Are there any shops in Chiang Mai where you can buy laptops with a genuine copy of Windows (preferably 7) pre-installed rather than having all the usual garbage dumped on it? I ask because a friend of mine needs to buy one and is totally computer illiterate and I'm not there to help him at the moment.

You'll be lucky.

My nice new HP PC was the same price in Chiang Mai as it is in Australia - except it was fitted with a fake Windows 7.0. I didn't discover this until I did an upgrade, and all
I get now is a message from Microsoft telling me that I had an illegal copy.

It's going to cost a bit to get a genuine Windows.

Electronic Plaza Siam TV. They do as you want and give you the licensed cd.

Electronic Plaza Siam TV. They do as you want and give you the licensed cd.

Yes agree,

I bought new pc last month, spent ages scrutinising every laptop comparing etc.

The thing that bumped the price up from 10k to 16k+ was whether it had a genuine or a copied windows, on a like for like spec.

They also have a very comprehensive list of other programs and you just have to tick what you want....office version whatever,antivirus,media,dvd player, many many.

Just remember, when you but a genuine windows and 3 month later you have a problem or a virus attack.

The first thing they do is wipe everything and reinstall a copy.

unless you tape your genuine one to the top.

Is it worth the extra money....for me no.

I was referring to computer city and siam plaza not the siam tv...but they are all same same....even their names

Perhaps best to buy the laptop and the operating system separately, W7 instal is a breeze and genuine copies are available at IT City.

Perhaps best to buy the laptop and the operating system separately, W7 instal is a breeze and genuine copies are available at IT City.

"a friend of mine needs to buy one and is totally computer illiterate "

I was referring to computer city and siam plaza not the siam tv...but they are all same same....even their names

I'm slightly confused by this. Computer City is on the corner of the moat but where is Siam Plaza please?

Yes fault I think.

I mean computer city and further on is icon square.

Siam tv plaza on the south side of the moat.

Sorry.

If my friend already had a legit copy of W7 can anyone personally recommend a shop which would sell him a laptop and install it and the necessary drivers without installing anything else please? I want him to get this right because I'll have to support him remotely if he doesn't

If you really can't find any place to do this, for 1500 Baht I'll (re)install clean W7 & drivers. If no official disk available I can install updateable W7 copy.

Electronic Plaza Siam TV. They do as you want and give you the licensed cd.

I tried Siam TV no way they don't have windows 7.

Can't remember the name of the places but there were several in Central Festival on the floor with all the electronics. You could ask them to install them for you.

Did you say genuine? LOL. I bought a great MSI computer at Airport Plaza and the "genuine" sticker meant nothing after a week. I was able to find a workaround, but I wondered, "If you are not good with computers, this might be a nightmare." So, even if they say "yes, of course genuine. very genuine. yes, yes, no fake!!" ah, i'm not so sure. good luck.

Did you say genuine? LOL. I bought a great MSI computer at Airport Plaza and the "genuine" sticker meant nothing after a week. I was able to find a workaround, but I wondered, "If you are not good with computers, this might be a nightmare." So, even if they say "yes, of course genuine. very genuine. yes, yes, no fake!!" ah, i'm not so sure. good luck.

IT city in KSK sell genuine OEM copies of Windows.

Did you say genuine? LOL. I bought a great MSI computer at Airport Plaza and the "genuine" sticker meant nothing after a week. I was able to find a workaround, but I wondered, "If you are not good with computers, this might be a nightmare." So, even if they say "yes, of course genuine. very genuine. yes, yes, no fake!!" ah, i'm not so sure. good luck.

IT city in KSK sell genuine OEM copies of Windows.

And retail versions too AFAIK, for not much more.

The problem is that many shops have made an image of W7 using Sysprep that installs in about 10 minutes or less with little input from the tech.

So even if you give them a genuine CD, they may be lazy and install their image which is of course not valid on your machine. It may have other junk on it too that they installed before they imaged the hdd.

I wouldn't be satisfied unless I installed it myself. Windows should install many of the drivers. Then I'd use hardware manager to see what's not working and go to the manufacturer's site and download the drivers for anything that's not shown as working until that was fixed.

The problem is that many shops have made an image of W7 using Sysprep that installs in about 10 minutes or less with little input from the tech.

So even if you give them a genuine CD, they may be lazy and install their image which is of course not valid on your machine. It may have other junk on it too that they installed before they imaged the hdd.

I wouldn't be satisfied unless I installed it myself. Windows should install many of the drivers. Then I'd use hardware manager to see what's not working and go to the manufacturer's site and download the drivers for anything that's not shown as working until that was fixed.

So would I but the guy I'm asking for doesn't know how.

I bought from GoodSpeed Computers and they offered me the option of pre-installed or genuine.

Any IT City will have both genuine or a fake install (don't bother with their fake install - it is not a good crack - need to use a loader for win7 to keep the updates working for any time). They will install too and give you the packaging for the retail along with a genuine serial number sticker and hologrammed sleeve. Probably most of the proper suppliers, like Lenovo/Banana/JIB/DELL/etc will do the same. Personally I am less trusting of smaller shops (e.g. many in Panthip) as I have heard rumours of the serial numbers of legit installs being copied and used for illegal copies later - thereby at some point M$ blocks the serial as pirated.

Electronic Plaza Siam TV. They do as you want and give you the licensed cd.

Yes agree,

I bought new pc last month, spent ages scrutinising every laptop comparing etc.

The thing that bumped the price up from 10k to 16k+ was whether it had a genuine or a copied windows, on a like for like spec.

They also have a very comprehensive list of other programs and you just have to tick what you want....office version whatever,antivirus,media,dvd player, many many.

Just remember, when you but a genuine windows and 3 month later you have a problem or a virus attack.

The first thing they do is wipe everything and reinstall a copy.

unless you tape your genuine one to the top.

Is it worth the extra money....for me no.

Not likely to need to wipe and reinstall after three months. I've never had to do that in 16 years of using Windows.

I bought last week a samsung laptop sealed in the box. ( I don't them not to touch it and leave the box sealed )

At first start up windows will be finalized (pre installed) and you only have to provide some basic stuff like time setting, language and wifi password if applicable.

No hassle and you know for sure it is a legit version.

I bought last week a samsung laptop sealed in the box. ( I don't them not to touch it and leave the box sealed )

At first start up windows will be finalized (pre installed) and you only have to provide some basic stuff like time setting, language and wifi password if applicable.

No hassle and you know for sure it is a legit version.

Where did you buy it from please?

I bought last week a samsung laptop sealed in the box. ( I don't them not to touch it and leave the box sealed )

At first start up windows will be finalized (pre installed) and you only have to provide some basic stuff like time setting, language and wifi password if applicable.

No hassle and you know for sure it is a legit version.

Where did you buy it from please?

Sorry this was in Phuket.

I mentioned it as general information and advise that you can buy sealed laptops.

I bought last week a samsung laptop sealed in the box. ( I don't them not to touch it and leave the box sealed )

At first start up windows will be finalized (pre installed) and you only have to provide some basic stuff like time setting, language and wifi password if applicable.

No hassle and you know for sure it is a legit version.

Where did you buy it from please?

Sorry this was in Phuket.

I mentioned it as general information and advise that you can buy sealed laptops.

OK thanks.

The manufacturer's stores like the Dell store in Airport Plaza sell the real stuff.

In Chiang Mai - IT City or Chiang Chang, both genuine and reliable.

In Chiang Mai - IT City or Chiang Chang, both genuine and reliable.

Where's Chiang Chang?

In Chiang Mai - IT City or Chiang Chang, both genuine and reliable.

Where's Chiang Chang?

My mistake, Chi Chiang.

That is something I certainly would recommend AGAINST. I bought a new Dell Desktop from them just over a year ago and have had nothing but issues with the Windows install. In spite of a supposedly "genuine" install of Windows, turns out it wasn't genuine at all. For over a year, Dell has blamed Microsoft and MS says they have nothing to do with OEM products.

In short, I would strongly recommend against a Dell and certainly avoid Dell's retail stores.

The manufacturer's stores like the Dell store in Airport Plaza sell the real stuff.

That is something I certainly would recommend AGAINST. I bought a new Dell Desktop from them just over a year ago and have had nothing but issues with the Windows install. In spite of a supposedly "genuine" install of Windows, turns out it wasn't genuine at all. For over a year, Dell has blamed Microsoft and MS says they have nothing to do with OEM products.

In short, I would strongly recommend against a Dell and certainly avoid Dell's retail stores.

The manufacturer's stores like the Dell store in Airport Plaza sell the real stuff.

I stand corrected. How did you confirm that it was not genuine?