Plea to PC suppliers -- PLEASE INCLUDE A PROPER OS DISK

[jimbo45]

Hi all
It seems nearly impossible to get a "Bog standard" W7 OS disk these days when you buy a PC-- even if it IS an OEM copy they should give you the OS install disk.

Please can we get install disks back like we used to when buying a PC.

I HATE the stuff that usually comes shipped with PC's -- riddled with TRIAL / ADWARE etc.

My ist job with a new PC is invariably to WIPE the lot and do a fresh install -- but I have some LEGAL copies of Windows so it's not an issue here.


I don't like the hidden image partition either that you are expected to use to restore the PC to "Factory state".

Apart from the fact these are often unreliable they make it difficult to re-arrange your partitions -- often computers are shipped with everything loaded on to the "C" partition even if the disk is 1 TB in size -- not a good idea plus the RESTORE image partition it is a waste of useable disk space.

The cost of suppling the installable media on say even a USB stick would only add PENNIES to the cost of the PC.

By all means supply a "Customized" pre-installed version of windows but supply the OS disk AS WELL -- the license has been paid for so why shouldn't the customer have it -- it's as I said been paid for and there's usually a sticker on the PC with the Windows key.

(I try and haggle if buying a PC in a store to get a Retail copy of the OS thrown in as well - but some people especially in the West are a bit afraid to haggle in stores -- however it often can work - some sales people are given incentives to move the goods so it's worth a try to get a W7 DVD thrown in with your PC).

Anyway if enough of us gripe about this maybe MS will insist the OS media is also supplied to the customer.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[Imperfect1]

Totally agree with you jimbo. Most of us would gladly pay the extra dollar or two to have the disk(s) included with the new computer. (When I received my new HP laptop last year, HP DID provide a 'Windows' CD, at least.)

 

[Bill2]

Our griping will not make MS oblige because support for OEM machines is the responsibility of OEMs, not MS.

MS requires OEMs to provide customers with a way of returning to factory state, how exactly OEMs go about it is left to their discretion. So legally, OEMs have fulfilled their contractual obligation by providing a recovery partition and recovery disks, without providing a real OS reinstall disk. What does the OEM gain from this? A few pennies saved I guess and easier support requirements- all that the tech support chap needs to tell the customer now is "Please boot from the recovery disks and restore the computer".

It also benefits MS in a oblique kind of way because OS only install disks CAN be used to pirate windows. Even if each OEM customizes it , that disk can still be used to pirate on that particular OEM brand computers. But the recovery disks- you can only restore it to the specific model it came with or a very close relative. And please lets not get into that old argument about MS actually encouraging piracy etc.

Moderately tech savvy people know how to work around the problem of the missing disk.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there

I'm sure most of "the old hands" can get round the problem -- however there are 3 issues here.

1) If for any reason the recovery partition gets hosed up then it's impossible to get the PC to factory state and for some people this means the PC is nothing more than an expensive Doorstop -- can't be booted etc etc.

The people most likely to get into this state are those who have progressed from the "Beginners" or "Not interested" state and star "fiddling" with their PC -- for example creating partitions /changing Hard disks etc.

2) You've PAID for a Windows License -- so you are entitled to it.

3) Many times on this Forum we get people asking how they can restore their PC after the "Hidden recovery partition" has got hosed up.

I've seen cases where the initial SETUP asks you to make a bootable backup of the recovery -- a wizard guides the user through the process -- and when you try and test the boot up version you've just made it totally fails.

Just because MS thinks "It's easier to Pirate" if a CD is given shouldn't be an excuse for witholding something you've paid for -- it's up to MS to make their systems more robust. !!

I might just as well say - we should ban Buses and Cars because they can cause injury, death and accidents. !!

Another solution would be to provide a "Bare Metal Box" and give the customer the option of buyng the OS or not.

I suppose it's all the people gaining from the adware and trialware that is installed initially that would probably complain the most if the practice was stopped.

Cheers

jimbo

 

[Bill2]

Oh, I agree its not the ideal state of things. But just to address the points you raised.

1) The buyer is supposed to create recovery disks immediately, it says so in the flyers that come with the package, in the manuals and mostly the machine will prompt to do so on first use. If this is not enough warning, I dont know what would be.

2) The preinstalled windows is substantially cheaper than if one were to buy from a shop, this subsidy is provided by all the bloatware that OEMs are paid to put onto their machines. So, in effect, the price benefit is passed on to the consumer.

3) If the original set of recovery disks fails, an extra set can be ordered from the OEM. Yes, I know its a pain but its not impossible.

Providing a bare metal box would take us back to square one, most people wouldnt know what edition to buy, where to buy from and how to install and activate. Worse they would buy from ebay @ $29 and get scammed.

 

[pparks1]

I agree with everything that Bill2 just said. I was going to type up the same response.

The other issue is that for OEM's, who do provide warranty support and technical support to customers, it's important for them to have basic understanding of exactly how the OS is installed. With the factory image, they can rely on that. If the consumer has formatted and installed from scratch however, that goes out the window.

I agree with you Jimbo, I always preferred getting an actual Windows disk as well. I've bought a few Dells over the years and they always had the disks. With a few of the HP and Acer laptops I've purchased in the last few years, no OS disk...just the ability to create the recovery DVD's.

 

[gregrocker]

The OEM's stopped providing the Installation DVD under pressure from the bloatware sponsors who rake in billions of dollars for crapware like MucAfee and Norton, and whose subsidy provides most of the profit margin for low-margin consumer rigs.

This is why they also refuse to support clean reinstalls and you should never tell them you've done one to get tech support. They act like it is their property even though you are the owner of the hardware and the copy of the OS for it's life and can do anything you want with it - courts have ruled on this repeatedly, which is why they can't use BIOS Blocks any longer.

Win7 runs best when unhindered by the bloatware and useless factory utilities which have better versions built into the OS. I would make and save the Recovery Disks but wipe the HD and clean reinstall Win7 following these tips to get a perfect reinstall of factory OEM: Reinstalling Windows 7. It's a learning experience with lifelong benefits.