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| Thread ID: 101504 | 2009-07-17 02:11:00 | Buying computers without their operating system on DVD | malone73 (15106) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 792369 | 2009-07-17 02:11:00 | I've always been a bit worried about purchasing a computer without a version of the operating system on a physical medium such as a DVD. But about 18 months ago I bought a HP Pavilion notebook with Vista Ultimate 64 bit. No DVD, but a restore partition on the hard drive and a recommendation I run their program to create a restoration DVD (presumably just a copy of the restore partition) which I did. Needless to say, when the time came to reinstall the operating system the HP restore application failed to install from the restore partition and left me without an operating system. Attempting to restore from the DVDs failed with exactly the same error messages. Examination of on-line technical forums indicate that this is quite a common experience for people trying to reinstall Vista on HP Pavilion computers, so I am suspicious that HP's restore application within which the OS is wrapped is faulty. But all HP say is that if I want my OS restored they will need my computer to re-image it and this will cost $$$$$. There's nothing wrong with the hardware - Windows 7 RC (courtesy of PC World) installs and works fine. I feel aggrieved about this and view the practice of not providing basic OS DVDs with new computers pretty shoddy. Why do they do it? Surely not just to save money? Any suggestions what I can do about it? Or am I just a mug for buying a computer with no system DVD in the first place? |
malone73 (15106) | ||
| 792370 | 2009-07-17 02:15:00 | Restore DVDs are always useless. If you already have a copy of Vista on hand, use that in the future. They do it so that their bloat gets back on your computer when you have to reinstall. :annoyed: |
pcuser42 (130) | ||
| 792371 | 2009-07-17 03:00:00 | I think its common practice to not provide the disk. You could always make your own disk or try find one to borrow. | Tuneznz (13203) | ||
| 792372 | 2009-07-17 03:11:00 | The consumer versions of computers/notebooks usually don't come with the discs but the business/commercial versions usually do. | CYaBro (73) | ||
| 792373 | 2009-07-17 04:52:00 | You could always go and buy your own copy of Vista. Backup your data say onto cd/dvd then format the hd and reinstall Vista that you have just bought. :) |
Trev (427) | ||
| 792374 | 2009-07-17 05:16:00 | What is the legality of illegally downloading Windows and installing it using the serial provided under an HP laptop for instance? My laptop has a serial for XP Home under it, nothing preventing me for going back to XP home even if i delete the partition is, there? Disclaimer: Theoretical question of theoretical nature. MSDN-AA preovides me with everything I need for free, and my recovery partition is intact. And there are FREE alternatives avilable. |
Cato (6936) | ||
| 792375 | 2009-07-17 05:24:00 | Nothing but its still illegal. Since you didnt buy it. And it maybe full of malware. If you delete the restore partition then that key may not work on any other PC besides the one the key is on. The version of XP would or may have to be the same version (of what was on the laptop's partition) for the key to work |
Speedy Gonzales (78) | ||
| 792376 | 2009-07-17 07:34:00 | ^^ Provided the key works and everything else is right; I may not have bought the retail license per se, but i still own a license, don't I? Another question, I buy a copy of Windows, but the CD is dammaged\destroyed. What do I do then? Can I download the same version of Windows and run it using my serial, am I still a thief? |
Cato (6936) | ||
| 792377 | 2009-07-17 07:39:00 | You cant download it ( legally anyway - unless youre a technet member) and get the ISO from the MS site. Or pay for it online somewhere. If its damaged, ring MS, and tell them. Read the EULA next time you install it. So yeah unless you do the above you are a thief | Speedy Gonzales (78) | ||
| 792378 | 2009-07-17 07:45:00 | MSDN-AA preovides me with everything I need for free, if its anything like technet - then you can download the OS in an ISO format,which will make your own install DVD - and it also provides the product Key - the one on the back of the laptop wouldn't work from MSDN as its Retail, and the one on the laptop will be OEM. | wainuitech (129) | ||
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