When you buy Microsoft Windows, you don't really get it (Vanity)

Self | 4/18/2007 | Self

[TChris]

I've officially reached my last straw with Microsoft.

[doodad]

Sorry you did not know that. All the big players have been that way for years. That is why I build and use full disks.

[EagleUSA]

Whenever you buy an OEM computer that “comes” with Windows ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT MODEL COMES WITH A SYSTEM RESTORE DISK. That is how all CREDIBLE computer makers do it. That was you can restore Windows if you need to.

[DuncanWaring]

That is why I build and use full disks.

What's that mean?

[The_Victor]

As of two years ago, Dell still provided the Windows reinstallation disks with with every computer. I don’t know if they still do.

[mnehring]

They don't have to include the Windows CD you may have thought you paid for with your new system.

You didn't know this.. this is SOP for most PC manufacturers. The only thing they have to provide is a unique registration key. XP Media Center gives you the option of burning your own back-up disk but PC providers don't offer them.

[jude24]

What I’ve always done is make a copy of an original MSFT installation CD from someone with an MSDN subscription. Never used the Dell restore CD. Always hated their bloatware anyway.

[RadioAstronomer]

Same here. I buy a laptop and then separately buy both Xp Pro & Office Professional.

I could care less what they install with the laptop. Usually it is not what I want anyway.

[Eagle of Liberty]

I am officially with you. Your timing is impeccable. Recently bought a Dell laptop with Windows XP installed. Received NO system disk or recover disk. My hard drive just recently stopped working and I cannot get into it because, unknown to me, it was set up with a FAT32 partition. Now, I have to buy a recover disk and a new hard drive, lost all data, and I have to reconfigure.

[TChris]

Sorry you did not know that. All the big players have been that way for years. That is why I build and use full disks.

So do I, which is why I had never heard of this. OEMs still provide the OS disc for Commercial machines; all the Dell and HP workstations we get come with one.

If I could have built my own notebook, I would have.

This was the second home OEM computer purchase I have EVER made. The first was in about 1990, and it was a 386DX33 with a 120MB hard disk, MS-DOS 5.0 and Windows 3.1.

I had no idea they had foisted this crap over on everyone. I can't understand why there weren't torches and pitchforks over it!

[steve86]

That’s true — anyone who buys a computer with a Microsoft OS really doesn’t “get it”.

[TChris]

Same here. I buy a laptop and then separately buy both Xp Pro & Office Professional.

It really ticks me off royally that I would have to pay for Windows twice to get the install CD. To me, that's more than a little dishonest.

[RadioAstronomer]

I do the same with my desktops. I build the computers from scratch (I get to select my own HD, vid cards, MoBo, etc.) and then load my own SW.

[Petronski]

Hope you like the FAT32 operating system partition on your Windows XP computer.

FAT32? Really?

[Petronski]

Whenever you buy an OEM computer that “comes” with Windows ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT MODEL COMES WITH A SYSTEM RESTORE DISK.

NO.

Always make sure that model comes with an XP Install disk.

[RadioAstronomer]

Agreed. :-(

I personally would buy a laptop with nothing more than the chipset/video drivers if I could.

[doodad]

Sorry I was not clear. I build machines and buy a full version of windows for it.

[24track]

Two words for you:

Ubuntu Linux!

Almost all of the apps (for free, no less) and none of the hassles, and security holes.

-R

[jpl]

Did you check to see if your new computer has a folder called "i386", probably on the system drive root?

It should, and if it does, that folder should essentially contain all of the contents on the CD. Whenever the system prompts you to enter the CD, browsing to that folder should work.

[doodad]

Even those are not as useful and free of extraneous crap as a good full version disk.