how to get a disk when you got a pre-installed computer

[thelittleprincess]

i heard that if you purchased a pre-installed OS on your laptop, you can get the actual disk if you contact somebody (the company you purchased your computer from or Microsoft maybe?) within a certain timeframe from getting your computer.

i've had a few problems with my laptop in the past where a few people were kind enough to help me wipe everything off my computer and restart installing from the beginning - problem was I never had the original disks for the OS nor the Windows Office 2003.

I'm planning on purchasing a new laptop (thinkpad or vaio) and wonders if anyone out there know what to do in regards to getting a copy of the Vista OS disk since most of these computers come with the pre-installed OS.

Thanks.

 

[xSauronx]

if you order if from a manufacturer, it will be one of the purchase options available. prolly cost 20 or 30 bucks or so extra

 

[Wolfsraider]

Make sure to ask if its possible to get such a disk and not just a restore disk and get written documentation as there are still dealers out there that will say yes but dont actually give the disk.

 

[corkyg]

And, lately, some OEMs don't provide disks - they give you a backup copy of the OS in a hidden partition on the HDD. They have anaccess routine for that. And from that, it is possible to burn it on to a CDR of your own.

 

[bruceb]

You can request it from Dell for certain either when you place the order or soon after.
And it is worth the small fee. Dell provides a real OS cd not a restore cd ... Not sure about
other makes, but I think HP / Compaq, Gateway only have Restore CDs .. still with something
like ISOBUSTER you may be able to seperate out the OS portion .. maybe not if it is like a Ghost Image

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: bruceb
You can request it from Dell for certain either when you place the order or soon after.
And it is worth the small fee. Dell provides a real OS cd not a restore cd ... Not sure about
other makes, but I think HP / Compaq, Gateway only have Restore CDs .. still with something

HP seems to only offer full System-Restore CDs. Gateway USED to offer OS-Restore CDs, but I don't know what they offer nowadays. As noted, Dell offers OS-Restore CDs and they are pretty easy to get.

BE SURE to get any required Restore CDs BEFORE your PC warranty expires. Several manufacturers make it VERY hard to get one for an out-of-warranty PC.

The above comments apply to Windows XP. It's possible that Vista-based PCs will change things.

Hard-drive-based System Restoration partitions are worthless if your hard drive fails. Peraonally, I'd never buy a pre-built PC that doesn't provide an OS-Restore CD.