Laptop never came with any cds. (question about reinstalling windows)

Robert1986

Robert1986

Robert1986

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Just bought my very first laptop yesterday (toshiba c650) and it never came with any discs. My dad bought a laptop back in 2001 and it came with about 4 discs with a bunch of software and the OS.

I already own windows 7, could I just use that disc and the cd key(bottom of laptop) for windows 7 to reinstall W7? I only ask because the laptop came pre-loaded with so much garbage!

Also, lets say I didn't own windows 7 and had to re-install windows, how do they attend me to do that with out any discs?

A little confused.
 
lazer46 said:
Lots of laptops come with a built in recovery partition which you access by pressing one of the ;F' keys at startup.

Best to check out some FAQ at the Toshiba site for your laptop model.
Click to expand...

You're right there will be but if he does that it'll probably reinstall the extras he's trying to get rid of.
 
I dont know if there are different keys for OEM and retail still,

if its an oen disk you have and its the correct version, they yes you can do that...

if you ahve a retail disk it may not work..

you an uninstall all the crap they put onto the machine btw...
 
go into Disk Management, look if u have a Hidden EISA partition, if you do, then you have an OEM Recovery partion, if not you may have a windows based recovery found by the old F8 then select "Repair my computer" and then select restore to factory.
 
i think the no install disks and recovery partition scam if so 90% of poeple when windows get corrupt jsut but another machine..

since they put loads of usless crap into the box, and a DVD costs a few pence, the only reason NOT in include a recovery disk is to stop people repairing windows.. (so they buy a new machine).. in sure there is a hidden key to boot the recovery.. however most poeple will not think about that and assume windows corrupt = new machine...

unless anyone can think of another reason they dont include the disk?
 
Just noticed there are two partitions on the laptop. This feels very intrusive if you ask me and I don't like it. I wonder what else they have put on here.. spyware? bah. I would really like to wipe the hdd clean and start fresh.

Question: I take it I can swap the HDD out for an SSD drive? right?
 
The argument would probably be that cds can be lost/scratched, whereas the partition should remain fine.
 
They usually sell the recovery discs are extras which is a bit naughty. With Win XP I just use to use other installation discs, as long as the key matched the edition you were fine. Is that different with Win 7?
 
They do not include it because it is cheaper not to. Every drive will be imaged from a master, no faffing about with discs, they don't even get them from MS unless asked. My Dell came with the discs, but Acers do not (afaik).

Spyware? No, its just for recovery. Its not even accessible to the OS.
 
My Dell studio 17 never came with any re-install CD’s either. They wanted me to pay I think an extra fiver for having them. I got my laptop and created backup DVD’s of the Windows 7 install DVD using Dell’s own O/S backup utils that was installed to the pre installed O/S.

I then tried a re-install of the O/S using my existing Windows 7 Home 64 bit DVD, and my product key worked, it actually read the key from the BIOS so I actually didn’t need the DVD backup I made from the hidden partition..

Next step – delete the 40GB hidden partition and install the O/S again using my own Windows 7 home DVD, job done..!!

To me, its just cheap. You spend all that money on a fancy new laptop and a company such as Dell have the cheek to want to charge you additional for a re-install DVD. Thankfully with a bit of your own time, you can get around it and also reclaim the disk space they waste creating the re-install partition..

As for drivers, they are mostly on the vender website to download and you need to keep them updated anyhow.. Video card drivers for example change quite frequently.

Also, re-installing the O/S means you can then opt to not install all the crud the pre-installed O/S comes with.. I for example didn’t bother with the Dell wireless rubbish, as Windows 7 can manage wireless adaptors perfectly fine, or install Dell’s media bar or their own versions of dock icons etc… Reclaimed lots of disk space, and got the O/S how I like it.
 
edscdk said:
i think the no install disks and recovery partition scam if so 90% of poeple when windows get corrupt jsut but another machine..

since they put loads of usless crap into the box, and a DVD costs a few pence, the only reason NOT in include a recovery disk is to stop people repairing windows.. (so they buy a new machine).. in sure there is a hidden key to boot the recovery.. however most poeple will not think about that and assume windows corrupt = new machine...

unless anyone can think of another reason they dont include the disk?
Click to expand...

Its not a scam. Its cost saving. i'm sure most do not buy a new laptop if the O/S becomes unusable.. they might call the vender and be advised on how to get the O/S back or be made to pay a support charge to get re-install DVD's if they didn't make a backup etc... Such as for example, the HDD died..

Its not to force you to buy a new laptop if the O/S goes missing, its to get you to either stump up for install DVD costs, or to save some money..

My Dell actually had a huge message on screen telling me to make backups first, before anything else when I first booted the machine. you are well warned, well Dell do for sure..
 
But surely it's the licience you pay for? so wouldn't one be entitled to the install DVD?

For example I've got a Dell XPS laptop coming next week and I'm thinking of wiping the drive of all the bloatware and also deleting the partitions. Is it possible to just borrow a mates Windows 7 Home Premium DVD and then use the CDkey thats comes with the laptop to install?

bump :p
 
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