[Ferrari]

Below is a link and an excerpt that clearly says Microsoft has allowed this, however, the downloads are via torrent, but almost like a direct download torrent (if such a thing). There are direct links available, but you have to pay $9.50 per download... seen HERE.

Is this something G2G's techs can use to help others if they don't have their disk? Would G2G be able to actually host a direct download for these? Just thought I'd share...

http://neosmart.net/...-disc-download/

Microsoft seems to have realized this problem, and have thankfully made a recovery disc for this purpose. It contains the contents of the Windows Vista[7] DVD's "recovery center," as we've come to refer to it. It cannot be used to install or reinstall Windows Vista[7], and just serves as a Windows PE interface to recovering your PC. Technically, one could re-create this installation media with freely-downloadable media from Microsoft (namely the Microsoft WAIK kit, a multi-gigabyte download); but it's [bleep]-decent of Microsoft to make this available to Windows' users who might not be capable of creating such a thing on their own.

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I've been using the above and also Vista recovery disc download in my canned for a while.
It's surely very handy tool.

[Broni]

I've been using the above and also Vista recovery disc download in my canned for a while.
It's surely very handy tool.

[sari]

Below is a link and an excerpt that clearly says Microsoft has allowed this, however, the downloads are via torrent, but almost like a direct download torrent (if such a thing). There are direct links available, but you have to pay $9.50 per download... seen HERE.

Is this something G2G's techs can use to help others if they don't have their disk? Would G2G be able to actually host a direct download for these? Just thought I'd share...

http://neosmart.net/...-disc-download/

Microsoft seems to have realized this problem, and have thankfully made a recovery disc for this purpose. It contains the contents of the Windows Vista[7] DVD's "recovery center," as we've come to refer to it. It cannot be used to install or reinstall Windows Vista[7], and just serves as a Windows PE interface to recovering your PC. Technically, one could re-create this installation media with freely-downloadable media from Microsoft (namely the Microsoft WAIK kit, a multi-gigabyte download); but it's [bleep]-decent of Microsoft to make this available to Windows' users who might not be capable of creating such a thing on their own.

It does not say that Microsoft has allowed this; it states that Microsoft made a recovery disc. However, I don't believe it is legal for Neosmart to host Microsoft files. The direct links are not from Microsoft either - you're paying another company for those downloads, which I also don't think is legal. How can a 3rd party charge for Microsoft files? They might argue that they're charging you for bandwidth, but you're still paying them for Microsoft files.

[Broni]

It'd be interesting, if some legal advice could be obtained in this case.

[Ferrari]

I don't know about all that...

What I was asking was would G2G ever petition MS to be able to provide direct downloads? Or find where they are so techs could link to it? I posted this in the feedback forum because I thought it might catch heat somehow, so just wanted to see what G2G thought.

[sari]

It'd be interesting, if some legal advice could be obtained in this case.

I attempted to get feedback from Microsoft on this issue once before, and never heard back from them.

[Broni]

Don't ask, don't tell.....LOL

[Broni]

Just thinking aloud...
Neosmart download has been out there for at least couple of years and it's very popular.
I see no chance, MS never heard of it and it's still up.
I can also see Neosmart download link posted at one of MS forums: http://social.answer...78-3acb784f957a

[Broni]

Looking at the files included in .iso, I don't see any copyrighted files:

[admin]

The problem lies within redistribution. Yes, you can download the WAIK (Windows Automated Installation Kit). The Vista version is about 1GB, the Win7 version 1.7GB. From this you can build WindowsPE. It's free to use as long as you have a valid Windows license. Or you can use a tool like BARTPE or UBCD4WIN to build a PE using your existing Windows media.

The interesting question is what if you want to use WindowsPE to build your own recovery disk and distribute it? Microsoft allows this in a couple of cases. 1) If you are a large system builder like Dell, HP, etc. That license is out of reach, and not an option for any of us. 2) If its a commercial application, you can buy individual WindowsPE licenses from MS for redistribution. For example, your recovery CD might cost $30, $12 of each sale which goes to MS for the WidnowsPE license (I'm just making the numbers up).

What if the application is free, you don't profit from it, advertise it, etc? There seems to be some evidence that Microsoft will allow this, but I've yet to see anything official from them acknowledging it.