New computer, no Windows CD included

[drhowarddrfine]

My wife wants me to pick out a computer for her sister from Dell.  While scanning through the systems and checking prices, I noticed you get free software from Symantec for recovering your system but getting a Windows CD with the OS on it is $10 extra! :eek  If that isn't a wtf moment I don't know what is.

[James Ladd]

I think that is because Dell typically make a partition on the harddrive where they put the CD image, so they can restore from it etc.

It's strange they want to charge for what the EULA says you should have got. Hmmmn.

[P1]

Dell has been doing this with corporate customers for a while now.  When I have a problem, I have to call and get the CD kit.

At least, as of two months ago, they were not charging me for the CD Kits.

Regards,  P1  :8)

[Mark_Larson]

I think that is because Dell typically make a partition on the harddrive where they put the CD image, so they can restore from it etc.

It's strange they want to charge for what the EULA says you should have got. Hmmmn.

  James is correct.  All Dell models I have seen have a special paritition with the a recovery version on it.  They've been doing that for a long time.  You have to run a special program to restore it.  It used to be called ZigZag.  Not sure if that is true anymore.

  Personally I don't like it, because after you use it you have to re-install all your programs.  I always install everything first.  Then take an image of the hard drive.  And use that for re-installs.  It's much faster than installing an OS from scratch, and then re-installing all your programs.

[drhowarddrfine]

Does it reinstall Dell's 'adware' and all the crap you don't want?  If so, I guess you have to uninstall it all?  I know Dell said they were going to go away from all that but has it happened yet?

[hutch--]

I learnt a long time ago to never buy OEM computers, always get what used to be called a clone built, you pick the bits and layout your own hardware in whatever format you like.

I am just putting the finishing touches on a new 3 gig PIV for a friend in the country, an Asus board, usual bits and pieces etc ... and apart from turning off the crud Asus logo on boot in the BIOS, it all works like a real one, 2 disks partitioned to spread the load, tail end partition for boot partition image and other junk like installations. Pick your own video card but the great loss was I had just scored a good nick SBlive sound card for one of my own boxes for peanuts which is now going into this new PIV instead of my spare AMD.