Comet sued by Microsoft after 'chain sold 94,000 counterfeit Windows recovery discs to customers'

Computer giant Microsoft is suing Comet alleging the electrical retailer created and sold 'fake' Windows recovery discs.

The company alleges Comet sold 94,000 counterfeit Windows XP and Vista recovery CDs which it said were made in a factory in Hampshire and then sold in its stores in the UK.



The discs are given to buyers of Windows-loaded PCs to help them recover their operating systems in the event of a crash – usually on CDs provided with the machines.



Windows-maker Microsoft alleges that Comet created and sold 94,000 counterfeit Windows XP and Vista recovery CDs

All the discs sold by Comet were sold to legitimate purchasers of Windows machines, the U.S. company said.



In 2008 the practice of manufacturers including recovery discs with the computers stopped as they tried to encourage users to make their own.

Comet which has 248 stores and 10,000 staff, claims they believed they were acting in the interests of their customers.



David Finn, associate general counsel for Worldwide Anti-Piracy and Anti-Counterfeiting at Microsoft told the Daily Telegraph: 'Comet produced and sold thousands of counterfeit Windows CDs to unsuspecting customers in the United Kingdom.

'Comet’s actions were unfair to customers. We expect better from retailers of Microsoft products — and our customers deserve better, too.'



Microsoft said that customers who were concerned about the legitimacy of software should visit howtotell.com

The newspaper said the discs generated less than £1m in turnover for the company.



Comet pledged to 'vigorously' defend its position and believes the production of the discs did not infringe Microsoft's intellectual property.

In a statement a spokesman said: 'Comet has sought and received legal advice from leading counsel to support its view that the production of recovery discs did not infringe Microsoft's intellectual property.'

In the same statement, reported by the BBC, Comet said it believed it had been 'adversely affected' by the decision to stop supplying recovery discs with each new computer.

News of the lawsuit led to shares in Comet's parent company Kesa fall by 8 per cent.