Vista - Installation CD question

Hi Everyone. I realize this may be a "touchy" subject but I need to ask.
After a massive computer failure I just bought a new Dell XPS 420 desktop PC.
My first Dell purchase. It came preloaded with Microsoft Vista Home Premium.
I asked Dell for an original Microsoft installation CD as a backup. They
refused. I have several friends and relatives who purchased Dell computers
and many of them requested the same disc from Dell and received it without
incident (some within the last 2 months). I think I should be entitled to a
copy of the installation CD and not one that is from Dell preloaded with a
bunch of Dell crap on it. Why can't I receive an original Windows CD like
everyone else has requested? Am I asking the wrong person? What am I doing
wrong? Any help is appreciated. I just spent $1000 on this new computer and
think that should entitle me to the Windows OS disc (and I expect it will
have the same product key that was used to install on my new Dell). Thank you.

"Munchichic" <Munchichic@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:7603593E-14EB-4C8F-BCEE-DB8A4456BB24@xxxxxxDell have done nothing wrong. Under the terms as a royalty OEM licensee for
the distribution of Microsoft operating systems on their PCs, they are only
required to provide you with a method of restoring the device to as shipped
from the factory to you. This can be recovery media (CD or more likely DVD)
or the option to create such media either (from a hidden partition on the
hard disk) after the initial startup or at some time post setup, or via a
button press at power on to recovery immediately from the hidden recovery
partition.
They are certainly not required to provide you with a generic OEM media.
Dell license a whole load of software for preinstallation on your device and
this licensing includes incentives to do this to enable other software
manufactures to get their products on your device for you to try etc. It is
all about marketing etc.
If Dell are refusing to provide a generic OEM DVD then there is nothing you
can do about this as long as they are providing you with a recovery
mechanism as outlined above.
You can always buy a generic OEM disk yourself from one of many sources.

(Just as a point of note the cost Dell pay for the OEM operating system is a
tiny fraction of what you would buy it for even at its cheapest price on the
open market)

--

Mike Brannigan

"Michael John Ruff" <mr002i1702@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:Ihgik.13653$Nj6.1299@xxxxxxMy Dells must not know this. I have had to re install the OS on the desktop
3 times, and on one laptop one time. On every time the install stops at one
point and asks for this key. Without entering it, it will not let me install
the OS back onto the machine.
--
911 = Dial a prayer
1911= real protection

What Is the Extra Partition on My Hard Drive Used For?
http://support.dell.com/support/topi...30030ABD622934

Restoring Your Computer's Software to the Factory Settings:
http://support.dell.com/support/topi...A68F5B2877D4#4

You can request backup discs if you no longer have the original media installation CD/DVD:
https://support.dell.com/support/top.../backupcd_form

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience -
Windows Vista Enthusiast

---------------------------------------------------------------

"Munchichic" wrote:

Hi Everyone. I realize this may be a "touchy" subject but I need to ask.
After a massive computer failure I just bought a new Dell XPS 420 desktop PC.
My first Dell purchase. It came preloaded with Microsoft Vista Home Premium.
I asked Dell for an original Microsoft installation CD as a backup. They
refused. I have several friends and relatives who purchased Dell computers
and many of them requested the same disc from Dell and received it without
incident (some within the last 2 months). I think I should be entitled to a
copy of the installation CD and not one that is from Dell preloaded with a
bunch of Dell crap on it. Why can't I receive an original Windows CD like
everyone else has requested? Am I asking the wrong person? What am I doing
wrong? Any help is appreciated. I just spent $1000 on this new computer and
think that should entitle me to the Windows OS disc (and I expect it will
have the same product key that was used to install on my new Dell). Thank you.

On Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:30:00 -0700, Munchichic
<Munchichic@xxxxxx> wrote:

Several points:

1. Like you, I think that all computers that come with a pre-installed
operating system should come with an installed CD or DVD for that
operating system.

2. But neither you nor I get to make the rules for Dell or for anyone
else. They have the right to offer a computer for sale under the terms
they did. In this case, it was *you* who failed to find out in advance
exactly what you were getting for your $1000. If you didn't like what
you were getting, you should have taken your business elsewhere. The
rule of "caveat emptor" applies.

3. Like other OEM vendors, over the years Dell has changed their
policy on this. I have a Dell laptop that I bought about four or five
years ago. I have an OEM installation CD for the Windows XP version
that is installed on it.

4. As far as I know, Dell no longer offers Installation CDs or DVDs
with their computers. When you say "many of them requested the same
disc from Dell and received it without incident (some within the last
2 months)," I strongly suspect that you are wrong and they (at least
those of them who got a CD recently) did not get what you think they
got.

5. Dell computers (and those from many other OEM manufacturers) now
come with a recovery partition in lieu of any installation or recovery
CD or DVD. They come with instructions to burn the contents of that
partition to a CD or DVD. To me that's not a wonderful alternative,
but it's far better than nothing, and I urge you to follow those
instructions immediately.

When you buy a computer from one of the big-name OEM manufacturers
like Dell, you usually get a very good price. But what you don't get
is the ability to choose exactly what you get--the brand and model of
each of the components in the computer, what software is installed or
not installed, what CDs and DVDs you get, etc.--choices you would have
if you dealt with a local custom builder instead. It's your choice:
you can pay less and get whatever they offer, or you can pay more and
get whatever you want. Don't blame Dell if you made the wrong choice.

My personal choice, by the way (for desktops, anyway) is to pay a
little more, have my computers built by a local builder, and get
whatever *I* want.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

Hi,

I don't know what happened to you but please refer to this *old* blog and
Dell always shipped with OS restore discs.

http://direct2dell.com/one2one/archi...3132.aspx#3187

---------------------------------------
Update: Thanks to Direct2Dell reader Steven and a couple of Dell employees
for pointing out a mistake I made in my original post. When I wrote this,
the OS media was listed as an option in the configurator for $0. I mis-read
the number, and for that mistake, I apologize. Also, though this been in
the works for some time before now, it's now official. For U.S. consumer
and small business customers, all systems will now ship with an operating
system disc. This change will take effect in Europe by later next month. In
Asia, things are unchanged¡Xwe've always shipped OS discs with systems
there.
-------------------------------------

Hope this helps.


"Munchichic" <Munchichic@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:7603593E-14EB-4C8F-BCEE-DB8A4456BB24@xxxxxx

This just goes to show you why mass production systems should be avoided.

Everyone who can(like myself) should build their own systems. If you can't, get someone who can. In todays world thats not hard to do. A local computer repair shop should have no problem doing this, and when you get your system from them you always get your OS media. And you can bet it would not be the polluted version that is included in Dells, HPs or any other mass producer.

And if you should need support those same shops are usually happy to lend a helping hand(we do) and not a slap in the face(like Dell).

Custom build systems always perform better and are way more stable then any production crap.

I agree. Having bought what is really my first proper computer from a small but very well reviewed company in the u.k.- Arbico computers-they have so far looked after me very well - and you get free technical phone support as well as a 2 yr guarantee and all the discs, drivers, manuals, et. Also irt is cheaper! Ichecked it out at the time and buying one of the big brands to a similar spec. would have been much more expensive.

VOTE WITH YOUR WALLET DO NOT BUY IF THEY DO NOT GIVE YOU THE PROPER INSTALLATION DISC, ETC. IT'S SIMPLE.

"Ken Blake, MVP" <kblake@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:rroj84po3r7vvf4ovll32m6nrd14ma44tn@xxxxxxThey've started doing it again. A coworker just purchased a laptop that
came with a full Windows install disk.

"fb" <fab@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:%23qZ186O8IHA.3336@xxxxxxThe three Toshiba laptops in my family came with restore disks, not full OS
CDs.