Activation Question
Barry Watzman
First question, will TT even activate if the "system drive" (the one
with both Windows AND TT itself) is not C: ?
And, second question, I get the impression that people are having more
activation problems with XP than with 98 -- should I activate on 98
(and, therefore, on C:) ??
Finally, since the bios is the same and the physical hard drive is the
same (if they look at that vs. Vol-ser numbers, which COULD be made to
be the same), any chance I can successfully activate it on BOTH ???
[there's no reason to do that, really, just a curiosity question -- but
it wouldn't violate a "single computer" license]
R. C. White
I can't answer all of your questions, but maybe a couple of them.
After dual booting various combinations of Win95/98 and WinNT/2K/XP over the
past 5 years, I've retired everything except 2 copies of WinXP Pro. Drive
C: is my "system partition"; my main copy of WinXP is on D:; I seldom boot
to the second WinXP on X:. Most of my applications are on E:, with backups,
data and other stuff on M:. Drives C: and D: are on my first physical
drive, an IBM SCSI, and the others are on 2 Maxtor IDE drives.
Last month, I booted into D:\WinXP, as usual, and installed TurboTax 2002
Basic into E:\TurboTax\Tax02. It activated with no hassle. That created
the D:\C_DILLA folder in the root of Drive D:, the "boot volume" for my main
WinXP. There is no C_DILLA in Drive C:, or Drive E:, or anywhere else in my
computer.
I've not yet tried to install TT02 while booted to WinXP on Drive X:, so I
don't know whether a second C_DILLA would be created on X:, or whether TT02
would even install from there or not, into the same folder on Drive E: or
into a different location. It would still be in the same computer, but it
would be (a) a second copy, in (b) a second volume, on (c) a second physical
drive. If I can install a second TT02 there, I don't know if it would be a
full-featured copy, or only a "trial version", without printing/filing
capabilities. So far, I have no reason except curiosity to try such an
installation, but I might get curious enough to try it in a few days.
So, I don't know whether you could install TT02 under both Win98 and WinXP
on a single computer, or if you could activate both of them. But I'm sure
that C_DILLA goes onto the "boot volume" of the operating system, not onto
the "system partition", and not onto the volume where the TurboTax files are
installed. If it goes into Drive C:, it will be because that is the boot
volume for one version of Windows, NOT because it is also the system
partition for the whole computer.
In all this discussion, remember Microsoft's counter-intuitive definitions
of the terms "system" and "boot", and their inconsistent use of the terms
"drive" and "partition". As many authors have pointed out, we boot from the
system partition and install all the Windows operating system files into the
boot volume. :>{
RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
r...@corridor.net
Microsoft Windows MVP
"Barry Watzman" <Wat...@neo.rr.com> wrote in message
news:3E1A44B5...@neo.rr.com...
Barry Watzman
Let me try another: In the "trial" mode, is it true that I can ONLY use
the interview feature, that I cannot use the "forms" mode?
If so, that seems to contradict the Intuit position that I can install
the product on a desktop and a laptop (trial mode only on one of them),
work on my return on both computers but only print and/or file from the
"activated" computer. If I can't use forms mode, then for all practical
purposes, I can't work on my return on both computers.
SteveW
> the interview feature, that I cannot use the "forms" mode?
Sadly, this is the case: on additional computers you can only use interview
mode-- it is impossible to get to forms mode. This is not speculation on my
part-- I tried this.
In my opinion, Intuit's statement that you can "use the product to prepare
your return on another computer" is, at best, misleading. It's not
categorically untrue but I do not believe it is what most people would
expect, or would want. E.g., it's hugely impractical to do edits and updates
on an existing return if you are locked into interview mode.
Fwiw, along with many other people, I've registered my complaints (about
this as well as other aspects of the activation scheme) at two different
locations on their web site. My current plans are to purchase TaxCut and see
how last year's TurboTax return imports. If it goes smoothly (as I expect it
will, based on what I've read from others), then it's good-bye to TT (and
I'm a customer who goes back to the ChipSoft days, in the mid-80's). I'll
return TT to Intuit under their 60-day guarantee and expect a full refund...
but if that doesn't happen, it won't be the end of the world.
And, as others are doing, I'm going to take a look at moving from Quicken to
Money as well; it's the beginning of the year and there is no better time to
make such a switch. I strongly suspect that Intuit has seen the last dollar
they are ever going to see from me (and from three out of town family
members who look to me for advice on what products to use for taxes-- they
will purchase what I purchase).
I actually think this whole saga is one day going to turn up as a business
school Case Study. It's a classic case of a small number of incredibly
foolish management decisions having enormous adverse implications. Yes,
management does matter.
-Steve
"Barry Watzman" <Wat...@neo.rr.com> wrote in message
news:3E1B510F...@neo.rr.com...
Bob L
closely watching how Intuit deals with this fiasco. There are a lot of
negative comments all over the web regarding the activation scheme and it
looks like other media (newspapers, TV, etc.) is taking an interest. At
some point, Intuit is going to have to respond with something more than
FAQs.
Several years ago when Intel produced a chip with a minor error, I decided
to short INTC. The error would affect very few computer users but it drew a
lot of negative press. I got in a little late but INTC was on the way down
and I was making money until Intel announced they would replace the chip,
free of charge, for any customer who asked. The stock immediately shot up,
wiping out my gain. Intel management did the right thing and I'm now long
INTC.
Will Intuit do the right thing?
Bob L
"SteveW" <sweingart*Spa*mStop*@townisp.com> wrote in message
news:v1nbfqp...@corp.supernews.com...
Ernie Klein
"Bob L" <rala...@attbi.nospam.com> wrote:
>
> Several years ago when Intel produced a chip with a minor error, I decided
> to short INTC. The error would affect very few computer users but it drew a
I sold my 500 shares of Intuit today. I have made a fairly healthy
profit, but I wanted out before this hits the major media fan.
-Ernie-
>
Lisa Chambers
>
> I actually think this whole saga is one day going to turn up as a business
> school Case Study. It's a classic case of a small number of incredibly
> foolish management decisions having enormous adverse implications. Yes,
> management does matter.
>
> -Steve
>
We vote with our wallets.
Turbo Tax will not be purchased by me this year (a first, since 1994)
Larry
news:CN%S9.15415$FT6.2...@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net:
I voted today. I returned TurboTax to Intuit with a letter explaining
that "one computer" does not equal "one single unique computer" and that
they are violating the terms of their own license agreement. I plan to
purchase Taxcut and Money 2003 Deluxe shortly. I was going to upgrade
Quicken, but not any more.
Margaret Wilson
other day when I heard MacDonald's is going to change the taste of their
hamburgers.
I upgraded to Quicken 2003 Premium the day it came out, so switching to
Money right now is a dismal prospect. But I guarantee I'll be checking it
out this spring or summer when MS's 2004 edition is released. My TT2002D
went back via US Mail a few days ago.
Regards,
Margaret
"Lisa Chambers" <LisaAnn...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:CN%S9.15415$FT6.2...@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net...
Walter Bays
> I have a system that is dual boot, 98 on C: and XP on D:.
I have a system that is dual boot, W98SE and Linux Mandrake 9.0. Usually
when I need to run a Windows program I run it on Linux using Win4Lin so
I don't have to bother rebooting just to switch applications. All
reports were that this worked flawlessly for TurboTax through 2001.
So I tried to install TurboTax 2002 under Win4Lin. Only when it would
not run did I search and discover the C-Dilla malware that is probably
responsible for the problem.
I expected that Win4Lin would insulate my real PC from any damage
caused by C-Dilla and the worst that could happen would be that
I would have to redo my Win4Lin setup. It's a hassle, but a lot
easier to rebuild a "virtual PC" than to do a low level format
and reload Windows and all your applications from scratch.
But maybe C-Dilla damaged my real master boot record after all.
The first time I booted W98 (non-virtual, dual boot option) it
came up complaining that I had no mouse attached. Rebooting again
fixed that, but shutting down is now much slower than before.
Linux seems unaffected, but I fear my Windows reliability may be
impaired (even more than normal). I don't know enough about how
Win4Lin works. Has anyone else tried to install TurboTax on it?
Needless to say after 15+ years as a completely satisfied Macintax
and Turbotax customer, I am returning TurboTax for a refund and
switching to TaxCut. Who would have guessed that the most
spectacular virus of the year would be written by Intuit and
propagated on CD-ROM?
Liam Devlin
>>Let me try another: In the "trial" mode, is it true that I can ONLY use
>>the interview feature, that I cannot use the "forms" mode?
(snip)
> And, as others are doing, I'm going to take a look at moving from Quicken to
> Money as well; it's the beginning of the year and there is no better time to
> make such a switch. I strongly suspect that Intuit has seen the last dollar
> they are ever going to see from me (and from three out of town family
> members who look to me for advice on what products to use for taxes-- they
> will purchase what I purchase).
>
> I actually think this whole saga is one day going to turn up as a business
> school Case Study. It's a classic case of a small number of incredibly
> foolish management decisions having enormous adverse implications. Yes,
> management does matter.
I, too, go back to the ChipSoft days and haven't bought TTax 2002. I
downloaded TaxCut Platinum this past Sunday (6 Jan) and am very happy
with it. It imported my TTax 2001 return without a problem. I have since
done a dry run and everything looks clean. TTax is history now for me.
Much as I don't like the idea of buying yet another MS product, I may
take a look at Money after tax season and kiss Intuit good by.
How ironic it will be if Intuit has business problems due to the deal
with Macrovision and loses customers to Money, which MS came up with
after a potential deal with Intuit fell through a few years ago.
Jim Nugent
"Barry Watzman" <Wat...@neo.rr.com> wrote in message
news:3E1B510F...@neo.rr.com...
> That seems to answer one question.
>
> Let me try another: In the "trial" mode, is it true that I can ONLY use
> the interview feature, that I cannot use the "forms" mode?
"Other than THAT, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?"
--
Jim
"Remember, an amateur built the Ark; professionals built the Titanic."
Walter Bays
> How ironic it will be if Intuit has business problems due to the deal
> with Macrovision and loses customers to Money, which MS came up with
> after a potential deal with Intuit fell through a few years ago.
I've been a customer since before Chipsoft bought Macintax, and was
never tempted to even look at competing products. With something as
important as taxes, if what you have works well, then you don't
change it for a few dollars savings. Now I'm a new TaxCut customer
and my initial impression is quite favorable. It would now take
several years of trust rebuilding by Intuit and/or a major problem
with TaxCut before I would consider switching back.