Alex Clayton wrote in
:


A couple days after the warning it would not run. It gave
some kind of link to "get genuine". It offered several
possible solutions. At the time I had no idea what the hell
was going on. Fist I called Acer. They had me re-install
the OS from the HD. It has a section of the HD to allow
this, sets it back to factory. Of course all was working
then so I thought that was it. Put all my stuff back in and
all was fine. Then 30 days later again same thing. Called
Acer they tried to have me re-install. I told them we had
been through that. Then they gave me an RMA to send it to
them. I paid the shipping. A couple days after they got it
they paid to send it back. 30 days later here we go again
with the NG. I called, they tried the re-install, I said
no, they gave another RMA. Got it back, 30 days later here
we go again. Now I followed the links from MS. One option
was to pay a C note for a "get genuine kit" which is a new
key. I called Acer they refused to pay for this. I called
MS they ran the serial numbers, told me it was Acer's
fault. Acer wanted me to send it back again. By now I had
about had enough. I just paid MS for the new key. some
where in all this I was able to find out that the "problem"
was MS considers a new MB to be a new machine. If you have
a retail install they are not willing to let you move it to
a new machine. Now Acer could have of course fixed this,
they have a lot more pull with MS than I do. It got to
where it was easy to see what Acer was going to do was
screw with me until the warranty ran out.
I gave up and told them never again would I buy anything
they made.
It sounds like I was not the only one who had this happen
and they have now decided to not screw anyone else over.
Like I said if they had just told me at the start that they
would replace the MB but I would have to buy the new Key, I
would have been fine. It was the way they kept lying and
stringing me along that made me really mad.

Unfortunately, it was MS that screwed you.

In this licensing FAQ.....

http://www.microsoft.com/oem/en/lice...nsing/pages/li
censing_faq.aspx

.....it plainly states....

Q. Can a PC with an OEM Windows operating system have its
motherboard upgraded and keep the same license? What if it was
replaced because it was defective?

A. Generally, an end user can upgrade or replace all of the
hardware components on a computer—except the motherboard—and
still retain the license for the original Microsoft OEM
operating system software. If the motherboard is upgraded or
replaced for reasons other than a defect, then a new computer
has been created. Microsoft OEM operating system software
cannot be transferred to the new computer, and the license of
new operating system software is required. If the motherboard
is replaced because it is defective, you do not need to
acquire a new operating system license for the PC as long as
the replacement motherboard is the same make/model or the same
manufacturer's replacement/equivalent, as defined by the
manufacturer's warranty.


Asus fulfilled their minimum obligation to you by replacing
the defective MB in this laptop with a replacement that was
the exact same model.

MS is the one that forced you to buy a new license.

That being said.....I am by no means saying Asus handled it
properly. It sounds like the situation was unpleasant from all
sides.