Funny Policy With Os In Thai Computer Shops

[Gimbo]

I have helped a friend buy a computer in Thailand, and recently I got one for myself. The first one I bought in Pattaya, and the second in Buriram.

Both times the sales dude insisted that the OS that came with to computer was not "original" . In the first case I adviced my friend to fork out the xtra money and get an original and not a pirated one, as I asumed that was what they meant with "not original". But she did not want to fork out the extra cash. And that was a good move, becouse when we set up the computer in her home, we discovered the original OEM cd with the OS delivered by the manufacturer of the computer. And of course there was the license sticker on the bottom of the new laptop as well.

The one I bought for myself in Buriram was the same thing. Except on this one they had installed Windows XP pro, while the license sticker said it should be Windows Vista home premium. I insisted on an original OS again, and they told me I would have to wait until the next day as they had to order it, and it would cost med 4500 baht extra. But since I have an original XP with a legal license allready. I told them to just wrap it up and give it to me, and I could reformat and install it myself.

I come home, open the box, and on the very top, is the original Vista OEM CD that the license sticker on the PC indicates....

Why on earth do they do that?

Now I was just in Surin, looking for a laptop for the wife to use. I found a decent Acer setup. But here the OS was not loaded, so I could not test the computer in the shop at all.

And they wanted 400 baht to install the OS for me. SO there i was, prepeared to fork out 30K baht, but they wanted 400 extra to install something that should be there in the first place. SO obviously they did not want to sell to me...so I walked out.

Anyway, also on this machine they insisted that the OS was not original. Pay extra fro that etc. And they refused to show me the cd's that would come with the computer

Anyway, when buying a computer here, it may be a good idea if they insist the OS installed is not "original" to insist on having a look at all the cd's that come with the computer. Ammong them its likely that you will find the original OEM cd with the OS.

Well...there you go....a whinge from Gimbo, :D

Edited December 27, 2007 by Gimbo

[bino]

they wanted 400 extra to install something that should be there in the first place.

Not necessarily... Acer does sell computers with no Windows OS included. They will include a free distro of Linux. The 400 extra would have been to install an illegitimate copy.

If you look carefully at the prices and specs of the entire range of laptops currently offered, you will see that they offer the exact same hardware configurations of laptop with and without Windows. The difference is the price... the model with a factory loaded windows OS is considerably higher, and does indeed have a sticker.

[Gimbo]

they wanted 400 extra to install something that should be there in the first place.

Not necessarily... Acer does sell computers with no Windows OS included. They will include a free distro of Linux. The 400 extra would have been to install an illegitimate copy.

If you look carefully at the prices and specs of the entire range of laptops currently offered, you will see that they offer the exact same hardware configurations of laptop with and without Windows. The difference is the price... the model with a factory loaded windows OS is considerably higher, and does indeed have a sticker.

That could be the case with the last one, as I did not see any sticker. Well, ok then. But it does not explain the other two, that both had the sticker, AND came with the original OEM cd's, but with illegit OS'installed from to shop....it simply baffles me that they tell you that it does not come with the original OS, when the CD is right there in the box.

So I would still insist on seeing the CD's that comes with the computer....

[LivinLOS]

Getting an OEM CD is very rare here.. Sony and sometimes (high specced) Toshiba come with them, almost all the bargain ones do not. It was your first 2 experiences that were unusual not the others. The shop assistant made the assumption that no OEM was available as thats the norm.