Return of Online Laptop Purchase to PC World Issue

societys_child

takman wrote: »

Just factory reset the laptop and they will be none the wiser. I don't know what all those talk about the OP "activating windows" is about. Windows will have been pre-installed on the laptop and already activated. The only time you have to activate windows is when you install it yourself and type in the key.

Plus PC World even offer a service in store where they "setup" the computer and create backup media which they charge customers for. So it's a bit hypocritical of them saying they won't accept a Laptop back when the OP has only done what they offer to do for people and charge them for it!.

If only it was that easy. Factory reset will not reset Windows first boot. There is a way to bypass this but it requires a combination of key presses on boot, which forces Windows into a limited test mode.
If a supplier upgrades a new laptop to customer specifications, eg, HD or graphics, but usually memory, the engineer obviously needs to test it prior to shipment or hand over to the customer so that it is still "new and unused" and in effect Windows has not gone through first time activation.
Once used by a customer, the only way to reset back to pre-sale state would be to return it to the manufacturer for a complete re-install of the official licensed software and Windows Keys.
Not only very costly, no manufacturer would do this as it's no longer new, it's been used.

*Actually there's another way but would require an illegally obtained manufacturers install disk, with correct license keys etc . . . don't know any suppliers who'd take that risk.

takman

societys_child wrote: »

If only it was that easy. Factory reset will not reset Windows first boot. There is a way to bypass this but it requires a combination of key presses on boot, which forces Windows into a limited test mode.
If a supplier upgrades a new laptop to customer specifications, eg, HD or graphics, but usually memory, the engineer obviously needs to test it prior to shipment or hand over to the customer so that it is still "new and unused" and in effect Windows has not gone through first time activation.
Once used by a customer, the only way to reset back to pre-sale state would be to return it to the manufacturer for a complete re-install of the official licensed software and Windows Keys.
Not only very costly, no manufacturer would do this as it's no longer new, it's been used.

*Actually there's another way but would require an illegally obtained manufacturers install disk, with correct license keys etc . . . don't know any suppliers who'd take that risk.

I very much doubt anyone in PC World would actually know the difference and reject the laptop as used. Many years ago my parents bought a netbook from there and when they got it home it had a password protected user account on it in someone's name, so that obviously wasn't noticed before it was resold!.

iwanski

societys_child wrote: »

If only it was that easy. Factory reset will not reset Windows first boot. There is a way to bypass this but it requires a combination of key presses on boot, which forces Windows into a limited test mode.
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So Plan B.... if I was to factory reset it and sell it on eBay as "new" (for example) - whoever bought it would receive the Windows Setup screen on first boot, so what would be the difference?

Thanks

societys_child

takman wrote: »

I very much doubt anyone in PC World would actually know the difference and reject the laptop as used. Many years ago my parents bought a netbook from there and when they got it home it had a password protected user account on it in someone's name, so that obviously wasn't noticed before it was resold!.

Exactly!

iwanski wrote: »

So Plan B.... if I was to factory reset it and sell it on eBay as "new" (for example) - whoever bought it would receive the Windows Setup screen on first boot, so what would be the difference?

Thanks

Windows retains the original first time user name. See above quote from takman.

takman

societys_child wrote: »

Exactly!

Windows retains the original first time user name. See above quote from takman.

I've always thought that if you buy a computer with windows pre-installed on it that their is an option to "factory reset" it which when it restarts you have the same options as on the first boot.

But i can't remember the last time I did that and all my current PC's have been built by myself so I've installed windows and all my laptops have had windows reinstalled since I've got them.

iwanski

Wow! That's some customer service... confirming that I'm stuck with it per their policy.


Email response received:


"Thank you for your email. Please accept my apologies for the delay in our response.

I was concerned to learn that a recent purchase you made online was not to your satisfaction. Please see the link below for our terms & conditions regarding our returns policy:


<Link removed>

Thank you for taking the time to contact us. I hope that these actions will bring a satisfactory conclusion to this matter. "

iwanski

takman wrote: »

I've always thought that if you buy a computer with windows pre-installed on it that their is an option to "factory reset" it which when it restarts you have the same options as on the first boot.

I've managed to "unlink" myself from the Windows account and you're correct, I factory reset it and get the same options as on first boot, so essentially its as new again.

wilson1973

Hi hiw did you manage to unlink yourself from the account,if you could let me know if your still on here,thanks

TadleyBaggie

They haven't logged on for over 18 months, don't hold your breath waiting for a reply from them

boo_star

DCFC79 wrote: »

PC world would have to take a loss on it being resold again as it would be sold as used/second hand since someone activated Windows, installed a game etc.

That's true of any product that's been used by the consumer, but a lot of that would be considered reasonable.

And Windows won't be activated (registered) to the OP. It'll have a generic OEM key in the BIOS that'll mean it's activated by default.