How to do a clean OS install on OEM machine?

C

Collector

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My wife is thinking about buying a couple of DELLs for her business. I could certainly build these things myself but I can't beat the price DELL is offering. Especially with XP and Office.

Anyway, I'm assuming that the operating system does not come in a standard OEM CD. It is on a disk with all kinds of other DELL software. The reason I ask is that when the computers come in they will probably have all kinds of DELL installed software on it. I would like to re-format the drive and put a fresh operating system install on it. That way there won't be any other stuff on it.

Can I do this with the CD or CDs that come with the machine? Or will the CDs install Windows along with all the other crap? The same thing goes for Office. Can I install just Office or do I have to install all the DELL-ware along with it?

If I can't do a seperate Windows install can I get XP on a CD since I already bought the license with the computer? I can't seem to find anything that tells me one way or the other.
 
All the Dells I've seen lately have a standard OEM CD. Pop it in, format the drive and install. You'll also want to have the separate driver/software CD, or download all the drivers off their web site first. All the crapware is usually on the driver/software CD. Just don't chose to install it.
 
WELL I'm not sure about the "Home User" ones, but the ones that came from the place I worked at last year was just the Win XP Pro cd. No Dell software preloaded, not even a "image" cd, it's straight XP Pro OEM. So I'm guessing it's the same thing on the home side. Are you going for Home or Pro?
 
Depending on the number of machines, it might make more sense to get a VLK from Microsoft. I think they start at 5 licenses, but not sure.
 
But then he can get his dells because they wont ship them without an os/ so he'd be paying MS double
 
hulksterjoe said:
But then he can get his dells because they wont ship them without an os/ so he'd be paying MS double
Click to expand...
Not if he requests them to be shippied without an OS.
 
This is just two computers so there would be no need for a multi-license.

If the operating system is on it's own CD that's ideal. I was just under the impression that these big OEMs (DELL, Gateway, etc) stuff all their software (including the OS) on to one CD and when you install you get everything whether you want it or not.

I really enjoy building my own but when it comes to a simple system to run some office applications on, I can't build it cheaper that these big guys. Kind of pisses me off.
 
Collector said:
This is just two computers so there would be no need for a multi-license.

If the operating system is on it's own CD that's ideal. I was just under the impression that these big OEMs (DELL, Gateway, etc) stuff all their software (including the OS) on to one CD and when you install you get everything whether you want it or not.

I really enjoy building my own but when it comes to a simple system to run some office applications on, I can't build it cheaper that these big guys. Kind of pisses me off.
Click to expand...
really? could you build it cheaper if you used *nix?

what kind of Dells are you getting?

 
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