Does Dell include an OS installation Disc?

Planning to order a Dell D630.

We would like to know what software comes with the D630? Configuring the Laptop options, in several different ways, at the Dell web site gave us a couple of surprising results. One laptop configuration gives you the option of a Diagnostic and Driver CD. The same configuration though does not show any operating system CD with the laptop. A second configuration shows no Diagnostic and/or Driver CD at all.

What’s up with Dell - in getting a Microsoft Windows XP OS installation disc?

Some one told me they give you the XP recovery system files on a partitioned part of the laptops hard drive. If the hard drive crashes and is not recoverable how do you reinstall Windows XP without the installation disc?

Can we get the Windows XP OS installation disc from Dell - so if and when we are travelling - we can replace the hard drive, install the operating system and get up and running again?

Thank you,

Skid

 

I don't know about 630 but with my recently bought 6400 they included vista os dvd + drivers and utilities dvd + media direct dvd.

So I think they will include os reinstallation cd with 630(in fact dell always do so. you should confirm this while ordering) and in case not then you can always ask dell to give you os cd/dvd(free of cost).
But I am not sure about drivers cd.

 

Thanks Prattom.

We have read in these forums and elsewhere that some didn’t receive the Windows XP OS installation disc. We have read and heard others say they didn’t get the CD but their hard drive had a separate partition with the OS files located in the partition. Yet others claim they didn’t get either and had to call Dell to get the CD. A few said it was difficult to get the OS from Dell.

We called several times but Dells people were hard to understand and in my opinion not very sure of themselves when telling me yes - we could get the OS.

Just wanted to make sure we definitely can get it on a CD or DVD. We will ask Dell again when we place the order.

Would welcome anyone else’s experiences.

Thanks again for the reply,

Skid

 

I contacted Dells support recently because I wanted to find out if I could get proper OS CD's from Dell Canada, and they do include a Recovery Cd, here is what the response was:

"All of our systems come with an OEM version of the operating system installed on them. Due to that fact we can only ship restore disks and not an actual Operating System CD. The Windows restore CD does come with everything you need to re-install the Operating System."

 

Thanks for your post Dragoneye1589 and good luck with your Laptop purchase.

You stated Dell replied, “"All of our systems come with an OEM version of the operating system installed on them”.

We believe this to mean… Dell has installed the OS files somewhere on the hard drive, possibly in a separate partition. We read this is what they do and were told so also by a coworker. We are thinking that the Restore CD uses those files in rebuilding the OS if needed.

However, Dell then informed you that… “ Dell can only ship restore disks and not an actual Operating System CD” and “The Windows restore CD does come with everything you need to re-install the Operating System."

This leaves us wondering however, if the hard drive is unrecoverable, in other words beyond repair and we need to replace the hard drive and the OS while traveling how could we reload Windows if we have no Windows Operating System CD? We would have the Restore CD but the OS files would be on the unrecoverable hard drive.

Would be glad to hear back from you and anyone else who would like to comment on this topic.

Thanks again,

Skid

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=107182

the folks on this thread said that they all got vista dvds with their dells