Re: Any ideas welcomed.

Tech-Archive recommends: Repair Windows Errors & Optimize Windows Performance

From: rainbow (anonymous_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 07/31/04 

Date: Sat, 31 Jul 2004 07:04:21 -0700

I know that is what annoys me... They charged me 299.00
bucks for the operating system the full cost of the retail
version. I still have the itemized shipping slip

I just spent another hour the phone with them speaking to
the supervisor of the level two tech support. This is what
he said:

He said Microsoft does not allow them to issue full
installation disks ( again microsoft's fault) Which is why
it was not the hologram CDs. Anyway I pointed out I paid
for the full version I own the license I want the disks.
He won't even reissue the reinstallation disks. After
three years I don't have a warranty on my software. What a
joke. It never occured to me to run stress tests on their
disks, I used the thing once before the other day.

I'm not paying for a new operating system, because these
companies want to squeeze every penny they can get out of
me. I'll throw linux on it for now and go shopping at
their competitor, I may as well get a whole new system,I
had upgraded everything but the HDD in it anyway. I have a
feeling most of the parts were reissued to they had to
replace the monitor and CD drive the first two months.
I'll move it all over to my other computer and throw the
Dell where it belongs in the trash. Live and learn should
have just built the whole thing myself.

Thanks for the input.

I noticed some stores on Amazon selling their Dell disks
for 70 bucks but at this point I'm just washing my hands
of the company.

>-----Original Message-----
>You get what you pay for. Dell's are relatively cheap
because they use OEM
>software, such as XP. "OEM" mean original equipment
manufacturer. It also
>means that Dell assumes the responsibility for handling
user problems, which
>is why Microsoft sells OEM version of software cheaper,
and why your Dell
>cost what it did instead of more. It is also why
Microsoft does not want to
>talk to you; they owe you nothing. Of course, I doubt
that Dell explained
>any of this to you before you bought the PC. Still, if
you carefully read
>the fine print of all the license agreements I am
confident you will come to
>the same conclusion.
>
>As for what to do with/about Dell: If the PC is still
under warrantee, and
>if the hardware is defective, Dell should replace it
(e.g., a crashed hard
>drive). But, if the problem is software related, like a
virus or a bad
>install/uninstall, all Dell owes you is the ability to
restore the PC to day
>one, and the restoration CD they provided should do
that. Of course, you
>will lose all personal files and settings and non-Dell-
installed programs.
>But, again, if you read the fine print of the various
license agreements,
>that is all you bought from Dell. Of course, I suspect
that did not
>highlight any of this in their adds.
>
>If what you really want to do is transfer the XP license
to another PC,
>forget it. OEM licenses are not transferrable. That is
one reason why they
>are cheaper. If you want to perform a major upgrade to
the PC (e.g.,
>motherboard), forget that too. The OEM license is valid
for the original
>equipment only. In some cases you can add hardware, like
a PCI card, and of
>course external USB device. But, major upgrades are not
permitted, unless
>they are performed by the OEM.
>
>So, in closing, you got what you paid for, although you
probably did not
>realize what you were really buying. In the future, get
a PC made at a
>local shop, and specify that they use the full retail
version of XP (about
>$300 for Pro) and that they gie you the CD as part of the
deal. Or, make
>your own PC. Just be sure to avoid OEM software, unless
you are good enough
>to at as your own OEM, since since the major oftware
vendors will not even
>talk to you about their OEM softare.
>"rainbow" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message
>news:7a0301c476f1$c82acaa0$a601280a@phx.gbl...
>> I need any ideas anyone might have. I bought my computer
>> from Dell, and like always they give you nothing but a
>> reinstallation disk. Well mine broke and now they want
>> 269.00 bucks to give me the full operating system disk
>> that never bothered to give me in the first place. (
which
>> of course they blame on microsoft.)
>>
>> I have Xp Pro but I also have another computer running
ME
>> and I have other options like deploying a different
>> operating system on the computer. Microsoft of course
>> keeps referring me to Dell and I am getting a major run
>> around. I don't think I should have to repurchase my
>> operating system over a defective disk ( This was only
the
>> second time it had been used in three years)
>>
>> Any ideas before I chuck the windows and go with
something
>> else? It's a matter principle. It was a custom ordered
>> computer I think I should have gotten the disks, every
>> other piece of software on the computer I got the full
>> disks including Office XP Pro. I haven't even been able
to
>> upgrade my HDD over this issue which I became aware of
>> last year when I had to reformat the first time.I have a
>> 160 GB HDD sitting here for a year now because I refuse
to
>> repurchase a operating system over rules created by
these
>> two companies. Without a full operating system you can't
>> change the hard drive. Dell is saying it's microsoft and
>> microsoft is referring me to Dell and in the end no one
is
>> doing anything. They won't even allow me to purchase the
>> upgrade. They say it won't work. Never buying another
Dell
>> but that doesn't help today.
>>
>> Any ideas?
>>
>>
>
>
>.
>

Relevant Pages

  • Re: News Flash! No More Windows Discs!
    ... disc as well as a Resource DVD. ... "Dell no longer provides the operating system or resource disks in the ...
    (alt.sys.pc-clone.dell)
  • Re: Format Hard Disk; Cant Identify Original XP Home Software
    ... > | Windows XP Home and included the OEM XP software on a CD. ... > | software disks bundled with the new computers in a drawer (along with the ... > Dell XP discs are BIOS locked to Dell computers and don't require ... > The Chipset and driver utilities found on the "Resource and Driver" CD ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain)
  • Re: Any ideas welcomed.
    ... Dell's are relatively cheap because they use OEM ... is why Microsoft sells OEM version of software cheaper, and why your Dell ... > operating system on the computer. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain)
  • Re: Full install disks
    ... He said if I wanted full install disks for Win7, I would have to buy the OS separately. ... machines purchased from dell small business division do still come with the operating system disks. ... and dell does still send out operating system cds to those that didn't make their own recovery disks and aparently reserve the right to collect a nominal fee. ...
    (alt.sys.pc-clone.dell)
  • Re: Full install disks
    ... He said if I wanted full install disks for Win7, I would have to buy the OS separately. ... Has anyone been able to get full restore disks lately? ... machines purchased from dell small business division do still come with the operating system disks. ... and dell does still send out operating system cds to those that didn't make their own recovery disks and aparently reserve the right to collect a nominal fee. ...
    (alt.sys.pc-clone.dell)