Buying a laptop without OS installed

InvestInPoker

almillar wrote: »

Unless you've a strange OEM, or upgrade disk, this is wrong. Are you trying to 'upgrade' (downgrade) from within Windows? You need to reboot, and set the BIOS to boot from CD/DVD.
Then the base Windows installer loads, and you can format the drive

Ahh cheers, I know the process you mean however for some reason I thought it blocked you when you tried to format over a newer version of windows. Then that is definately an option.

grumpycrab wrote: »

New Win7Pro HP laptop £99 with 3 year warranty (bear with me).

Haha amazing! Thats the sort of thing I love MSE for. Sadly I do not have a machine to trade in but thanks for the info.

bsod wrote: »

how did you kill the laptop

Spilt tea on the keyboard and was a bit slow cleaning up. It still works but now half the keys on the keyboard dont work and I am running an external KB to use it at the moment, which is a pain when travelling. I realise I could just get a new kb fitted but its like 5 years old and time for an upgrade.

InvestInPoker

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

Or just install Classic Shell, and set it to emulate W7.

You get the functionality of W7, with the fast boot of Win8/8.1

A possible solution but I would prefer a native OS without any emulation under the hood.

That one company already mentioned for selling laptops without an OS looks great, does anyone have any others?

enfield_freddy

ok , Prices , do you think the Manufacturer pays Microsoft £82 for each copy of win 8 ? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Microsoft-Windows-8-1-Full-Version/dp/B00FRAE7MU


think again !! lots come with the freeby "bing" thing , or a proper copy but pre installed (no discs supplied , hell you get them when you pay £82)




do not expect them to drop much off the price without a OS

I_have_spoken

I do not want windows 8 or 10

Try it, you might like it...

bsod

InvestInPoker wrote: »

half the keys on the keyboard dont work and I am running an external KB to use it at the moment. I realise I could just get a new kb fitted but its like 5 years old and time for an upgrade.

an upgrade with the same 6 year old operating system.

keyboards are cheaper.

[Deleted User]

InvestInPoker wrote: »

A possible solution but I would prefer a native OS without any emulation under the hood.

I honestly don't notice any difference between Win 8.1 with Classic Shell, and the Win7 PC I use at work.

Also, don't forget, with Win 8.1 (and the free upgrade to 10) you will keep support for longer than when using Win7.

NiftyDigits

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

I honestly don't notice any difference between Win 8.1 with Classic Shell, and the Win7 PC I use at work.

Also, don't forget, with Win 8.1 (and the free upgrade to 10) you will keep support for longer than when using Win7.

How so? Support will be exactly the same.

Fightsback

NiftyDigits wrote: »

How so? Support will be exactly the same.

I don't think he's explained himself well, I suppose he means this:

W7 EOL 2020

W8 EOL 2023

W10 EOL 2025

I'll take a nice 5 years stable W7 thanks.

EOL= End of life

enfield_freddy

so , win 10 EOL 2025 , what then? , I thought Microsoft said win 10 was there last OS

Fightsback

enfield_freddy wrote: »

so , win 10 EOL 2025 , what then? , I thought Microsoft said win 10 was there last OS

More marketing BS from MS.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows/lifecycle

more here:

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2418619/windows-10-will-reach-end-of-life-on-14-october-2025