su0173 error

i purchased my pc.from staples 3 yrs ago. it came with win.me.installed.
with recovery disks which i have used to reinstall win.me. in the past
the motherboard in this pc.failed recently,meaning i had to fit a new one,
when i try to reinstall win,me, i get the error = su0173.this version of
windows cannot be installed on your pc.plse.obtain the correct version from
your computer manufacturer.( this pc.was built by 'scott' in germany) now
defunct. as i have installed a new motherboard it seems that my my version of
win,me.now thinks it is being installed on another pc.. as components can and
do fail... is this another microsoft 'rip off'? help if possible plse.
tks.

Not a rip off at all. You bought a PC with a heavily discounted OEM copy
of Win Me that was for use only with the PC with which it was supplied.
You could have instead paid full whack for the operating system and been
entitled to install it, one copy only to be in use at any one time, on any
hardware of your choosing.

I know this sounds all very harsh and yes it is to those like yourself who
feel they are suffering as a result. OTOH you might want to think of the
amount of money paid by those who bought Microsoft Win Me CDs whilst you
were enjoying the benefit of a substantial discount. However given the
circumstances of your problem (replacing the motherboard) you appear to
have suffered as a result of "Scott" going under rather than by any action
of Microsoft. The practice of tying a copy of the operating system to the
motherboard's bios has been common for some years and is a feature of many
OEM supplied systems, not just those running Win Me but also XP. One of
the reasons being piracy where a single copy of the operating system was
purchased and then installed on more than one PC. Not that this is what
you were attempting of course but you got caught by this piracy prevention
measure.

Regrettably there is nothing that can be legally done to help you other
than perhaps to suggest a quick trip to eBay to purchase a second hand
Microsoft Win Me CD.
--
Mike Maltby MS-MVP



briboy wrote:

i purchased my pc.from staples 3 yrs ago. it came with
win.me.installed.
with recovery disks which i have used to reinstall win.me. in the past
the motherboard in this pc.failed recently,meaning i had to fit a new
one, when i try to reinstall win,me, i get the error = su0173.this
version of windows cannot be installed on your pc.plse.obtain the
correct version from your computer manufacturer.( this pc.was built
by 'scott' in germany) now defunct. as i have installed a new
motherboard it seems that my my version of win,me.now thinks it is
being installed on another pc.. as components can and do fail... is
this another microsoft 'rip off'? help if possible plse. tks.