Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the Microsoft Campus Agreement?
- Which Microsoft software products are available under Purdue's MSCA?
- Are there any prerequisites for installing MSCA-acquired software?
- If I upgrade my operating system, can I throw away the old operating system's distribution media?
- Are other Microsoft products available at reduced prices?
- Is printed documentation included with each product?
- Will we be able to get new versions of these products as they become available?
- What level of free service and support is provided by the MSCA?
- Since no free service and support is provided by the MSCA, what can I do if I encounter problems getting the software installed?
- Where can I get service packs, services releases, et al, for these software products?
- Are the Purdue regional campuses covered by the MSCA?
- What is the procedure for University departments on the West Lafayette campus to order Microsoft software?
- Who is eligible to use MSCA software on their personally owned computers?
- Are incoming students who are in West Lafayette for "Day on Campus" allowed to buy the software media?
- Where can West Lafayette faculty, staff, and students buy personal copies of software under the MSCA?
- May faculty and staff borrow Microsoft software media from their departments for installation on a personally owned computer?
- May University departments use media other than those distributed by the University?
- Is a personally owned machine that's used on campus for University work eligible for Microsoft software under the MSCA?
- Are there any special terms and conditions for use of software acquired under the MSCA?
- May I purchase software media for my roommate or another eligible person?
- Do we have the right to use these software products forever?
- If graduating students get perpetual licenses for MSCA products, how do I prove that I am licensed if ever challenged by my insurance company, or by Microsoft, or by anyone else?
- Does this agreement mean that we can omit buying the covered products when purchasing new computers?
- Are any server licenses included in the MSCA?
- Are boot diskettes provided with Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000 Professional?
- The face of my CD says "UNLICENSED SOFTWARE - Illegal without separate license from Microsoft." Can I use this legally?
- What are Microsoft Product Activation and the Office Registration Wizard?
- How can I get answers to questions about the Microsoft Campus Agreement that aren't included in the above list?
- What
is the Microsoft Campus Agreement?
Purdue University and Microsoft Corporation have entered into an agreement for volume licensing of selected Microsoft software products. The Microsoft Campus Agreement (MSCA) licenses any version of these products for use on all University owned computers. In addition, each Purdue faculty, staff, and student may also use selected products on one computer that he or she owns, for University-related work.
- Which Microsoft software products are available under Purdue's MSCA?
Any version of each of the products is included in the agreement, but the University will only distribute the versions listed. Availability and pricing (subject to change) information applies only to the West Lafayette campus. For more information, go to http://www.purdue.edu/apps/SoftwareSales.
- Are there any prerequisites for installing MSCA-acquired software?
In order to install the Microsoft Windows operating system, you must already have a valid license for another version of Windows on the computer. For example, if you build a PC or buy one without an operating system, you must purchase a retail or OEM license for a base (a.k.a. "full") version of Windows. Subsequent upgrades to newer versions of the operating system are then covered by the Campus Agreement.
- If
I upgrade my operating system, can I throw away the old operating system's distribution media?
If you ever have to reinstall your operating system (for example, if your hard disk crashes or gets erased or corrupted), you'll need the distribution media (CDs or diskettes) for your current operating system and possibly for the operating system you used previously. Whenever you install an operating system upgrade onto a clean disk, the setup process will ask you to insert the distribution media for your old operating system as verification of upgrade eligibility. For example, if you bought a computer from a vendor with Windows XP installed, and you subsequently upgrade to Windows Vista, you'll need to insert your Windows XP CD when prompted to do so. A base operating system (sometimes called a full version) can be installed directly onto a clean disk without needing the previous operating system's media. A base operating system typically comes bundled with a new computer from most vendors.
- Are other Microsoft products available at reduced prices?
University offices can get other products under the Microsoft Select program from SHI. Contact Kevin Farrell and his team (edgov@shi.com) or telephone 888-591-3400.
Faculty, staff, and students can buy popular software at local bookstores at special academic prices.
- Is printed documentation included with each product?
No, printed documentation is not included with the software. Most local bookstores carry a considerable variety of detailed documentation for these products.
Microsoft documentation may also be ordered from Contact Kevin Farrell and his team (edgov@shi.com) or telephone 888-591-3400.
- Will
we be able to get new versions of these products as they become available?
Yes, media for new versions will be made available for purchase as soon as possible (typically 6-8 weeks) after the national retail release.
- What
level of free service and support is provided by the MSCA?
None.
- Since
no free service and support is provided by the MSCA, what can I do if
I encounter problems getting the software installed?
- Read the README.doc or README.txt file in the installation CD's root directory. It may describe conditions that could lead to the problem you're having.
- Go to Microsoft's support web page at http://support.microsoft.com/ and click on Support Information and FAQs by Product in the left column. Select the product from the list to see if there is a question and answer related to your problem.
- Search
Microsoft's Knowledge Base for the same or similar symptoms. Common
problems and their solutions or workarounds can often be found here.
- Go to the web page at http://support.microsoft.com/ and click on Search the Knowledge Base.
- Select the applicable product name.
- Indicate that you want to do a keyword search.
- Type the error message or appropriate keywords in the Search For box and click on "go".
- See if any of your computer guru friends can assist.
-
Pay Microsoft for help. Go to http://support.microsoft.com/ and click on Contact Microsoft. Microsoft paid support does have a cost per incident for either online or telephone support. Reminder: MSCA products are not eligible for no-charge support.
- A cost-effective alternative to Microsoft's assistance is support from one of the Microsoft Gold Certified Partners for Support Services.
- Where
can I get service packs, services releases, et al, for these software
products?
These can be downloaded from http://support.microsoft.com/.
Click on Downloads & Updates and select the appropriate product. - Are
the Purdue regional campuses covered by the MSCA?
The West Lafayette, North Central, and Calumet campuses are included. The Fort Wayne campus is included in Indiana University's Microsoft agreement. Each campus has its own distribution mechanism for the Microsoft software media.
- What
is the procedure for University departments on the West Lafayette campus
to order Microsoft software?
See the MSCA University Owned Equipment web page for ordering and related information.
- Who
is eligible to use MSCA software on their personally owned computers?
Most, but not all, Purdue students, faculty, and staff may participate in the program. Click here for detailed eligibility criteria.
- Are incoming students who are in West Lafayette for "STAR" (Summer, Transition,
Advising & Registration) allowed to buy the software media?
Yes, STAR students may purchase MSCA media after they get a Purdue student ID card from the Card Services Office (PMU 130). The license to use the software is contingent upon returning for classes in the fall.
- Where
can West Lafayette faculty, staff, and students buy software under the
MSCA for their personally owned computers?
See the MSCA Use on Personally-owned Computers web page.
- May
faculty and staff borrow Microsoft software media from their departments
for installation on a personally owned computer?
No, faculty and staff must purchase software media from an official University source.
- May
University departments use media other than those distributed by the
University?
Yes, departments may use University-purchased media from any legal source. Installation records must still be maintained for each product regardless of the media source. To minimize registration key problems for software installed on multiple systems, we recommend using University-distributed media that are specifically labeled for use on Purdue equipment.
- Is
a personally owned machine that's used on campus for University work
eligible for Microsoft software under the MSCA?
Yes, just like any other personally owned computer. Note that if you install an MSCA product on your personally owned computer that you use on campus, you may not then install the same product on another computer you own.
- Are
there any special terms and conditions for use of software acquired
under the MSCA?
The MSCA states that software products licensed under this agreement may be used only subject to and strictly in accordance with Microsoft's License Agreement. Product Use Rights of the License Agreement specifies the set of rules for how the software may be used, except as revised by Purdue's MSCA.
- May
I purchase software media for my roommate or another eligible person?
No. Each eligible person must read and sign (or click to accept) an agreement and provide their Purdue identification. You are personally responsible for use of any software media you purchase.
- Do
we have the right to use these software products forever?
It depends. Licenses for University equipment and for computers owned by faculty and staff are not perpetual. Software licenses are leased for the term of the agreement and the software may be used only as long as the MSCA is in effect. Purdue has the option to renew the agreement. If the MSCA is not renewed or replaced by another agreement, we would be contractually obligated either to stop using the software or to purchase licenses for each copy of the software installed.
Licenses for students are perpetual if the student graduates from Purdue while a Microsoft Campus Agreement is in effect.
Students who leave the University for any other reason and faculty and staff who leave the University or who otherwise become ineligible for the program must stop using any Microsoft products acquired through the MSCA and remove them from their personally owned computer.
- If
graduating students get perpetual licenses for MSCA products, how do I prove that I am licensed
if ever challenged by my insurance company, or by Microsoft, or by anyone else?
Just prior to graduation, West Lafayette students must go to the web page at www.purdue.edu/apps/SoftwareSales and click on the "License History" tab. Then click on "Microsoft Campus Agreement (Student)" and print the web page. This document (as required by Microsoft) and your Purdue diploma are the keys to proving you are licensed to use the software after graduation.
- Does
this agreement mean that we can omit buying the covered products when
purchasing new computers?
You can choose not to buy an item, such as Microsoft Office, if that option is available from the vendor. You can then get Office through the MSCA. Note that a Microsoft operating system license must already exist for a computer before an upgrade may be acquired via the MSCA.
- Are
any server licenses included in the MSCA?
No. University departments must purchase Microsoft server licenses
through the Microsoft Select agreement. However, a suite of Client Access Licenses called the "Core CAL" is provided by the MSCA for Windows Server, Exchange Server, System Management Server, and SharePoint Portal Server for use by each faculty, staff, and student covered by the MSCA. CALs are not provided for non-Purdue users of these servers. - Are
boot diskettes provided with Windows XP or Windows 2000 Professional?
No, please click here for instructions on creating Windows XP boot diskettes or here for instructions on creating Windows 2000 boot diskettes.
- The
face of my CD says "UNLICENSED SOFTWARE - Illegal without separate license
from Microsoft." Can I use this legally?
Just having possession of software does not give the right to use it. The right to use a product is granted through a license. Microsoft grants licenses through the Campus Agreement. Therefore University departments and eligible individuals who have signed MSCA media purchase forms are licensed to use the software for the license period specified in the agreement.
- What are Microsoft Product Activation and the Office Registration Wizard?
As an anti-piracy feature, some Microsoft products (such as Windows Vista and the newer Office suites) require you to activate your copy of the software before it can be used regularly. You may be limited to a certain number of days or a number of times a product may be used before activation must be completed. Instructions for activation will be displayed during product installation. If you opt not to activate the product during installation, you will be periodically reminded until you activate it via the Internet or telephone. The product will stop working if it isn't activated by the specified deadline. When you activate a product, Microsoft provides a software key for you to enter to disable the reminders.
Note that product activation and product registration are not the same. Activation enables you to use the software. Registration lets the vendor know that you are using a specific product so that they can send you product-related information as necessary or for marketing purposes. When you activate a product, you have the option of also registering it at that time. You may elect not to register the product or to do it at a later time.
- How can I get answers to questions about the Microsoft Campus Agreement that aren't included
in the above list?
Please send your questions to msca@purdue.edu. If the response you receive still doesn't answer the questions to your satisfaction, phone Scott Starkey at 49-41928.