Some companies will ship them to you for free or only the cost of shipping, but most places make you play at least some money for the OS disk itself. Which is RETARDED since you're paying for the OS too when you buy the machine.
The bloatware that's pre-installed effectively gives you a discount on the PC. Companies pay to get their crap on your machine, and are, therefore, subsidizing your purchase. Since Windows recovery disks don't have bloatware installed on them, it's understandable that Dell wants to charge you for the privilege of an easy bloatware fix, since their "partners" don't like that.
New PC: to build or not to build
02/05/2011 04:16:46 PM
- 1019 Views
The advantages of building your own computer seem to be smaller these days.
02/05/2011 05:19:09 PM
- 796 Views
I take satisfaction in tinkering with computers...
02/05/2011 06:40:12 PM
- 1118 Views
Also, one of the big savings for building your own computer...
02/05/2011 07:27:37 PM
- 787 Views
yah that's part of the problem. I don't have a desktop right now. Not even a case
02/05/2011 07:37:45 PM
- 778 Views
It's not hard at all anymore. Link for Lorraine, too
02/05/2011 09:32:48 PM
- 910 Views
I always buy Intel. Papa works there
02/05/2011 09:39:00 PM
- 851 Views

Huh, small world. What site?
02/05/2011 10:36:55 PM
- 989 Views
I have no idea what the name of his site is. Probably not that one
03/05/2011 01:50:38 AM
- 744 Views

I don't know about you...
02/05/2011 08:21:41 PM
- 818 Views
Just get a pre-made and add a few components (ie: graphics card) to make you feel like you built it. *NM*
02/05/2011 08:53:07 PM
- 389 Views
Build it.
03/05/2011 02:54:12 PM
- 948 Views
Warranty/Troubleshooting
03/05/2011 04:14:47 PM
- 795 Views
How?
03/05/2011 05:04:27 PM
- 731 Views
Re: How?
03/05/2011 06:47:56 PM
- 745 Views
Wow, I never heard about that.
03/05/2011 07:10:07 PM
- 810 Views
Nah, it was years ago. The one you gave me advice for was the replacement of the replacement, hah
03/05/2011 07:41:24 PM
- 728 Views
Yeah, I meant the power supply of the problem machine.
03/05/2011 08:10:04 PM
- 796 Views
Ah. yeah, it was one of the pieces that got replaced. It was probably at least partially responsible *NM*
03/05/2011 08:12:50 PM
- 431 Views
I like how you seem to think I'd buy a Dell
03/05/2011 04:17:58 PM
- 778 Views
If you like tinkering, then build one. Quality control is all on you, but it's "yours" then.
03/05/2011 03:00:21 PM
- 744 Views
#1 reason to build your own: no pre-loaded bloatware. *NM*
03/05/2011 04:52:45 PM
- 414 Views
Or just format when you get it. *NM*
03/05/2011 06:48:47 PM
- 398 Views
With a pre-built you can't often do that.
03/05/2011 07:19:28 PM
- 785 Views
for the record, sometimes stores will remove the bloatware for you
03/05/2011 07:28:58 PM
- 709 Views
Do prebuilts come without OS discs these days? That's bullshit. *NM*
03/05/2011 07:43:39 PM
- 417 Views
Yah, they don't.
03/05/2011 07:47:36 PM
- 744 Views
Well, it's understandable, just annoying.
03/05/2011 08:05:00 PM
- 733 Views
You really should just stop using Dell as your example
03/05/2011 10:51:10 PM
- 731 Views

Oh, hush.
04/05/2011 12:50:15 AM
- 901 Views

YOU SHALL NOT MALIGN THE HP!!!
04/05/2011 10:16:50 AM
- 752 Views
Re: YOU SHALL NOT MALIGN THE HP!!!
04/05/2011 04:55:49 PM
- 808 Views
My anecdotal evidence has HP failures being rare but spectacular.
04/05/2011 08:19:52 PM
- 755 Views
I had a Compaq laptop (built after HP had bought Compaq).
04/05/2011 09:13:54 PM
- 729 Views
Huh. I have a Compaq too. It shipped with bad RAM, but once I fixed that it's worked like a charm.
05/05/2011 12:43:48 AM
- 732 Views