Good Lord, I hate Microsoft

[Blooby]

New packaged version of Windows 7 and a new hard drive. I swap out the old hard drive and boot with the DVD. It loads flawlessly. I am happy. I go to type the product key for the new, packaged software, and I get "invalid product key." I retype several times. I triple check. I make sure it's case sensitive. I make sure my 6's aren't G's, etc.

I am now open for suggestions because all I've got brewing is a petulant temper tantrum.

Oh yeah, I hate typing on phones, too.

Pfffftttt!

Blooby

[Blooby]

An update. 

My computer rejects the new Windows multiple times, yet on a third restart, it miraculously loads.  I know not what this means.  I am now typing on a computer devoid of any software. It's 8:10 in the morning.  Is it too early to start drinking?

So cold...  So cold...

Blooby

p.s.-My distaste for Microsoft has only grown.

[Blooby]

I want to see if I can rescue any data from my (not too) old hard drive.

Next question.  On the old IEEE (or whatever they were called), you manipulated the master/slave settings by moving a little plastic thingy on some pins in the back.

Question: How do I slave my old SATA drive?

Blooby

p.s.-Have I mentioned how Microsoft products make me crazy?

[cuthbert]

Hi Blooby,

There's no master/slave concept in SATA - just plug & play. Your old drive should appear as another volume in My (your) Computer.

Wish I could help with your Windows 7 problem, but I'm a Mac guy who also has a WinXP box. 

[Blooby]

Hi Blooby,

There's no master/slave concept in SATA - just plug & play. Your old drive should appear as another volume in My (your) Computer.

Wish I could help with your Windows 7 problem, but I'm a Mac guy who also has a WinXP box. 

Thank you for responding.  I will give it a whirl.  If you hear a yell, that would be me.

Blooby

p.s.-Microsoft is poopie.

[64Guitars]

I share your frustration and hatred of Microsoft products. Their activation and restrictive licensing infuriates me. Did you know that if the motherboard in your OEM computer dies and you replace it with a different motherboard, Microsoft won't activate your Windows license? They consider it a new computer and expect you to buy another license for about $100. Greedy bastards!

It's too bad that you've already bought Windows 7. Otherwise, I'd have recommended that you install ubuntu linux instead. It's free and open, and a much better operating system than Windows. If you're interested, you can still setup your computer to dual boot between Windows 7 and ubuntu. Each operating system would have its own partition on your hard drive. Send me a PM for further instruction if you want to try it. At the very least, you should download a ubuntu CD image and burn it to a CD. Then you can boot from that CD to run ubuntu without affecting your Windows installation. This lets you try it out without making any commitment. Of course, it runs much slower off a CD but it's fast enough to try it out. If you want to continue using it, you should install it to a hard drive. The CD is also great for rescuing your data when your Windows system gets totally fubar. Just boot from the ubuntu CD and you can immediately access all of the files on your Windows hard drive.

Master/slave only applies to the old PATA hard drives where one cable serves two drives. But SATA has a separate cable for each drive so there's no need for a master/slave designation. Therefore, SATA drives don't have any jumpers or switches for master/slave. Just connect a SATA cable to the drive and you're good to go.

[Blooby]

64, if I emerge from this sane, the one good thing is that the Windows 7 was a gift from the singer in MoO (a good guy for sure).  He decided to stick with XP after purchasing 7.

I have been curious about Linux but have been concerned about compatibility issues with my go-to programs.

Blooby

p.s.-Microsoft's mother wears army boots.

[Flash Harry]

I work with Microsoft products all the time. I am amazed that identical operating systems loaded onto identical hardware using the same method sometimes produces different results.

I can't say that I hate Microsofts products, they keep me in employment.
I can understand how people become frustrated by them.

[Blooby]

Yes, perhaps "hate" is too strong a word.  I was being hastily melodramatic.  I merely wanted to articulate that Microsoft products (today)  make me want to do kick puppies.

Blooby

[Flash Harry]

NT4 used to make me want to kick puppies.