Windows sticker. Refurb?

If the windows sticker on bottom of the laptop has a rip in it to reveal the silver strip, does that mean the laptop is refurbished?

If not, How do you tell if a laptop is a refurb?

 

all windows stickers are like that mate!

 

Thanks, I didn't know that. Now how do you tell if a laptop is refurbished?

 

what laptop is it? If its an M1330 then remove the bottom cover, and the 1st stick of RAM and check the mobo revision number!

If its any other, then im not sure how to check their mobo revision numbers, and what revision is shipping with the new machines!

 

did you get it from dell outlet or something?

 

If it was refurbished it would have a red "Refurbished" sticker on the bottom.

Also, the new windows vista COA stickers are designed to have the rip in them for security (I guess it makes it harder to peel off the label).

 

All genuine COA (Certificate of Authenticity) labels have a small tear in them (check the link).
I can remember someone mentioning about using the Service tag to check previous warranties that might have been issued on the same machine. However, I have no idea how to do it or whether it can be done. Maybe someone else can help.

 

that can be done here.

 

No, I ordered a new M1330 from dell, I was reading the forum and see that a lot of people are having trouble with it and sometimes dell sends them a Refurb as a replacement.

So i was just wondering how you tell if a laptop is refurbished just for general knowledge.

Thanks for all your help!

 

They should really make an easier way to find out because that red sticker peels off very easily.

I was about to buy a laptop online before i ordered from dell, Whats to say they wouldn't be selling Refurb's as new?
How will anyone know if its really new?

 

same goes for ALL manufacturers mate!

If you went and bought a "brand new" Sony, IBM/Lenovo, Toshiba, etc laptop, how would you know that it wasn't originally a faulty unit that got send back, completely stripped out, re-build, and re-sold as "new"...cos technically is is new if its been stripped out & re-built (refurbished)...

 

Its highly unlikely...it takes a lot more effort to take a faulty unit apart and rebuilt it. The building process is optimized at building brand new units, so it would cost more for the manufacturer to do the above, than to send you a brand new unit.

By the way new units are really new! Used ones go to outlets and faulty ones are used as part source. Its the most cost effective this way.

 

I was talking about ordering from an online store or ebay etc. BUT not straight from the manufacture. How do you know that new really is new and that you're not getting a Refurb?

 

Dunno bout the US, but there are no Sony, Toshiba, etc outlets in the UK! And as for using a faulty one for part source, you've just proved my point!

If a new unit REALLY was BRAND NEW, then ALL faulty machines would be binned/melted down and have the metal recycled! But the fact that the working parts from faulty unit go into a new chassis still doesn't make it a "brand new" unit!

And if the faulty unit only has a fried mobo, but the chassis is 100% perfect, then the chassis will be reused...so only the internals will be different, which basically means its a refurb, and not "brand new"!

A "brand new" system (by definition) is one that has 100% new parts, NOT parts that have been recycled from faulty systems!

 

I meant using the parts for replacements not as components in new systems.

As for ebay resellers...good point...you won't know if the system is a new one or refurb. If you want a new one buy from the manufacturer.