[Jeff in MI]

I picked up a Dell 9150 relatively cheap from a kid on Craigslist.
It had a few infections that I quickly took care of buy running a number of scans with different tools usually expressed in the spyware forum.
Secunia exposed some holes in common software installed and it's really pretty clean now.
Although I don't feel exactly safe and am somewhat reluctant to run it on our network here at home for fear of granting access to the previous owner, who's name is allover this thing.
He had a lot of C++ programs and other tools way beyond my comprehension installed on here I think because he's taking computer classes at a local university.

It runs great, he took good care of it and so far I do enjoy it.
Just wondering how I can button it up a bit and get his name off of everything on here.
Any help would be appreciated.

Jeff

[knucklehead]

To do what you want requires editing the registry. It is always a good idea to back up the registry before proceeding just in case something goes wrong.

NOTE: The procedure described at the link below will change the registered owner of the operating system but I believe will not change it for registered applications such as MS Office etc.

Change the Registered Owner and Organization:
http://www.pctools.com/guides/registry/detail/32/

Disclaimer: Modifying the registry can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Use the information provided at your own risk.

[Jeff in MI]

Thanks Knucklehead, I'll give it a shot.

"but I believe will not change it for registered applications such as MS Office etc".

This brings up another issue.
I ran Trend Micro Housecall and it found a few bugs and I removed them.
More importantly it also found a bunch of holes in Office 2007.
So I follow the directions in housecall to plugs these up and MS says that I either have a bogus copy of office or it's been registered with an abused or illegal key.

Now I do have a legit copy of Office 03 on the old P3 Compaq that this Dell is replacing.
Can I yank the drive out of that and put it in this Dell as a slave drive since the dell is SATA and the Compaq is not?
Or somehow get all the software off of it and on to this one?

[lunarlander]

Putting the old drive in the new machine will get the application over but not the necessary registry keys. Its simpler just to reinstall office03 onto the new machine.

[Jeff in MI]

Well unfortunatly, that's not an option either.
The compaq was given to me from my sister in law for disinfecting it some time ago, "You can keep it, we got another one".
That was in 04.
since then they have move from TX to MI and now on to SC.
I just emailed her to ask if she still had the cd's and got a hearty laugh.

[RootbeaR]

Originally Posted by Jeff in MI

Well unfortunatly, that's not an option either.
The compaq was given to me from my sister in law for disinfecting it some time ago, "You can keep it, we got another one".
That was in 04.
since then they have move from TX to MI and now on to SC.
I just emailed her to ask if she still had the cd's and got a hearty laugh.

If I bought a used PC I would reinstall the OS and get all applicable updates. Then I know I have a clean machine.

Open Office is free.

[calvin-c]

If I bought a used PC with lots of software but no CD's I'd definitely wipe the drive & reinstall-even if I had to buy a new copy of Windows. In a situation like this it's very likely that the software (not Windows itself, but the other software) is illegal. If it wasn't when the original owner installed it (as a student it's possible he could download academic copies) then it most likely is for the 2nd owner (who, presumably, is not a student).

Of course it could all be free software. but I've been thru quite a few used PC's & have yet to see one with 'lots of software' that was all, or even mostly, freeware.

And, I'll admit, downloading software is becoming more common-but it's still rare compared to the amount of software purchased on CD's. So if the CD's are missing my 1st impression is that the software probably isn't legal. (Like I said, Windows is an exception as it comes pre-installed, often with a recovery partition rather than a CD.)

[Jeff in MI]

I appreciate everyones input in this matter.

The OS on the Dell is legit, it's his questionable version of Office 07 I have a problem with.
I talked to one of the egg heads in our IT department today and he suggested picking up an IDE / SATA adapter (light goes on overhead).
This way I can kill the bogus version of Office on the new Dell and carry over the old drive from the Compaq with the legit copy of Office 03 or just use it as an external drive.
As far as trying to get the original XP cd from Dell, I tried that before on my 8200, "Didn't you get the recovery disc that came with your computer?" Yes I did but I want my copy of Windows. They said they don't do that.
And I think the bean counter, I mean, I think my wife would have a cow if I went and bought a new XP cd with ca.

Thanks again everybody.

Jeff

[calvin-c]

Didn't intend to question legitimacy of Windows, only of the Office install (and possibly other programs-you didn't mention what). Sure, copy of Windows could be pirated but I've rarely encountered that on a major brand PC. My recommendation of buying a new copy of Windows was simply so you could get a clean install. If you're comfortable that the PC's now clean then it's not important.

More important is your ability to install the software you want to run-and I don't think your approach will work. IIRC the Dell is your old PC & Compaq the new. If you install the Dell drive as boot in Compaq then it will probably work. You'll get lots of driver errors since the hardware will be different but if you can correct those then you can wipe the Compaq drive & use it as your spare drive or whatever.

But it sounds to me like you want to install the Dell drive in the Compaq as the spare drive & run Office from it. If you do that you'll have the Office files, sure, but you still won't have the registry entries you need for it to run. The only simple way I know of to get those registry entries in there is to reinstall the software. (Still think M$ went to a registry for performance reasons? Sure they did-the performance of their profits!)

You might try the Files & Settings Transfer Wizard. I've never used it but I've heard that it's supposed to let you migrate programs. Or search the Web for a different program that will do that. Like I said, I've never used one-I purchase new copies when I need them. (If I'm moving software, as you are, then I have the CD because I purchased it originally.)

So I'm not sure I can help you further but I certainly wish you the best of luck.

[Jeff in MI]

No harm, no offense taken, just trying to salvage a lot of my daughters homework from the Compaq and move it to the new Dell.
The Compaq is an old P3 that has seen better days.
I also thought about putting the P3 back on the network and using the transfer wizard but never tried it.
One thing I learned from here is that there are many options.
I appreciate your help.

[DoubleHelix]

The only way to use Office is to install it. Connecting a hard drive with it installed to another computer won't work, and it can't be simply copied.

[Jeff in MI]

Well I called the guy about this version of Office 2007 and he told me it is legit, just that he hacked it.
Why one would need to hack Word, is beyond me....
Anyways, I created a new user account / profile as admin and deleted his and more or less starting fresh. Got all the updates I need, seems he was telling the truth,the version of office under his profile was changed in some way that wouldn't allow for updates, under my user name it's OK.
What I'd like to do now is delete his whole folder all together under documents and settings because most of the software in under application data and other folder there still carries his name as being the one who registered it.
Anybody familiar with what could be tossed without affecting the operation of this thing?