Our Autism group needs advice please

CanNik

CanNik

CanNik

Associate
Joined
2 Aug 2025
Posts
19
Location
Wales
I bought three laptops from CEX, I am generally happy with them but

They supplied 2 out of three with crap service.

Laptop 1 had no PIN number to get into it, thankfully my Autistic son is quite clever, solved.

Laptop 2, SERIUUSLY, we are stuffed ? I need it for Monday 15 for a 64 year old Autistic person

Help!

Thank you

CANDO Carmarthen, 100% VOLUNTERS

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Cant upload image please see

 
Return it to CEX, your other choice is to download the windows installer and wipe/reinstall windows via USB.

The drive is encrypted, have you clicked "skip this drive"
 
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I'm not that familiar with CEX or their policies, but they've sold you a laptop with an encrypted drive. That is clearly unusable. I would be taking it back.

Wiping and clean installing would probably be possible if you were a computer expert, but you'd need all the drivers and it would be a lot of hassle. So I would return it.

If you want a cheap laptop I would try the official Dell Outlet, which sells official refurbs.

www.dell.com

Dell Outlet: Certified Refurbished Laptops, Desktops & Workstations | Dell UK

Certified Refurbished laptops, desktop gaming computers, monitors, docks & servers on the cheap from Dell Outlet. READY TO SHIP laptops for sale.
www.dell.com
 
I have no problem with my son re installing windows I have been into computing and building computers since CP/M and dos 6.2, just never had this hassle before Thanks all
 
If I was you the first thing I would be doing on all 3 of them is a full wipe and OS re install.

Due to these being second hand laptops you never know what the previous owners have installed on them waiting for you to login to important sites like banking etc.

(Sorry but I trust no1 these days)

If you format them how is Cex going to know you have re installed the OS? You could quite easily re enable Bit locker and it would look exactly the same as it did before. (+\- Apps you have installed\removed etc)
 
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ED209 said:
If I was you the first thing I would be doing on all 3 of them is a full wipe and OS re install.
Due to these being second hand laptops you never know what the previous owners have installed on them waiting for you to login to important sites like banking etc.
(Sorry but I trust no1 these days)
If you format them how is Cex going to know you have re installed the OS? You could quite easily re enable Bit locker and it would look exactly the same as it did before. (+\- Apps you have installed\removed etc)
Click to expand...

^ this

+1 to trust no one
 
ED209 said:
If I was you the first thing I would be doing on all 3 of them is a full wipe and OS re install.

Due to these being second hand laptops you never know what the previous owners have installed on them waiting for you to login to important sites like banking etc.

(Sorry but I trust no1 these days)

If you format them how is Cex going to know you have re installed the OS? You could quite easily re enable Bit locker and it would look exactly the same as it did before. (+\- Apps you have installed\removed etc)
Click to expand...

I'd get them fixed by CEX, test them (but don't use any confidential stuff on it) then once you're happy wipe them totally
 
hornetstinger said:
I'd get them fixed by CEX, test them (but don't use any confidential stuff on it) then once you're happy wipe them totally
Click to expand...
I would have thought the person buying the laptops would have checked them over before buying them.

I would have made sure they would run on battery, take a charge, can login to Windows and finally made sure the hardware they said was in the laptop matched what their labels said as once leaving the shop its their word against yours
 
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I find it a little mad that CeX aren’t doing a full wipe of the drive before they sell a whole device, it wouldn’t be a huge amount of effort for them to just reinstall windows.

That being said I did watch a staff member at CeX sniff a CPU once for a ‘smell test’ before deciding they weren’t going to exchange it - so probably about usual for CeX.
 
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