on. Should call mata, MS or BSA to raid sia. Scammers and dodgy sellers ought to die. Affected customers and victims with proofs should report here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/piracy/reporting/default.aspx

Also, in case people are interested in buying Windows, as a warning there are some dodgy sites on the Internet selling Windows product keys at a highly discounted price from $20 to $40. They usually provide no physical disc, and some offer to send their product keys via email or as BitTorrent or eMule downloads (sounds highly suspicious).

In any case, buy only from reputable retailers like Amazon or straight from Microsoft Store if buying online.

 

[R3v0Lut10N]

Wow did not know that this issue is not the first of such case.

I will let my father read this thread. Thanks and keep more of the stories coming.

 

[zXioNGz]

The main point being, did you bought the laptop with much discounts from buying from Retail shops? Is it first hand or second hand?

If not, you got scammed liao, when you buy it, is it Brand New In Box Sealed? With local Samsung warranty? You as a consumer to buy from these kind of shops must be vigilant, sometimes people tend to get naive when shops offer them some discounts.

If you do, then since you wanted to save some cash from buying from Retail shops, then you cannot complain much?

I always buy IT or Eletronics from reputable shops, to avoid all these nonsence haha

 

[s7460597]

I was at the shop collecting a HP printer from them. Was queuing behind a customer buying a notebook. The salesman was explaining to the customer about paying $40 for Windows 7. Don't know who brought it up. The customer decided to buy the licence. The salesman brought up a stack of cards with activation keys and keyed it in. The first few were not accepted. Didn't know what happened after as I left the shop.

As to warranty it was advertised as 'local warranty' IIRC.

Seems the prices they are selling the notebooks are lower than in SLS.

Disclaimer : I'm not related to the shop.