A. As the first person in your organization to enroll in the Microsoft Partner Program, you are now the administrator of your organization for the program. This means:

• You can view content on the OPC Web site and the Microsoft Partner Web site that is only available if you are enrolled in the Microsoft Partner Program.
• You have the option to add other members to your organization's account in the Microsoft Partner Program as the final part of their enrollment process.

In addition, you can learn about the Windows Genuine Advantage program.

A. Because you are the first person in your organization to enroll in the Microsoft Partner Program, you can now add members to your organization’s account in the Microsoft Partner Program by performing these simple steps:

• Go to http://www.microsoft.com/partner
• Click the sign-in button in the upper left hand corner.
• Log in using your Windows Live ID account.
• Once you are logged in, click Manage Your Account.
• Select your organization from the list.
• Under Associated Individuals and Contact Roles, click on Invite an Individual to Associate with your Organization's Microsoft Partner Account.
• Fill in the user's e-mail address and click on Send.
• Users will receive an e-mail inviting them to enroll.

Once members in your organization have completed the enrollment process, you will need to "approve" their status by completing the following steps:

• Go to http://www.microsoft.com/partner
• Click the Sign In button in the upper left hand corner.
• Log in using your Windows Live ID account.
• Once you are logged in, click Manage Your Account.
• Select your organization from the list.
• Under Associated Individuals and Contact Roles, click View all Pending Association Requests.
• Approve or deny individual associations here.

A. Go to the newsletter sign-up page.

1. Select the option to receive the newsletter.
2. Select the type of e-mail you want to receive (HTML or text-only).
3. Click Submit.

Note: It may take 10-14 days to cycle into or out of the OEM Partner newsletter.

A. See Windows Live ID frequently asked questions.

A. It's important for us to have updated profile information for all Microsoft OEM Partner Center Web site members. We use this information to ensure you get all e-mail communications at a current e-mail address, program materials and promotional kits are mailed to the correct place, etc. Simply click the "Your Profile" link, located on the top navigation bar on any of the pages throughout the Microsoft OEM Partner Center Web site.

Note: You will be taken to the Microsoft Partner Web site to update your information. You will have to log back into the OPC Web site in order for the changes to take effect in our records.

A. All OPKs are available from your local authorized Microsoft OEM distributor when you purchase any OEM software product. Only authorized Microsoft OEM Distributors will have the OPK included with the product. You can download an OPK for any OEM product, from the OPK summary page on the OPC Web site.

A. If you are aware of, or ever have suspicions of piracy concerning Microsoft software we urge you to send an e-mail to piracy@microsoft.com, fill out the anti-piracy form, or call the Microsoft Anti-Piracy Hotline at (800) RU-LEGIT. You can also find additional information about piracy in the Anti-Piracy section of the Microsoft OPC Web Site.

A. Offers to distribute incomplete OEM System Builder software packages are not legal. Under no circumstances are System Builders or any other vendors authorized to distribute single OEM System Builder software components such as stand-alone certificates of authenticity (COAs).

A. If it is a Microsoft product, you can contact piracy@microsoft.com or fill out the anti-piracy form, or call the Microsoft Anti-Piracy Hotline at (800) RU-LEGIT. For other products, you can send e-mail to the Business Software Alliance (BSA) at software@bsa.org. You can also call the BSA Anti-Piracy Hotline at (888) NO-PIRACY or visit the BSA Web site.

A. If you are enrolled in the Microsoft Partner Program and want to view a list of distributors in your local area, you can access this list by going to the authorized Microsoft OEM Distributors section on the private Microsoft OPC Web site. Before doing this, be sure your program profile is updated with the correct country information. Update your profile now.

You can also view all Microsoft OEM distributors available in your local area by going to the Authorized Microsoft OEM Distributors section of the public Microsoft OEM Partner Center Web site.

A. When you work with a Microsoft OEM distributor, you license high-quality software and hardware and deliver them to your customers without all the problems of counterfeit software, including missing drivers, missing documentation, and the introduction of viruses, bugs, and other defects.

A. System builders should return defective hardware to their authorized Microsoft OEM Distributors. You may return defective hardware as long as it is within the warranty period. Each warranty period begins when the hardware is shipped from our designated warehouse ("date of purchase").

Hardware Warranty Period (from date of purchase):

• Microsoft-branded mice - 3 years
• Microsoft-branded keyboards - 3 years

A. To report any broken links or abnormalities on the OPC site, visit Contact Us. A link to this page appears in the tabbed area at the top of each page of the site. When reporting a problem or asking a question, the more detail you can provide, the more quickly the support staff and assist you in getting the information you need. Along with your detailed description, it's especially helpful to include the location/URL of where the error occurred.