Microsoft: UK Retailer 'sold 94,000 counterfeit copies of Windows'

[bassethound]

Microsoft has accused high street retailer Comet of creating and selling more than 94,000 counterfeit copies of Windows recovery discs.

The software giant has issued legal proceedings against the Comet Group for selling the alleged counterfeits to customers that bought computers loaded with Windows Vista and Windows XP.

“As detailed in the complaint filed today, Comet produced and sold thousands of counterfeit Windows CDs to unsuspecting customers in the United Kingdom,” said David Finn, associate general counsel for worldwide anti-piracy and anti-counterfeiting at Microsoft.

“Comet’s actions were unfair to customers. We expect better from retailers of Microsoft products — and our customers deserve better, too.”

According to Microsoft, the legal action charges Comet with producing the counterfeits in a factory in Hampshire and then selling the media to customers at retail outlets around Britain.

Comet has yet to respond to requests for comment on the issue, but the action comes at a critical time for the company. Comet is currently owned by French retailer Kesa Electricals, but is expected to be sold to private equity firm OpCapita this year.

Microsoft said customers concerned that software was fake should visit the company's How to tell website.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/howtotell/default.aspx

[pooface]

Wonder how this was counterfeit? As far as I'm aware, it's just a license you own. Can use any version of cd to install, but as long as you have legit license (I.e the sticker with product key) it's legit?! Interested in other's take on this...

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[punisher]

thats what i thought, unless they complaining that its not a genuine cd but just ripped and burned by themselves

[silverfox0786]

its all to to with retail and OEM licencing

Microsoft gives 1 single licence per manufacturer



so ASER has one only
ASUS has one only
HP has one pnly
Compac has one only
etc etc etc

so in effect say for example HP uses that 1 licence and installs it on mass HP machines [this is called pre loaded software]

people like DAZ and Orbit30 have found ways to exploit that and found original manufacturer CD keys and made loaders as those keys never get banned or blocked and always work due to them being RTM keys [Release to Manufacturer]

what i think coment have done as the article talks about receovery cds, is they have made pre key loaded recovery CD's and charged customers for em. this i know commet does as you dont get a CD when you buy a new PC as its built into a reovery partition, but if for any reason you need a CD they will charge you for it [usually £50]