[yes_puleeze]

Im about to buy a replacement laptop with vista home premium but have noticed while researching them that most nowadays dont come with your own copy. In the past I have every so often wiped and reformatted my computer. I also had cause to reformat when a windows update failed and caused file corruption and i was unable to reboot. Also although I am meticulous in care taken, to avoid viruses malware etc......you can only reduce your vulnerability none of us are completely impervious . So is there a solution if you dont own your own discs

[The_Oracle]

my recommendation: do NOT buy a computer that doesn't ship with an OS installation disk, talk to a sales rep and call off the deal if necessary. recovery disks are just not good enough.

[DoubleHelix]

Originally Posted by The_Oracle

my recommendation: do NOT buy a computer that doesn't ship with an OS installation disk, talk to a sales rep and call off the deal if necessary. recovery disks are just not good enough.

I can't think of any OEM that ships with a full Windows installation disk and not restore disks. Restore disks are certainly adequate for the majority of users.

[The_Oracle]

a little pressure sometimes works miracles. always works for me with Dell, Toshiba and HP and the likes ...

they do value your money and hate losing you to a competitor that does provide the disk.

and the adequacy of a restore disk is debatable when the hard disk failed.

[DoubleHelix]

You've received plain Windows installation disks (no drivers, applications, etc.) from Dell, Toshiba, and HP just by asking?

[yes_puleeze]

thanks you have confirmed my concerns are justified

[The_Oracle]

i don't really buy computers from these companies but i do advise my clients to ask explicitly for a OEM OS installation disk to be included and i know of no case where they didn't get the disk. every now and then i deal with them on my customers' behalf and it always works. mostly dell, it's a 'buy local' thing in Ireland, ya know

i found, they act differently once you have bought the computer (and they have got your money) and you may find yourself in dire need for such a disk ... so it's better to insist up front

[Blazintails]

As of last month, Dell will still send out a new OS disk if you ask.

I was online building a Laptop for a customer and did not see in the list of items to be shipped, a OS or recovery disks. So I got right on the phone with Dell and I finished the order but put it on save. The CSR informed me that there was (in hiding) a tab on one of the order pages to get the OS disks free.

And sure enough, 2 days later to my surprise, the brand new XP home full version disk, a recovery disk and also an applications disk came with the new laptop.

So it pays to go that extra step and ask. If the CSR doesnt have the answer you seek, ask to speak to a supervisor.