Text 39889, 59 rader
Skriven 2007-11-27 09:37:05 av Alan Zisman (1:123/789.0)
  Kommentar till text 39884 av Joe Bruchis (1:3828/12)
Ärende: OEM OS No Disks
=======================
In article <40998$WIN95@JamNNTPd>, "Joe Bruchis -> All" <1:3828/12>
wrote:

 JB> Hello everybody.

 JB> I find it incredible how many laptops come without the original OEM
 JB> software CDs these days.  I just purchased a Sony Vaio with Vista and
 JB> all software installed, yet not one OEM disk for any of the software
 JB> came in the box.

 JB> A friend just purchased a Compaq Presario, He came over to show it to me
 JB> last night. I inquired as to whether he received the software disks with
 JB> it.  Same story... none.

 JB> At one time, I thought it was required for manufacturers to supply the
 JB> OEM software on CD's or DVD's when a computer was purchased.

 JB> Is this considered pirating, when a manufacturer or distributor uses the
 JB> smae OEM copy on all machines? Aren't they actually selling a pirated
 JB> copy with the machines?

 JB> Also, since Vista OEM apparently does not require activation or a key,
 JB> possibly the distributors are just purchasing one copy at a premium and
 JB> allowed to install it on all the computers for sale.

 JB> If I thought I'd be successful, I'd like to request my software from the
 JB> vendor. However, if this practice is now legal, I won't waste my time.

 JB> Does anyone know the answer?

1) Microsoft actually discouraged OEMs from including Windows discs--
believing that including the discs provided users with a way to install
Windows onto multiple computers (though techniques like Windows Product
Activation ought to discourage this).

As a result, many company started to first provide system recovery
discs, which would put the system back into the state it was first in;
more recently, many companies include the same data, but on a hidden
recovery partition on the hard drive.

This, however, is useless if the hard drive fails-- or if the user
replaces it with a larger model.

2) Many OEMs will happily sell consumers either system recovery CDs or
Windows OEM CDs-- either at the time of purchase, or in many cases for a
higher price later. So you can request one or the other from your
vendor-- just be prepared to pay.

I just stepped through the Dell Canada online order process-- whereas a
year or two ago (the last time I actually ordered from them), I was able
to request a copy of the XP Home CD for a $10 charge, I saw no similar
option now.

-- 
- email: alan (at) zisman (dot) ca
- website: http://www.zisman.ca

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