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GReedDiamond

(5,313 posts) Mon Oct 7, 2019, 11:20 PM Oct 2019

"Counterfeiting Microsoft Windows Landed Me in Prison for a Year"

In 2012, while living in China, longtime e-waste recycler Eric Lundgren manufactured 28,000 PC restore discs to be used in refurbished computers sold in the United States.

The shipment of discs, exact copies of Dell-branded Microsoft Windows CDs, immediately raised suspicions with U.S. Customs officers, beginning a chain of events that would alter Lundgren’s life for the next seven years.

VICE follows the prolific computer refurbisher as he's sentenced to—and released from—federal prison.

7 replies

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"Counterfeiting Microsoft Windows Landed Me in Prison for a Year" (Original Post) GReedDiamond Oct 2019 OP

What good is a restore disc without a valid software license key? at140 Oct 2019 #1

Don't know...I just thought it was an interesting story about this guy... GReedDiamond Oct 2019 #2

Dell burns the key into the BIOS bitterross Oct 2019 #3

Did not work on my Dell Latitude laptop at140 Oct 2019 #4

since these are refurbs lapfog_1 Oct 2019 #5

OK...Is it worth jail time? nt GReedDiamond Oct 2019 #6

he was putting copies of Windows from rescue disks lapfog_1 Oct 2019 #7

at140

(6,110 posts)

1. What good is a restore disc without a valid software license key?

Reply to GReedDiamond (Original post)

Mon Oct 7, 2019, 11:32 PM

Oct 2019

Every computer I have bought (new or refurb) came with Windows installed without a CD/DVD.

GReedDiamond

(5,313 posts)

2. Don't know...I just thought it was an interesting story about this guy...

Reply to at140 (Reply #1)

Mon Oct 7, 2019, 11:37 PM

Oct 2019

...but, in any case, I have not updated my Windows OS for quite some time now.

But I do have OS restoration software discs, and a CD/DVD drive to run it on, if necessary.

bitterross

(4,066 posts)

3. Dell burns the key into the BIOS

Reply to at140 (Reply #1)

Mon Oct 7, 2019, 11:39 PM

Oct 2019

On Dell machines, the Windows key is burned into the BIOS. You can reload the system and it will read the key from there.

at140

(6,110 posts)

4. Did not work on my Dell Latitude laptop

Reply to bitterross (Reply #3)

Mon Oct 7, 2019, 11:59 PM

Oct 2019

may be it is just too old. I bought this refurbished, and if I re-install windows from scratch using a bootable USB stick, I still need to enter the key to activate windows. There is no CD/DVD drive in this laptop.

lapfog_1

(29,205 posts)

5. since these are refurbs

Reply to GReedDiamond (Original post)

Tue Oct 8, 2019, 12:34 AM

Oct 2019

he could have put Linux plus a bunch of freeware app equivalents on these dead systems and legally resold them (or give them away) instead of going to jail.

GReedDiamond

(5,313 posts)

6. OK...Is it worth jail time? nt

Reply to lapfog_1 (Reply #5)

Tue Oct 8, 2019, 01:15 AM

Oct 2019

lapfog_1

(29,205 posts)

7. he was putting copies of Windows from rescue disks

Reply to GReedDiamond (Reply #6)

Tue Oct 8, 2019, 01:22 AM

Oct 2019

which is illegal.

What I was suggesting is that to turn them into glorified Chromebooks (with other apps like Office workalikes and GIMP) he could have loaded completely free versions of Linux (or FreeBSD) plus a bunch of free apps and had some decent refurbs for the cost of scrounging them from landfills or electronic recyclers... and kept a bunch of useful stuff out of the landfill... and given some people some decent laptops or desksides.

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