Asking 1st ( for a change )

I have an XP CD that I am looking at right now.

Can I believe what it says ?.

On the CD it says.

Includes Service Pack 1

Version 2002

Checking the file dates I see tham as being 8-29-02.

Now. Am I correct in thinking that this means the SVC Pack 1 IS already included ?

One on my Friends says yes and another says no.

I myself say yes. But I am questioning that too right now.

BillyBob

 

OOPS !!

Make that an XP Pro CD.

BB

 

Thank you Arie.

 

I refuse to purchase XP unless it contains SP1 but so far I have not been successful finding it. Did the box have any identifying text i.e. did it contain "2002" in the lower right hand corner? This is the only thing I have saw in local stores so far. Thanks!

 

I just bought XP Pro about 3 weeks ago. It included SP1 but doesn't say so anywhere on the box. In the lower right hand corner it says version 2002. Perhaps there's a way to tell from the certificate of authenticity on the box. Don't know. Anybody else know?

 

Thanks for the information.

I suggest buyers be very careful when buying XP. This morning I purchased XP Pro Upgrade. The price was $199.99. However, the CD does not say anything about Service Pack 1 and the file dates were modified 8-23-01. I called the store where the item was purchased. However, they do not make refunds on opened software and gave me Microsoft's telephone number. To get a refund I must send the product to Microsoft via Priority Mail with a copy of the receipt. What a hassle. At this point I do NOT even want XP!

 

It should state on the box SP1 is installed. Otherwise a consumer has to tear into the packaging and risk a rejection for a refund. Doesn't make sense, and it does promote confusion and consumer dissatisfaction. "Do not now what XP" may the natural reaction.

However, the retailor should be of help as it is their responsibility to have some knowledge of the product they are selling. In my opinion, the store should call microsoft so they would know what they are selling!!! I would insist on the store doing the paperwork and provide you with the information you or any other consumer would need to make the correct purchasing decision.

Maybe I am getting to be an old grouch, but that would tick me off.

 

BB,

Windows XP SP1 and that includes IE6 shows a date on my system of 8/29/02 so your 8/20 date has credibility. However, there are a few subsequent patches for IE SP1 that may not be included.

 

I guess I am definitely an old grouch as I was very ticked off. When I telephoned the store I got so upset with the first person I talked to I informed him I would never set foot in their store again. He promptly apologized and called his manager to the phone. The manager also was very apologetic. He said I was the first customer to complain about buying an out of date XP CD and he was not aware of a problem. He called Microsoft and gave me two different numbers to call. The store manager said they would have no way to recover their money if they made a refund. To add insult to my injury I ended up calling both numbers. I hate using the telephone and was actually on the phone for over a hour (most of the time listening to music) and I was close to tears by the time I finished! My husband suggested canceling the credit card charge but I felt the local merchant had done all he could under the circumstances.

 

Includes Service Pack 1--what version

I dont know XP or XP Pro
But I do know there was, is, several versions of sp1, atleast three
one with java then one without then again one with newer version of java --plus everthing else involved, included with it.
[You guy's& Gal's all no that!!
Wouldnt Cd's have a made date , in other words advise people to look for date after 2003 march --or maybe order from MS instead.
OR http://www.windows-help.net/WindowsXP/howto-21.html
Regards
Lonny

 

June:

Well maybe they should lose out! But I doubt if that would happen. Large stores have clout with their suppliers.

They may be trying to dump their old inventory by not disclosing the true contents or lack thereof of their product. Depending on the circumstances, your expectations, their representation, it could be a situation of deception. With that said, unfortunately, the consumer has some responsibility to be somewhat aware and have some knowledge of the product to be purchased. The retailor does not have a duty to tell the consumer anything unless asked. But a good, honest retailor should not be dumping outdated inventory without telling the buyer of the circumstances and possibly giving a discount.

Lonny,

Good points made in your response. I know of two different versions, SP1 and SP1a. I am not aware of any newer version.

 

Well, I think MS is somewhat to blame too. Nowhere on the box does it say anything about SP1. However, it does say on the cd itself "Includes Service Pack 1" . That doesn't do anybody much good though as you have to open the box to find out. Once you do that you can't return it. A catch 22 of sorts. Seems to me that MS is probably just trying to save a buck by not having to print new boxes. Can't imagine any other reason they wouldn't put it on there. I'm not at all an MS basher or hater but some of the things they do make me wonder sometimes. KenKeith has the right idea though. When in doubt, ask. If they don't know go somewhere else where they do know.

 

Update
Today I received a check from Microsoft for $217.84! When I mailed the XP Pro Upgrade CD to Microsoft I really didn't know if I would ever hear from them again or not. They did not enclose a letter with the check. When I returned the CD I had asked them "How could I have identified that the packaging contained a CD one and a half years old?" but no reply.

Thanks again everyone!

 

I thought you can download SP1 for free from the M$ site. If that is true, who cares if it's on the cd? Someone correct me if I am mistaken. BTW, I have not installed any SPs at all. I choose individual updates if I think they have merit, or if I have a problem. Been using XP Pro for over a year w/o any trouble.

 

The problem with dowloading SP1 is that it can be a HUGE download depending on what updates are already on your machine. And trying to download such a beast over say an 56k connection will only add to the frustration. And if you have it on CD it's right there if a reinstall should ever be needed - avoids having to sit and wait on the modem - again.

June, I can understand your frustration; no one wants software that they have to spend two hours updating after they install.

I can tell you though that when I worked at St*ples we ran into similar problems with other software packages. Sometimes the box would reflect the update - beit a simple sticker, other times - boxes remained identical although the software differed.

St*ples has the same policy, that they won't refund unopened software - In my two years there I don't ever recall the general manager being able to make an exception to that. At St*ples the corporate gods micromanaged EVERYTHING. Our store and exteriror lights were all remotely controlled through the home office in Brighton, MA. If we wanted to turn the temp up we had to call half way across the country - that is unless it was a weekend - then we all froze until Monday.

With software, if a manager took a return on it - he may as well toss it away - there aren't any return procedures for software - returned software doesn't exist in corporates eyes. calling the regional office wouldn't do any good other than to get a lecture on what policy is. And when inventory comes around now we're short a $200 item of software - can't return it to invetory once the seal on the box is cracked - no one's going to buy it like that. In the end Manager gets a chewing from his boss and we' all know about the stuff rolling downhill.

And while we did have a vendor direct number for a couple of companies if the need ever arose to have to call Microsoft we had to search the web for a phone number the same as anyone else.

We had CD burners for a while that shipped with software that didn't support the drive - had to update the software as soon as you installed it so you could use your CD burner. I ended up updating about five or six machines for free on the fly at home for customers. Do it in the store and that's software installation - $30.

Yes, the policies leave little, if any, room for exceptions - even as an employee, I couldn't return software I bought - heck, we didn't even get a discount on items in the store.

On top of that you weren't worth squat unless you sold extended warranties - sell, sell, sell......Didn't matter if you sold $1 million of inventory you had to sell warranties to be noticed.

But, I digress

Just wanted to say I understand your frustration and I'm glad that at least Microsoft was able to refund your money.

I will make a point of looking at a box of Xp Pro tommorrow and see if the white microsoft product tag mentions SP 1 up here. I know that the 98 SE boxes state just that 98 second edition.

ICE

 

ICE
THANK YOU! I spend a lot of time on the internet reading newsgroups, etc. and I don't recall reading about other people getting upset when they pay the full price for an operating system and then finding out they need a large download to get it up to date. I do have high speed wireless internet which is much faster than dial-up so it really wouldn't be a problem to download the stuff but guess it is just the principle of the thing...I was beginning to wonder if maybe I was being unreasonable and stubborn.