"Munchichic" <Munchichic@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:7603593E-14EB-4C8F-BCEE-DB8A4456BB24@microsoft.com...[color=blue]
> Hi Everyone. I realize this may be a "touchy" subject but I need to ask.
> After a massive computer failure I just bought a new Dell XPS 420 desktop
> PC.
> My first Dell purchase. It came preloaded with Microsoft Vista Home
> Premium.
> I asked Dell for an original Microsoft installation CD as a backup. They
> refused. I have several friends and relatives who purchased Dell computers
> and many of them requested the same disc from Dell and received it without
> incident (some within the last 2 months). I think I should be entitled to
> a
> copy of the installation CD and not one that is from Dell preloaded with a
> bunch of Dell crap on it. Why can't I receive an original Windows CD like
> everyone else has requested? Am I asking the wrong person? What am I doing
> wrong? Any help is appreciated. I just spent $1000 on this new computer
> and
> think that should entitle me to the Windows OS disc (and I expect it will
> have the same product key that was used to install on my new Dell). Thank
> you.[/color]

Dell have done nothing wrong. Under the terms as a royalty OEM licensee for
the distribution of Microsoft operating systems on their PCs, they are only
required to provide you with a method of restoring the device to as shipped
from the factory to you. This can be recovery media (CD or more likely DVD)
or the option to create such media either (from a hidden partition on the
hard disk) after the initial startup or at some time post setup, or via a
button press at power on to recovery immediately from the hidden recovery
partition.
They are certainly not required to provide you with a generic OEM media.
Dell license a whole load of software for preinstallation on your device and
this licensing includes incentives to do this to enable other software
manufactures to get their products on your device for you to try etc. It is
all about marketing etc.
If Dell are refusing to provide a generic OEM DVD then there is nothing you
can do about this as long as they are providing you with a recovery
mechanism as outlined above.
You can always buy a generic OEM disk yourself from one of many sources.

(Just as a point of note the cost Dell pay for the OEM operating system is a
tiny fraction of what you would buy it for even at its cheapest price on the
open market)

--

Mike Brannigan