OEM branded XP Home Edition - Who to complain to?

From: Serena (serena@reenee.net)
Date: 08/06/02 

From: "Serena" <serena@reenee.net>
Date: Mon, 5 Aug 2002 19:31:46 -0700

I bought my computer system via Best Buy, one of their
VPR Matrix systems which came with XP Home Edition. I
did not receive an XP CD-Rom, but rather their "restore"
disk. I want to set up an automated maintenance backup
of my critical data files on the new system to another
computer on my home network. So I went to System Tools,
and discovered the Backup function is not there. I also
perused MS's Knowledgebase and discovered by default this
is not installed (NTBACKUP), and instructions on how to
install it from the XP Home Edition CD-ROM (which i don't
have), so I contacted Best Buy's VPR tech support to
inquire how I was going to accomplish my goal.

The response was that I would need to either (1) burn a
copy of any data I wanted to "backup" to a CD, that I
would not be able to backup over my network to another
hard drive, that the NTBACKUP is not provided as a part
of the OEM branded Home Edition; or (2) "just use System
Restore". (!!!!)

What the HELL gives the OEM the right to omit what should
be an essential utility just because it's an OEM branded
edition of XP?

I told the guy I have a LOT of data to backup (I have a
100 gig hard drive on the new system) - and burning a
copy is not an acceptable solution, as that would require
me to sit here and change out CD's in the event my data
exceeded the limit of the CD. I should have the ability
to choose to backup my system to another hard drive,
without just making a copy of file on a CD.

Further, suppose my 100 gig hard drive dies, relying just
on System Restore would certainly not help me to restore
files from a dead drive.

This is ridiculous and I am incensed. I feel that kind
of arbitrary OEM interference with having the
functionality normally included in a "licensed" XP Home
Edition is unacceptable.

Who do I complain to loudly and bitterly, that would have
the authority to do something constructive about this
situation?

Relevant Pages

  • Re: OEM branded XP Home Edition - Who to complain to?
    ... TBackup Backup/Restore and ASR release notes ... ASR is not supported on home edition. ... IF you install NtBackup from the CD to the Home Edition, ... Backup to CDRW ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin)
  • Re: Does XP Home have a backup utility?
    ... Backup Made Easy." ... Home Edition CD-ROM to start a wizard that installs Backup: ... Install Backup from the CD-ROM in Windows XP Home Edition ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: OEM branded XP Home Edition - Who to complain to?
    ... they didn't even include a restore CD. ... "System restore" disk which is essentially the MS XP disk. ... > VPR Matrix systems which came with XP Home Edition. ... > and discovered the Backup function is not there. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin)
  • Re: Backup Utility
    ... Backup is not installed by default in home edition. ... Ntbackup.msi file in the following location on the Windows XP Home Edition ... CD-ROM to start a wizard that installs Backup: ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Does XP Home have a backup utility?
    ... website today and found an article by Microsoft's Ed Bott called "Windows XP ... Backup Made Easy." ... Home Edition CD-ROM to start a wizard that installs Backup: ... Install Backup from the CD-ROM in Windows XP Home Edition ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)