Currys laptop advice needed, supplied with fake Windows Vista

[phil_c]

Hi, I would appreciate any advice on the best angle to approach this return from, for when I go into the store tomorrow.

I ordered a refurbished laptop from currys online earlier this week, great spec and great price, so far so good. The Laptop has arrived and it is in great condition, and I'm very pleased. However as I start to unpack it I notice the supplied Acer Windows Vista re-install CDs are copied CDs, with cheaply printed labels stuck on to look like the real thing, and the Windows Genuine sticker, on the bottom of the laptop, has been ripped in the middle so a small part is missing. Switching the laptop on it boots to a "activate your windows vista screen by connecting to the internet", so I plug in a network cable, and the program thinks for a bit, then says this copy of Vista is already registered, please enter the product key manually, trying this with the key printed on the ripped sticker, brings up the same warning. Which just leaves me with the option: start a handicapped version of vista so you can buy a new product key online, which I'm not going to do as I payed for a laptop that was advertised as arriving with Vista Premium.

As I mentioned I am going into a currys store tomorrow to sort this out, as I am driving back to London Monday morning, and need the laptop for work. The actual laptop seems fine, and I'm happy with it, and I just intend to ask for a new copy of Vista. I was hoping for any advice on what I should ask for, the legal or illegal (as I'm sure they are breaking piracy laws) terms of what currys have done.

Thanks in advance, and I apologise for such a long post.

[Monty2007]

Dear Phil
I am sure that they will not wish to be reported to Microsoft or the Police for breach of Copyright and infringement of Microsoft's intellectual property. Hence you should insist that they immediately replace the software with a legitimate copy. I assume that you are happy with the computer and other software?

They are on very weak ground and you should get the result you want.

[phil_c]

Thanks for the quick reply Monty. Yeah the laptop seems fine, I haven't been able to get past the start-up screen yet, but its all in great condition, and the specs are as advertised.

I shall save the microsoft number, trading standards, and local police number into my mobile for when I go into the shop then. Thanks again

[olly18uk]

Before you go in and speak to Currys just to clear up about the disks.
All machines sold via DSG (currys and PC world) with the exception of Toshiba, require the user to create the recovery disks. They do not come with the unit. Hence why they are "copied" disks.

[olly18uk]

Sorry I also missed off my last post, the sticker on the bottom of the laptop is slightly worn in the middle (looks like a rip), this is how the new style windows COA's look.