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"True Clone" Builders including Windows XP OEM disks?
Hi there ...
Yes, this is what I get for going six years between PC's. Times have sure changed. I finally ended up deciding on a Powerspec from MicroCenter because at least the HARDWARE looked reasonably generic (that Linux would boot on it and future Windows versions would be likely to recognize it). I certainly felt more comfortable with going this way than, say, the Sony that didn't look upgradable and didn't even have restore disks. Well, the Powerspec has a restore disk alright ... it basically writes the original drive image back onto the hard drive. Actually it goes much faster than a typical Windows install, but has some issues -- for instance I changed the video card already, to say nothing of the fact that the thing installs Norton Antivirus that I don't need and it takes longer to UNINSTALL Norton than it takes to reinstall the whole system. Also, there seems to be no way to get into FDISK, to say nothing of FIXMBR for those many instances when I need to uninstall Linux. Yes, needless to say I have an OEM disk on the way and this combo may ultimately be the cheaper way to go. HOWEVER ... Can any of you point me in the way of a list (or, if necessary, do you think it might be a good idea to START a list) of known "true clone", "true white box", "no funny business" manufacturers who include generic Windows XP OEM disks for we obsessive crackpot tinkerers who, for reasons still not fully understood, simply don't care for the notion of ripping our knuckles off installing motherboards? Thanks! Ax |
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#2
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"True Clone" Builders including Windows XP OEM disks?
Most "big" clone builders do not include an original XP CD. Microsoft gives
a special permission to allow them to activate a huge number of XPs and provide the means of restoring back to factory defaults. If you were to locate a local PC assembler, they may provide you with the generic OEM CD, when you by the PC from them. wrote in message oups.com... Hi there ... Yes, this is what I get for going six years between PC's. Times have sure changed. I finally ended up deciding on a Powerspec from MicroCenter because at least the HARDWARE looked reasonably generic (that Linux would boot on it and future Windows versions would be likely to recognize it). I certainly felt more comfortable with going this way than, say, the Sony that didn't look upgradable and didn't even have restore disks. Well, the Powerspec has a restore disk alright ... it basically writes the original drive image back onto the hard drive. Actually it goes much faster than a typical Windows install, but has some issues -- for instance I changed the video card already, to say nothing of the fact that the thing installs Norton Antivirus that I don't need and it takes longer to UNINSTALL Norton than it takes to reinstall the whole system. Also, there seems to be no way to get into FDISK, to say nothing of FIXMBR for those many instances when I need to uninstall Linux. Yes, needless to say I have an OEM disk on the way and this combo may ultimately be the cheaper way to go. HOWEVER ... Can any of you point me in the way of a list (or, if necessary, do you think it might be a good idea to START a list) of known "true clone", "true white box", "no funny business" manufacturers who include generic Windows XP OEM disks for we obsessive crackpot tinkerers who, for reasons still not fully understood, simply don't care for the notion of ripping our knuckles off installing motherboards? Thanks! Ax |
#3
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"True Clone" Builders including Windows XP OEM disks?
Why do you want a list of clone manufacturers when you already have a
computer?.. most computer companies, if not all, supply OEM versions of XP or restore CDs.. they are all tied to ONE computer.. restore CDs always convert the system back to 'factory' (as supplied).. wrote in message oups.com... Hi there ... Yes, this is what I get for going six years between PC's. Times have sure changed. I finally ended up deciding on a Powerspec from MicroCenter because at least the HARDWARE looked reasonably generic (that Linux would boot on it and future Windows versions would be likely to recognize it). I certainly felt more comfortable with going this way than, say, the Sony that didn't look upgradable and didn't even have restore disks. Well, the Powerspec has a restore disk alright ... it basically writes the original drive image back onto the hard drive. Actually it goes much faster than a typical Windows install, but has some issues -- for instance I changed the video card already, to say nothing of the fact that the thing installs Norton Antivirus that I don't need and it takes longer to UNINSTALL Norton than it takes to reinstall the whole system. Also, there seems to be no way to get into FDISK, to say nothing of FIXMBR for those many instances when I need to uninstall Linux. Yes, needless to say I have an OEM disk on the way and this combo may ultimately be the cheaper way to go. HOWEVER ... Can any of you point me in the way of a list (or, if necessary, do you think it might be a good idea to START a list) of known "true clone", "true white box", "no funny business" manufacturers who include generic Windows XP OEM disks for we obsessive crackpot tinkerers who, for reasons still not fully understood, simply don't care for the notion of ripping our knuckles off installing motherboards? Thanks! Ax |
#4
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"True Clone" Builders including Windows XP OEM disks?
Here are few things that might help you:
1. FDISK can still be run form a win98 bootdisk. It will see NTFS partitions as "nonDOS". It can delete them and it can create FAT32 partitions, which will certainly work with XP. See www.bootdisk.com for an 98 bootdisk and the latest FDISK. 2. Microsoft offer a free download of what they call XP "setup" disks. These are primarily intended for PCs that can not boot from the XP CD. However, they also include the XP recovery console, with such commands as FIXBMR, DELPART, FORMAT, CHKDSK, etc. 3. Most towns have one or more mom&pop PC makers, that will happily build a PC to your specifications. They will normally include an XP OEM CD, or at least you can negotiate with them, unlike the major PC makers. And, for some incremental price, a mom&pop could just as easily build the PC with the full retail version of XP and give you that CD. wrote in message oups.com... Hi there ... Yes, this is what I get for going six years between PC's. Times have sure changed. I finally ended up deciding on a Powerspec from MicroCenter because at least the HARDWARE looked reasonably generic (that Linux would boot on it and future Windows versions would be likely to recognize it). I certainly felt more comfortable with going this way than, say, the Sony that didn't look upgradable and didn't even have restore disks. Well, the Powerspec has a restore disk alright ... it basically writes the original drive image back onto the hard drive. Actually it goes much faster than a typical Windows install, but has some issues -- for instance I changed the video card already, to say nothing of the fact that the thing installs Norton Antivirus that I don't need and it takes longer to UNINSTALL Norton than it takes to reinstall the whole system. Also, there seems to be no way to get into FDISK, to say nothing of FIXMBR for those many instances when I need to uninstall Linux. Yes, needless to say I have an OEM disk on the way and this combo may ultimately be the cheaper way to go. HOWEVER ... Can any of you point me in the way of a list (or, if necessary, do you think it might be a good idea to START a list) of known "true clone", "true white box", "no funny business" manufacturers who include generic Windows XP OEM disks for we obsessive crackpot tinkerers who, for reasons still not fully understood, simply don't care for the notion of ripping our knuckles off installing motherboards? Thanks! Ax |
#6
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"True Clone" Builders including Windows XP OEM disks?
If you get a copy of nLite from http://nuhi.msfn.org/nlite.html you should
be able to create a new CD from your restore CD without the unwanted extras. wrote in message oups.com... Hi there ... Yes, this is what I get for going six years between PC's. Times have sure changed. I finally ended up deciding on a Powerspec from MicroCenter because at least the HARDWARE looked reasonably generic (that Linux would boot on it and future Windows versions would be likely to recognize it). I certainly felt more comfortable with going this way than, say, the Sony that didn't look upgradable and didn't even have restore disks. Well, the Powerspec has a restore disk alright ... it basically writes the original drive image back onto the hard drive. Actually it goes much faster than a typical Windows install, but has some issues -- for instance I changed the video card already, to say nothing of the fact that the thing installs Norton Antivirus that I don't need and it takes longer to UNINSTALL Norton than it takes to reinstall the whole system. Also, there seems to be no way to get into FDISK, to say nothing of FIXMBR for those many instances when I need to uninstall Linux. Yes, needless to say I have an OEM disk on the way and this combo may ultimately be the cheaper way to go. HOWEVER ... Can any of you point me in the way of a list (or, if necessary, do you think it might be a good idea to START a list) of known "true clone", "true white box", "no funny business" manufacturers who include generic Windows XP OEM disks for we obsessive crackpot tinkerers who, for reasons still not fully understood, simply don't care for the notion of ripping our knuckles off installing motherboards? Thanks! Ax |
#7
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"True Clone" Builders including Windows XP OEM disks?
On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 14:39:51 -0500, "Yves Leclerc"
Most "big" clone builders do not include an original XP CD. Microsoft gives a special permission to allow them to activate a huge number of XPs and provide the means of restoring back to factory defaults. It's a bit more complicated than that. As far as activation is concerned, there are two models. The one that most big OEMs use lock the license to thier particular BIOS, which engenders "brand loyalty" to the OEM. The user's spared hassles when changing components as long as the original BIOS, and thus motherboard, survives. Not sure what happens if it doesn't. The other activation model is more familiar to users, and that's where a set of components are monitored for change. These are supposed to change only if hardware is changed, but one is purely software (the HD volume serial number) and others can change when component firmware is updated (SVGA, non-volitile LAN card settings, optical drives). This is the model used in retail and generic OEM XP. In South Africa at least, MS differentiates OEMs into large-volume OEMs and small-volume DSPs (Delivery Service Partners). DSPs use generic "OEM" product that will work on any hardware, and that will boot Recovery Console, support repair installs, and allow custom installation by way of a "response" file as setup parameter. Large volume OEMs can use the same sort of generic OEM product as DSPs, though they will get a better price. But they can go further, and negotiate with MS the right to offer lesser product, while still being seen as acceptable from MS's licensing perspective. This can vary from slightly "tweaked" OEM disks that contain the OEM's own drivers, and perhaps with other drivers ripped out, to the sort of nightmare "recovery" CDs mentioned earlier. They can even ship with no CD at all; only a custom HD partition, or note even that; just the terse instruction to "contact your dealer" when things go wrong. As long as you get a "genuine" license sticker, preferable stuck on the PC so that it can be stolen with it, MS is happy. If you want to protect yourself against being stuck with an unmaintanable system, then that's up to you; MS couldn't care less. Well, the Powerspec has a restore disk alright ... it basically writes the original drive image back onto the hard drive. That's typical large OEM ****e. Don't make the same mistake again. Can any of you point me in the way of a list (or, if necessary, do you think it might be a good idea to START a list) of known "true clone", "true white box", "no funny business" manufacturers who include generic Windows XP OEM disks for we obsessive crackpot tinkerers who, for reasons still not fully understood, simply don't care for the notion of ripping our knuckles off installing motherboards? In South Africa, it's fairly easy because most PCs here are "white box". As long as you stay out of volume retail computer shops, you aren't likely to get stuck with bland lame trash, until you get to laptops, where you have no choice. Here, we see three tiers of manufactu 1) Big international brands These are imported as-is, and the reseller simply adds a markup and shoves it through. There's nearly always an element of proprietary blues, and you are very likely to get stuck with a bad OS CD or less. 2) Distributor brands Local component importers/distributors assemble PCs from the components they carry, and sell these to resellers who are unable or unwilling to do thier own component-level selection or assembly. The largest of these brands may use proprietized OS CDs, but you have a better chance of getting a proper installation CD otherwise. 3) Reseller brands This is where resellers source raw components and assemble thier own PCs, which may be "branded" or left as apparently un-branded. As I consider branding to be a BS substitute for specification awareness, I refuse to brand PCs I build, even discarding those "Intel Inside" stickers. With these PCs, you should get a DSP XP CD as well as the driver disks that accompanied the hardware components themselves. In cases (1) and (2), the component choices will be made for you. You may hope that choosing a "good" brand means value added in the form of good component choice, but this is unlikely to be the case. Most PCs are built to attain the lowest possible price tag for the features asked for (ask for no features, get the dregs; ask for Pentium 4, get a Pentium 4 with dregs everything else). If you work with a type (3) PC builder, you'd generally find little resistance to up-speccing your PC (decent motherboard chipset, big HD) because these builders typically install the OS interactively, rather than being chained to a cookie-cutter image process that breaks if anything in the hardware is changed. At the other extreme, type (1) brands may be locked into modelism, i.e. "you only get the big HD if you buy the Jerk-Off 2000, which also comes with DVD writer and overpriced P4 processor at 2x cost". --------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - - Tech Support: The guys who follow the 'Parade of New Products' with a shovel. --------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - - |
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