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Don't
want Windows?
We regret we do not install your copy of Windows (or use your
licence number to do the installation here). Also, we don't ship
PCs with blank hard disks.
Note:
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I
already have Windows and do not wish to pay for it
again
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Microsoft
strongly discourages
companies like ours from selling
"naked" PCs. They even have incentives
to "persuade" us to give up the practice, none
of which we take! However, because of this pressure we
have to make absolutely sure we are legally in the
clear. So please don't ask for any exceptions to how we
run this "free installation of Windows" offer.
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Not
to worry, I'll install Windows myself
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We
do not ship PCs with blank hard disks. The choices are
either provide us with a number as listed above, or buy a
copy. Why?
PCs shipped without Windows installed generally lead to
a large number of support calls especially in relation
to driver installation. We have no way of screening
users for technical competence, and even the more
experienced users may not know of the latest issues,
support patches, BIOS updates, driver releases etc. We would like you to see the PC fully working straight
out of the box. If you receive a PC without the
operating system fully installed and have a problem with
a particular device you won't know whether it's the
device that's faulty or the installation of the driver.
If we supply the PC with all drivers fully installed you
can start using your PC with minimum delay. Smiles
all around :-)
Trust
the experts. We have the resources and time to keep
abreast with the latest drivers and patches. That makes
a big difference to the performance of your PC. Your PC
will be better for it.
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But
my copy of Windows is not 100% legal. I do not
wish to
disclose the number to you
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We're
sorry - no exception here. We do not condone the use of
pirated software. Apart from the legal implications,
pirated copies of Windows have other risks including
damaged files, viruses, lack of support for UK English
and numerous others. Also, many of the pirated CDs are
non-bootable and lack a full complement of help files.
Even if your copy is a genuine copy but registered to
someone else, bear in mind that some people believe
Microsoft can read the number on your hard disk if you
ever visit one of their sites.
For
what it costs, we encourage you to do the decent thing. You won't regret
having a genuine, up-to-date CD for the operating
system that you have on your PC.
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Is
it legal for me to use my existing copy of Windows on
this new PC?
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Ensuring
that you stay within Microsoft's "User
Agreement" is entirely your responsibility.
However, and without accepting any liability for the
advice, we understand that:
You cannot use one copy of Windows on more than one PC
even if you are the only user of both PCs. If your copy is an OEM copy (i.e. supplied with the
purchase of a new PC) it is not legal to transfer that
copy to any other PC even if you are scrapping the
original computer. Copies bought in countries like the US/Canada are not
legal for use in the UK. If your copy is a "retail pack" copy bought
off the shelf in the UK you can use that copy on this
new PC only if you have already deleted the installation
on any other PC you have used that licence on.
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Where
do I find my Windows product ID?
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The
licence number can be found on the front of the licence
certificate/Microsoft Windows manual. For Windows 98 and
ME it is a 25 digit mixture of alpha and numeric
characters.
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I
wish to use Linux
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It
may appear that we are great Microsoft's fans but the
truth is that demand for Linux
hasn't reached critical mass in the UK. As such we
do not maintain drivers for Linux and do not offer the
option of having Unix/Linux with a PC purchased from us.
It would take a lot of resources to maintain Linux driver
databases for all the parts we stock + to provide full technical
support for a range of versions/installations. If
you must have Linux/Unix on your PC the only way to do
it is to receive the PC with Windows & format the drive. It's a minor
inconvenience for a great PC at a great price.
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