It doesn’t come with a Windows OEM disc, but the bloatware is at a minimum, and most doesn’t install unless you tell it too. Just make sure you don’t allow evil McAfee to install.
Please respond - love to hear back from you. You say that the bloatware WILL NOT install unless you specify it? WHERE do you purchase your Acers?
I am actually looking at the Veriton X498 Series - not because my Mom needs the horsepower, but because it comes w/ Intel Dual-Core i3-540 processor, 4Gb of DDR3 SDRAM and a 500 GB HD, and is loaded with Win 7 Pro [which allows it to run legacy programs the Grandkids like to play]. ALSO, it has a small form factor case.
Walmart has it for about $450.
BUT, it comes with Windows Live Essentials, Bing Toolbar, and Microsoft Office 2010 Starter Edition [in addition to God knows what OTHER bloatware] ...
I would just like a clean OS install and drivers on the system. Then, I can put Microsoft Office 2003 Professional Edition on it [I have the full license] and other programs that my Mom currently has on her old computer.
Have you considered just moving her disk to the new machine? That way she doesn’t have to learn Windows 7, and as an XP user who has to fix my relative’s Win 7 machines I can tell you that she will hate the switch.
I have purchased two Acer Veritons, the first at CDW’s store in Vernon Hills (an SFF model) for myself, and more recently a tower Acer Veriton PS.VC503.001 Desktop Computer - Core i5 i5-2400 3.10 GHz for a friend from ANTOnline (via Amazon.com). CDW forfeited their place on my list with their higher prices and new-found aversion to UPS Store boxes (which I use exclusively).
I find the business units quiet, and like the Acers because they are as close to a generic desktop as I can get and still have a nationwide manufacturer’s warranty and new need to put the thing together (Asus made one junky board too many).
Now even if you don’t install the optional software, the installer for the software might still be there as an installed program itself. Easily gotten rid of. Also, there would be some spare icons that just point to web pages. Not perfect, but much better than a Pavilion. I understand that the budget Dell business desktops (Brio?) are also light on bloat. I prefer the Acers.
Office 2003 is an excellent choice. I hate the ribbon.
“BUT, it comes with Windows Live Essentials, Bing Toolbar, and Microsoft Office 2010 Starter Edition [in addition to God knows what OTHER bloatware] ...”
The three of those take about 2 min. to uninstall, and they uninstall clean (the Office 2010 doesn’t fully install until you tell it to) and the Bing toolbar is trivial. The main thing is to say no to the options to install McAfee anything (which includes some things that don’t sound like they belong with McAfee).
In any event, the Veriton is a much better system than the ubiquitous Aspires.
The option to generate recovery DVDs is easily accessed, and requires 3 DVDs apiece for both 32 and 64 bit versions of Win 7 Pro.
Good features on my model: eSata port, 10 USB connectors (USB2 only), memory can be upgraded to (I think 16 GB), QUIET.
Oh, and if you don’t know this already, right click on “My Computer” select Properties, select Advanced, and select “Adjust for Best Performance”. That unchecks all of the AERO crap, making the machine look more like a Win2000 interface.