I didnt recieve a disc when I purchesed my computer

[Guest]

I bought a new computer and I didnt recieve a disc with it for the XP Media
edition that came on it. How would I go about getting a new disc for it so
that I can re-format my hard drive?

 

[Tom [Pepper] Willett]

Contact the organization you bought it from.

Tom
| I bought a new computer and I didnt recieve a disc with it for the XP
Media
| edition that came on it. How would I go about getting a new disc for it so
| that I can re-format my hard drive?

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I bought a new computer and I didnt recieve a disc with it for the XP
Media edition that came on it. How would I go about getting a new
disc for it so that I can re-format my hard drive?

You may or may not be able to (short of buying a new one). It depends on
your OEM vendor.

OEM vendors are required by their agreement with Microsoft to give you a
means of reinstalling, should it be necessary. They can do this in one of
three ways:

1. An OEM copy of Windows
2. A restore CD
3. A hidden partition on your drive, with restore information.

If you don't have 1 or 2, you should have 3, but you should contact your
vendor to find out.

Personally, I find both 2 and 3 unacceptable (especially 3; a hard drive
crash can leave you with nothing), and would never choose to buy a computer
that came with an operating system unless I got a complete generic
installation CD for that operating system.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I bought a new computer and I didnt recieve a disc with it for the XP
Media
edition that came on it. How would I go about getting a new disc for it so
that I can re-format my hard drive?

Well - the logical first place would be... Where you bought the computer
from. =)
It's OEM - meaning those who installed it/sold it to you are your support
contacts.

 

[Vanguard]

I bought a new computer and I didnt recieve a disc with it for the XP
Media
edition that came on it. How would I go about getting a new disc for it so
that I can re-format my hard drive?

It is very probably an OEM version. Contact whomever sold you the UNNAMED
computer as they are the OEM that is provided their version of Windows.
They are responsible for providing the installation media (although it may
only be restoration media that overwrites whatever is in the partition to
lay down the exact image of what was there when you bought it). Only the
entity that sold you the OEM version knows what they provide for
install/recover/restore media, especially since you never identified the
computer (brand and model).


http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
http://www.newsreaders.com/guide/netiquette.html

 

[Plato]

I bought a new computer and I didnt recieve a disc with it for the XP Media
edition that came on it. How would I go about getting a new disc for it so
that I can re-format my hard drive?

If you want to use XP, one should own an real XP CD. Demand one from
your vendor.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

If you want to use XP, one should own an real XP CD. Demand one from
your vendor.

*Demand*? You can demand all you want, but a vendor that doesn't provide one
(and there are many) isn't going to give you one.

The time to find out what your vendor provides is before you buy from them.
Unfortunately, many computer buyers aren't savvy enough to do this, and get
stuck with a preinstalled version and no CD.

 

[Plato]

*Demand*? You can demand all you want, but a vendor that doesn't provide one
(and there are many) isn't going to give you one.

Yes. Many big name brands will send you a real XP CD if you demand one.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Yes. Many big name brands will send you a real XP CD if you demand
one.

Perhaps *some* will, although I personally don't know of any. Some (Dell,
for example), will sell you one. Which ones are the "many" that will give it
to you for free if you demand it?

And even if some will give it to you for free, many others won't, and the
advice that one should "demand one from your vendor" isn't generally useful,
and if followed, will in many cases just cause posters to get into
frustrating losing arguments with their vendors.