Whenever you buy a comp with an OS you're supposed to get a disc, right?

Azureth

Azureth

Supreme [H]ardness
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My friend told me he didn't get a Vista disc when he bought his laptop from compusa. He says they don't do that anymore, but I thought it was a requirement that if you sell a computer that has an OS you're supposed to give the disc as well?
 
I think it used to be a requirement, but anymore no-disc is SOP.

HP and Dell usually have a recovery partition which serves the same function.
 
Lenovo often does the same thing with a recovery partition. They usually include software to create backup discs from the recovery partition, at least. First thing I have people do when they get a new machine is make those discs...
 
That's pretty fucked up. Why not just give you the disc considering you couldn't use it on another comp anyway?
 
Azureth said:
Why not just give you the disc .... ?
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They have given you the key (usually stuck on the bottom of the laptop or on the case of the desktop).
The media should not be a concern (borrow from a friend, ...).
 
I've always received a 'recovery CD' with the OS and drivers. Just got one with a Dell Vostro that I ordered.
 
I don't know about HP home lines, but HP's business line has a software that let you create a recovery disk. Check and see if you have that.
 
Azhar said:
I don't know about HP home lines, but HP's business line has a software that let you create a recovery disk. Check and see if you have that.
Click to expand...

The HP consumer machines do the same thing. Its a low process to create the recovery discs but it works pretty well on the three HP machines I've done this on.
 
silent-circuit said:
Saves them a little bit of cash, times thousands and thousands of machines. It adds up.
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More than that, they get kick backs from MS for not including the media. Makes it harder to pirate is the thinking, although I suspect MS thinks they are more likely to out and buy a whole new OS later one because of it.
 
silent-circuit said:
Saves them a little bit of cash, times thousands and thousands of machines. It adds up.
Click to expand...

Probably this.

Think about it. If you sell a million PCs world wide, and you're able to save a dollar on each machine by not including a disk, how much money have you saved?
 
You can create your own recovery disc. PCs stopped shipping with OS CDs along time ago.
 
Acer does recovery partitions as well on their notebooks such as the AS6920. To get a disc from them (or in Acer's case 3 discs), you need a very good reason, otherwise you have to pay for it.
 
Dell charges extra to get the recovery disks, at least on their business class machines.
 
Dell offered the Disks at one time, then stopped for a bit with the Partition to recover instead, then started again later on with both the disk and partition. Those that did not get the disk can call Dell and they will more than likely send one out to you.
 
AbJ32 said:
Probably this.

Think about it. If you sell a million PCs world wide, and you're able to save a dollar on each machine by not including a disk, how much money have you saved?
Click to expand...

$1,000,000 !
 
AbJ32 said:
Probably this.

Think about it. If you sell a million PCs world wide, and you're able to save a dollar on each machine by not including a disk, how much money have you saved?
Click to expand...

Vague said:
$1,000,000 !
Click to expand...

$1,500,000!
don't forget the paper sleeves and stickers with barcodes! and man-hours to place discs in sleeves and place stickers?
 
slls said:
My HP came with software to burn 1 recovery CD or DVD.
Click to expand...

My manager had an issue with this on the HP he bought his wife. He tried to make the recovery disc, and it would fail the verify stage. So on support with HP, it became the chicken or the egg. Is the recovery partition bad, thus negating the ability to restore in the future? Or, does he use the disc HP sent out to rebuild the recovery partition and the os partition, destroying what has been done with the OS, without knowing if the recovery partition is bad?

Solution is to hang onto the disc HP sent, and use it if a future restore is needed where the recovery partition fails. :D

The dvd writer is fine, as he can read and write other cd's/dvd's without failure.
 
XOR != OR said:
More than that, they get kick backs from MS for not including the media. Makes it harder to pirate is the thinking, although I suspect MS thinks they are more likely to out and buy a whole new OS later one because of it.
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Source?
 
Why would you want to use a recovery disk and restore all the useless outdated demo software and outdated drivers?

Just get a Vista DVD from a friend and use your key to make a fresh install.
 
almost all companies now give you a restore partition, and/or some way to create the recovery media. However I have not tried it with Vista but I know on WIndows XP you had to have an OEM version of the media to use the key from the side of the computer.

Also when you use the recovery media no activation is required. I've heard of people using OEM disks and not the restore cd's and trying to activate their key and it fails for some reason.
 
Its all restore partition and send us money and they will mail you a disc usually. Your best bet is to just find someone with a oem disc of the OS and copy it, it will work with your license usually.
 
There is no need for an OEM Vista disk.
You can use any Vista media. You can install Retail, OEM, Basic, Ultimate, Business.
The key determines what you will get.

The manufacturer installs Vista (with a key) and all the garbage software on a machine. Then, they create an image of the partition.
Then, they restore the image onto all the machines of the same model in the production line.
Then, they stick a unique key on the bottom of each laptop.

So, the key used on the original installation is not unique. But, the key on the bottom of the laptop is and it is different from the original key.

Attempting to activate an installation with the key from the bottom of the laptop will fail online. You will be given a phone number to call. After you call, they ask you if you bought the license from a retailer or if it came with an OEM machine you bought. You answer and they activate it for you.

Alternatively, you can recover the original key from a functional OS using a free utility like the magic jelly bean and use it for activation.
Either way, it will be activated.
 
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Yeah, I'm not seeing the big deal with this. I have a Vista DVD that I used to install the OS on machines in the house. I just wiped the drive and install the OS and plug in the key that is on the macine and all is good.
I'd rather take a few minutes to activate it over the phone than to spend 2 hours deleting and uninstalling all the crap that comes on the computer from the mfger.
 
MrF said:
They have given you the key (usually stuck on the bottom of the laptop or on the case of the desktop).
The media should not be a concern (borrow from a friend, ...).
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This would only work if your friend had the same machine, with the exact same specs, hardware /software.
in order to do a complete restore, you need all the drivers and everything else specific to that particular machine....

not to mention any included software or applications cant be had from just any media.

But yeah, they all allow you to create a set of restore discs, and this should always be the first thing you do when you start it up for the first time.
I did this with my daughters machine before I even put it in her hands.....
 
Crosshairs said:
This would only work if your friend had the same machine, with the exact same specs, hardware /software.
in order to do a complete restore, you need all the drivers and everything else specific to that particular machine....
Click to expand...

All you need is a Vista DVD like this.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116490
Then, you can install Vista.

You can get all the latest drivers from the web site of the manufacturer.

At this point, your machine will be exactly the same as it was when you bought it minus any pre-installed applications minus any outdated drivers plus all the updated drivers.
 
Crosshairs said:
This would only work if your friend had the same machine, with the exact same specs, hardware /software.
in order to do a complete restore, you need all the drivers and everything else specific to that particular machine.
Click to expand...
No, MrF is right. A Vista disc is a Vista disc is a Vista disc. The only differences are the platform (x86 or x64). The key on the bottom of the laptop is what makes it legal. if you borrow a disc from a friend, you are still perfectly legal...as long as you activate down the road with your own key from your computer. Anytime a family member has gotten a Vista system, I've used my TechNet discs to wipe the system and do a fresh install, using their key. Drivers can always be downloaded, and who ever bothers with the included apps anyway?
 
I know the Dell XPS machines all include the OS discs. On all other machines, I think it's optional, but if you call they will send you one anyway.
 
MrF said:
The manufacturer installs Vista (with a key) and all the garbage software on a machine. Then, they create an image of the partition.
Then, they restore the image onto all the machines of the same model in the production line.
Then, they stick a unique key on the bottom of each laptop.

So, the key used on the original installation is not unique. But, the key on the bottom of the laptop is and it is different from the original key.

Attempting to activate an installation with the key from the bottom of the laptop will fail online. You will be given a phone number to call. After you call, they ask you if you bought the license from a retailer or if it came with an OEM machine you bought. You answer and they activate it for you.

Alternatively, you can recover the original key from a functional OS using a free utility like the magic jelly bean and use it for activation.
Either way, it will be activated.
Click to expand...

A lot of small shops got in trouble for doing that with XP. They had used a pirated key and volume license copies, because it "just worked on everything". However, MS then did one of their anti-piracy rounds, and disabled that key. Since the shops used VL installs, the valid OEM key on the sticker wouldn't work.

The proper solution is to use sysprep to create a reference image, then boot to audit mode to apply customizations like the product key and OEM-specific crap. This is how you end up with the Windows Welcome screen with your specific key already entered. Or I've seen systems where you have to manually enter the number off your sticker (because it's easier for the OEM to not have to customize it with your specific key). I assume the big outfits have an automated system that reads the barcode off the CoA sticker and dumps it into a script that automatically does the audit mode stuff, or they have tight enough control that their system tracks the designated product key along with the physical machine.

But I agree with your post #21. The first thing I do with any new system is build a slipstreamed, unattended install with as many of the needed drivers as possible. I get an up-to-date copy of Windows, with most drivers already installed, with exactly the options I do and don't want, all without having to manually do anything during the install.
 
I bought an HP laptop a year ago (Vista) and the key on the bottom of the laptop did not match the key used for the installation.

I got a Toshiba laptop a few years ago (XP) and the key on the bottom did not match the installed key.

I have seen articles that state the same technique for OS installation in production lines basically to speed up production.

So, I am not sure what you are talking about.

Edit:
This is a reference to the installed key being different than the sticker:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/21172-45-product-sticker
and more:
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies-archive.cfm/1114574.html
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=166732
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=194462
http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/genuinevista/thread/32895dc0-436a-4f6c-87b8-4ee59a5a8338
 
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DeaconFrost said:
No, MrF is right. A Vista disc is a Vista disc is a Vista disc. The only differences are the platform (x86 or x64). The key on the bottom of the laptop is what makes it legal. if you borrow a disc from a friend, you are still perfectly legal...as long as you activate down the road with your own key from your computer. Anytime a family member has gotten a Vista system, I've used my TechNet discs to wipe the system and do a fresh install, using their key. Drivers can always be downloaded, and who ever bothers with the included apps anyway?
Click to expand...


You'd think they'd just leave it at that. A fresh clean OS install when you first get your comp, but then those random ass companies that pay to have their shit software pre-installed on your machine wouldn't be able to give more money to Dell or HP. Oh well, not a big deal. Using a Vista disc and your own key = much better.
 
Jon55 said:
You'd think they'd just leave it at that. A fresh clean OS install when you first get your comp, but then those random ass companies that pay to have their shit software pre-installed on your machine wouldn't be able to give more money to Dell or HP.
Click to expand...

I agree that bloatware is an annoyance, but it's what also allows companies like Dell to sell $300 PCs. I'll live with a format/reinstall on a new system to save money like that.
 
DeaconFrost said:
No, MrF is right. A Vista disc is a Vista disc is a Vista disc. The only differences are the platform (x86 or x64). The key on the bottom of the laptop is what makes it legal. if you borrow a disc from a friend, you are still perfectly legal...as long as you activate down the road with your own key from your computer. Anytime a family member has gotten a Vista system, I've used my TechNet discs to wipe the system and do a fresh install, using their key. Drivers can always be downloaded, and who ever bothers with the included apps anyway?
Click to expand...

I'm not talking about legalities...I didn't mention it once in my post so I don't know why you chose to quote me.....I'm talking about drivers and apps.


and my post is true.....the installed apps and drivers can only be had from a restore disc. period, end of discussion...
sure, you can download the drivers ..sometimes...but not always....

and the pre installed apps? one mans bloat is another mans need.

those come free with the system, and cannot be found easily.they are certainly not on any Vista disc out there
 
Crosshairs said:
I'm not talking about legalities
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Neither am I, so I don't know where you are getting this from. We also aren't talking about Restore Discs either, as anyone can easily make one of them for their own computer at anytime, for any config. The discussion was about plain vanilla Vista discs.
 
dnottis said:
PCs stopped shipping with OS CDs along time ago.
Click to expand...

That is not inclusively true....it depends on the brand and the model and the level of the model (home grade/business grade). Quite a few still do ship with the OS media. It's also often an option when you order...pay attention when you order.
 
Azureth said:
That's pretty fucked up. Why not just give you the disc considering you couldn't use it on another comp anyway?
Click to expand...

Because customers throw everything away and when they need to restore the PC, their disks that came with the computer are in the landfill.

I don't see why they should give you a disk anyway. Recovery partitions makes everything much simpler and there is no disk to lose.
 
Staples said:
Because customers throw everything away and when they need to restore the PC, their disks that came with the computer are in the landfill.
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Never heard of anyone doing this.

Staples said:
I don't see why they should give you a disk anyway.
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Because everyone enjoys that multi-gigabyte loss of disk space (especially on laptops and netbooks). Especially when those backup partitions come with your favorite trials of McAffee, AOL, and Office 2007.
:rolleyes:

Staples said:
Recovery partitions makes everything much simpler and there is no disk to lose.
Click to expand...
Wrong. There's no disc to lose but if your hard disk goes south you really have no other choice. This actually happened to me on vacation a while back when Compaq was first toying with the idea of recovery partitions over CDs.

Though now, many companies do allow that option to create a restore CD/DVD from scratch. But then there's that disc to lose sooo...
 
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