So, I’m in the market for a new laptop. My approach has always been to request the OS disc and reinstall as soon as the machine arrived so I dont have to deal with all the junk they ship it with. But now it seems that the only disc I can get (from Sony at least) will simply re-install their image with all the bloatware remaining.
I asked the question to Customer Service, escalated to management, and the best answer I got was to go buy an OS install disc at full price and get on with it.
Is this really the best option? I couldnt find much with Google searches and browsing Dell didnt give me any clear answers. Are all companies doing this now?
I really prefer to be able to zero out my OS on occasion, but I really dont see paying for the same OS twice. jeeze.
Borrow a copy of the EXACT same version of Win7 from someone. It must be the same. So if you have Win7 Home premium 64-bit edition, that’s what you will have to borrow. W7 Ultimate or a 32-bit version won’t work.
Find the activation key for the W7 version that came with the laptop. It might be on the install disk, manual or maybe on the bottom of the laptop. If you can’t find it anywhere, you can get it from the registry. It is encrypted, but here is how you go about retrieving it - http://pcsupport.about.com/od/productkeysactivation/ht/windows-7-key.htm
Use YOUR key to activate the copy that you borrowed.
Wasn’t there a way to rip a Windows XP install disc to your hard drive, then go into it with a utility to remove the stuff you don’t want to install, and add anything you do want installed, then put all that onto a new disc with the same key? Can you do that with Windows 7?
Probably but I would need to have some idea of what search terms to use. Anyone who has a technet subscription can get you the ISO disk images for the install DVD’s. And there are no legal problems since you will activate it with your own, legit key. I just did this on a laptop but since I get 10 keys with my subscription, I just used one of those rather than trying to find the one that came with the laptop.
Hmm, I believe it was referred to as “Slipstreaming” the disc, but I think most of my friends typically used it so they could do a clean install of Windows without having to fuss with the Service Packs.
It tells you which files you need to modify to ADD programs, so I would assume that those are the same files you would edit to remove all of the crapware. But I don’t honestly know.
If you need help with creating iso files, let me know. If you decide to try that, I would start with Imgburn - this lets you read a DVD and create an ISO disk image.
Yes, many companies are opting for easy-restore discs as opposed to the old-fashioned vanilla OS installation disc and a separate drivers disc. Many these days are even going the CD-less route and restore directly from a hidden partition on your hard drive.
Whether you can replace their stuff with a clean installation sort of depends on who built your system. Big builders like Dell have special discs that don’t use CD keys; the activation is built into the disc and tied to Dell hardware and happens automatically as soon as you install their special version. You will not need to enter a CD key when you restore from this disc. The downside is that you also will not have an actual, working key that lets you activate Windows and pass genuine validation. The key on the sticker doesn’t work if you reinstall from a normal disc even though it looks like it ought to.
From smaller companies that actually rely on the CD key and not software authentication, you might be able to download a torrent of the Windows ISO. Look for the right version. You may need to modify some config files (for Win7, it should be ei.cfg; Google for specifics), but there’s a chance it’ll work.
If you actually bought Windows retail (who does that?), the process would be easier.
Keep in mind that as a part of any non-restore reinstall, you’ll have to track down the drivers for all your hardware components. With Dell and Asus, this is a minor annoyance. With Sony, it’s an absolute nightmare. With other manufacturers, YMMV.
Just did this a few weeks ago on my new laptop, an Acer. I donwloaded the OS ISO image from this link. Make sure you download the proper version of Windows 7. In my case it was Windows 7 Home Premium x64.
Worked like a charm. The only issue I had was that it did not activate automatically. I had to call an 800 number to finish the activation. No big.
Don’t think of it as paying for the OS twice. You’re inadvertently running up against the basic economics of Sony.
The cost of the Sony laptops are “subsidized” with bloatware – it’s an advertising platform for those software programs you don’t want. This translates to lower prices for consumers.
If you want a laptop without it, you may have to look at another brand but don’t surprised if you must pay more. And don’t be surprised if that price difference is roughly the cost of a MS Windows clean install disc.
I dont want to have to manually remove the things I dont want. I’ve had way too many problems in the past dealing with removal of programs like Norton (dont get me started) Antivirus. And when I’m ready for a re-install (because it happens eventually), I would have to remove all the bloatware again.
On asking, I was specifically told that the OS keycode provided on the laptop will only work with the disc they send me with the laptop.
Patty’s link just might be what I need. I’ve heard that gathering the drivers for Vaio’s can be challenging at best, so if I can get a clean. I’ll look and see if I can add the Fresh Start option my purchase.
In my experience, Dell systems come with a Windows disc, a separate disc containing all of the drivers and then various other discs containing any other software needed for your system (e.g. Cyberlink PowerDVD for playing movies). You can also go to the Dell website and download updated drivers specific to your system at any time.
Almost anyone who builds their own system will have an OEM disk though.
I also believe it is perfectly legitimate to download an ISO image of the version of windows you have a legitimate purchased key for. There are torrents available for this purpose, they will be labeled ‘uncracked’ and state that they are for people with their own legitimate product keys.
All of this is kind of weird. For the most part, there are three elements: your key, your install, and your firmware. You can use an OEM key on any install if you have the OEM’s firmware, for the most part. That’s why it was a “big deal” back in '09 when Dell’s firmware key and OEM key got leaked and everyone was pirating Ultimate by flashing their machine look like a Dell.
The exception are OEM keys you buy from resellers, like newegg. Those are basically discounted retail keys.
My only concern in that case would be the possibility of malware - since on a fresh install there will be no way to check. Some AV software can analyze archives like the .cab (cabinet) files windows uses, but I don’t know if I would be comfortable with that.