No Windows DVD

This afternoon I had a 'chat' with a Dell sales rep, and I asked her
whether Dell includes a full OEM Windows install DVD with new PCs, or if
one could be requested for an additional charge.

She said Dell only ships factory restore DVDs, and that Windows install
DVDs are not available.

Is this the truth?

Daddy

Daddy wrote:
This afternoon I had a 'chat' with a Dell sales rep, and I asked her
whether Dell includes a full OEM Windows install DVD with new PCs, or if
one could be requested for an additional charge.

She said Dell only ships factory restore DVDs, and that Windows install
DVDs are not available.

Is this the truth?

Daddy

Not sure about Windows 7, but the XP CDs shipped with Dell gear in the
past are marked "Reinstallation CD" or "... DVD". But they are nothing
more than a vanilla OEM optical disc with a couple of files changed to
alert Microsoft to the fact that they are Dell-specific. And Dell also
shipped a driver CD with the XP systems.

I guess that the truthiness of the Dell sale rep's statement is in the
eye of the beholder. Does the label make it a "factory restore DVD"
despite the content? ... Ben Myers

On 1/7/2010 8:18 PM, Ben Myers wrote:
Daddy wrote:
This afternoon I had a 'chat' with a Dell sales rep, and I asked her
whether Dell includes a full OEM Windows install DVD with new PCs, or
if one could be requested for an additional charge.

She said Dell only ships factory restore DVDs, and that Windows
install DVDs are not available.

Is this the truth?

Daddy

Not sure about Windows 7, but the XP CDs shipped with Dell gear in the
past are marked "Reinstallation CD" or "... DVD". But they are nothing
more than a vanilla OEM optical disc with a couple of files changed to
alert Microsoft to the fact that they are Dell-specific. And Dell also
shipped a driver CD with the XP systems.

I guess that the truthiness of the Dell sale rep's statement is in the
eye of the beholder. Does the label make it a "factory restore DVD"
despite the content? ... Ben Myers
My mini with win7 starter came with the usual. A win7
reinstall disk and a separate drivers disk.

Ben Myers wrote:
Daddy wrote:
This afternoon I had a 'chat' with a Dell sales rep, and I asked her
whether Dell includes a full OEM Windows install DVD with new PCs, or
if one could be requested for an additional charge.

She said Dell only ships factory restore DVDs, and that Windows
install DVDs are not available.

Is this the truth?

Daddy

Not sure about Windows 7, but the XP CDs shipped with Dell gear in the
past are marked "Reinstallation CD" or "... DVD". But they are nothing
more than a vanilla OEM optical disc with a couple of files changed to
alert Microsoft to the fact that they are Dell-specific. And Dell also
shipped a driver CD with the XP systems.

I guess that the truthiness of the Dell sale rep's statement is in the
eye of the beholder. Does the label make it a "factory restore DVD"
despite the content? ... Ben Myers

Sorry, I should have been more specific: I am asking about computers
that ship with Windows 7. And what I am looking for is exactly what you
described (and what I got from Dell with my XP PC): an otherwise plain
vanilla OEM install DVD which may include Dell-specific modifications.

Daddy

"Daddy" wrote in message
...

Sorry, I should have been more specific: I am asking about computers that
ship with Windows 7. And what I am looking for is exactly what you
described (and what I got from Dell with my XP PC): an otherwise plain
vanilla OEM install DVD which may include Dell-specific modifications.

Yes, that's exactly what Dell is shipping with their machines...at least the
few I've seen so far.

Bob

Bob Levine wrote:
"Daddy" wrote in message
...

Sorry, I should have been more specific: I am asking about computers
that ship with Windows 7. And what I am looking for is exactly what
you described (and what I got from Dell with my XP PC): an otherwise
plain vanilla OEM install DVD which may include Dell-specific
modifications.

Yes, that's exactly what Dell is shipping with their machines...at least
the few I've seen so far.

Bob

Thanks, Bob. When and if the time comes, I'd want to get this in writing
from Dell before I sign on the dotted line. Windows install DVD is a
deal-breaker for me.

Daddy

"Daddy" wrote in message
...

Thanks, Bob. When and if the time comes, I'd want to get this in writing
from Dell before I sign on the dotted line. Windows install DVD is a
deal-breaker for me.

Daddy

Well, there's no guarantee that this policy will remain, but I would think
it would.

Bob

Bob Levine wrote:
"Daddy" wrote in message
...

Thanks, Bob. When and if the time comes, I'd want to get this in
writing from Dell before I sign on the dotted line. Windows install
DVD is a deal-breaker for me.

Daddy

Well, there's no guarantee that this policy will remain, but I would
think it would.

Bob

I just now completed another chat with a different Dell rep, who told me
that Dell does include an OEM copy of the Windows 7 installation DVD and
also a Resource CD with the latest drivers and diagnostic tools.

This mirrors what I read on Dell's own website, but I know from
experience not to take anything for granted, which is why I contacted
Dell in the first place.

It's of no comfort to me that the answer you get from Dell depends on
whom you ask.

Daddy

Daddy wrote:
Bob Levine wrote:
"Daddy" wrote in message
...

Thanks, Bob. When and if the time comes, I'd want to get this in
writing from Dell before I sign on the dotted line. Windows install
DVD is a deal-breaker for me.

Daddy

Well, there's no guarantee that this policy will remain, but I would
think it would.

Bob

I just now completed another chat with a different Dell rep, who told me
that Dell does include an OEM copy of the Windows 7 installation DVD and
also a Resource CD with the latest drivers and diagnostic tools.

This mirrors what I read on Dell's own website, but I know from
experience not to take anything for granted, which is why I contacted
Dell in the first place.

It's of no comfort to me that the answer you get from Dell depends on
whom you ask.

Daddy

Well, the people on the phone at Dell and elsewhere are often the
low-wage poorly-trained variety. These are high turnover jobs with a
lot of stress. So they give you the best answer they can come up with.

I'm not defending the failure to provide accurate information. That's
simply big American business in the new millenium... Ben Myers

Ben Myers wrote:
Daddy wrote:
Bob Levine wrote:
"Daddy" wrote in message
...

Thanks, Bob. When and if the time comes, I'd want to get this in
writing from Dell before I sign on the dotted line. Windows install
DVD is a deal-breaker for me.

Daddy

Well, there's no guarantee that this policy will remain, but I would
think it would.

Bob

I just now completed another chat with a different Dell rep, who told
me that Dell does include an OEM copy of the Windows 7 installation
DVD and also a Resource CD with the latest drivers and diagnostic tools.

This mirrors what I read on Dell's own website, but I know from
experience not to take anything for granted, which is why I contacted
Dell in the first place.

It's of no comfort to me that the answer you get from Dell depends on
whom you ask.

Daddy

Well, the people on the phone at Dell and elsewhere are often the
low-wage poorly-trained variety. These are high turnover jobs with a
lot of stress. So they give you the best answer they can come up with.

I'm not defending the failure to provide accurate information. That's
simply big American business in the new millenium... Ben Myers

Thanks Ben. I've stopped blaming individual support techs. Most of them
work for peanuts in lousy working conditions. I blame the people who
train them.

Daddy