Rejecting Windows 7 Licence for refund.

Conrad11 · 3 Mar 2010 at 14:04

Has anyone done this before?

I have a Dell computer coming soon and am thinking of rejecting the Window 7 EULA and trying to get a refund from Dell for it.

What do you think?

CrazyMonk · 3 Mar 2010 at 14:08

Simple question, but why would you want to reject it?

div0 · 3 Mar 2010 at 14:08

Google gave me this - it was the first result.

A more UK based link

Full Search Results

NathanE · 3 Mar 2010 at 14:09

What's the point? You'd still need to buy a license anyway which would work out more expensive.

Beerbaron · 3 Mar 2010 at 14:11

NathanE said:
What's the point? You'd still need to buy a license anyway which would work out more expensive.

Not if you already have a licence or are using linux

Conrad11 · 3 Mar 2010 at 15:04

Beerbaron said:
Not if you already have a licence or are using linux

Will be using Linux on the machine. Figure I can get £50 or so out of it - why not hey...

CrazyMonk · 3 Mar 2010 at 15:13

Well the last time I tried to do this with Dell I wasn't able to do it.

However there is no harm in asking, would be interested to see if you could do it.

Good luck

apatia77 · 3 Mar 2010 at 15:17

They will not give you any refund at all, you know what you paid for, the whole package.

Immsy · 3 Mar 2010 at 15:39

apatia77 said:
They will not give you any refund at all, you know what you paid for, the whole package.

They have done in the past and I think they dont have a choice if you dont agree with the license terms.

Burnsy2023 · 3 Mar 2010 at 15:42

You can get a refund, it's in the licence agreement, but it won't be simple as I doubt Dell have any procedures for dealing with it.

Immsy · 3 Mar 2010 at 15:54

This is the guy I was referring to who had got a refund http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/10/19/windows_dell_linux_refund/

As Burnsy says its clear that you can reject it for a refund but as he suspects Dell probably are not geared up for it without a lot of phone calls.

CrazyMonk · 3 Mar 2010 at 15:59

Immsy said:
This is the guy I was referring to who had got a refund http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/10/19/windows_dell_linux_refund/

Really interesting post - Is quite scary

Burnsy2023 · 3 Mar 2010 at 16:05

CrazyMonk said:
Really interesting post - Is quite scary

Scary? How?

theheyes · 3 Mar 2010 at 16:25

It's a shame you can't choose Ubuntu as an option in the first place. You'd never know they sold Linux machines unless you specifically looked, and even then it's only a handful of models. Half hearted.

eXor · 4 Mar 2010 at 05:39

Immsy said:
...refund... a lot of phone calls.

I hope it's a toll free number..

Conrad11 · 13 Mar 2010 at 11:35

I sent an email and here is the first response they gave me:

Dear Name,

Thank you for contacting Dell online customer service.

As per our records we have charged you 56.82 pounds + vat for operating system and Ms works.

Please advise if you wish to return the disks within 7 working days.

Regards,
Name
Dell Online Customer Service

Then 1 hour later they send this:

Dear Name,

Thank you for your E-mail.

We have received an update from Internal team and I am sorry to inform you that we will not be able to arrange refund for the operating system. If you have rejected the license then you will receive the refund for Ms works only.

Regards,
Name
Dell Online Customer Service

How do I think i should proceed.

shroomz · 13 Mar 2010 at 12:17

Firebomb them?

Honestly, I think you're better off backing down and keeping the OS if you planned to use 7, but you don't so I guess it doesn't really matter

Burnsy2023 · 13 Mar 2010 at 12:53

Email back quoting the specific term from the EULA and state that they are obligated by MS to refund you. If they still drag their heals ask to escalate or send a complaint.

Ascendancy · 13 Mar 2010 at 13:00

They will initially try and fob you off, but keep at it and you'll get a refund eventually. I did it when I bought a Dell laptop with Vista on it a few years ago.

CaptainCrash · 13 Mar 2010 at 13:11

Conrad11 said:
I sent an email and here is the first response they gave me:

Then 1 hour later they send this:

How do I think i should proceed.

Don't take this the wrong way, but in all honesty I think the fact that you're having to ask here how to proceed is an indication that you probably shouldn't.

I'm sure Dell have come across this situation many, many times by now, and they've got a well-versed strategy in place for dealing with it. I imagine that their argument would centre around your having contracted to buy a bundle *including* the preinstalled OS, and although I'm by no means certain their position would be watertight, I reckon you'd have to be pretty persistent to get them to back down.

If like me you're interested in this sort of thing and you'd enjoy the challenge for its own sake, then by all means go for it, but otherwise it's probably a load more hassle than it's worth.