Buying a Laptop without OS

[Dutchbike]

At the local Big-C i have seen a nice entry level laptop for sale ( a Lenovo 15.6" G500 @ 10.990) which seems to furfill my simple computer needs, As the topictitle says it comes without an OS.

The salesguy at the Big-C tolded me for 500 THB extra i can get Windows 7 on it ( which is the OS i want) and of course this is not an official version.

I was kind of surprised they offered this, but hen again TIT where 98% of the software are copies so why not offer it at a big department store.

It's not a matter of money, a legitimate Windows 7 64bit Home costs around 3500 Baht, and i've installed OS's before,doing it the offical way i'm sure i will get all the updates etc

.

Reason for starting this topic is more to hear some other opinions and or experiences with laptops sold without OS. ( which is not common in most other European countries) and copied sofware in general.. .

[Guest]

There are many people who don't want to have preselected OS to their computers.

1) People who don't want to pay license fees for Microsoft and opt for a copy OS

2) Some Windows users wish to select Windows 7 or Windows 8, yet only one Windows OS is normally installed to the computer.

3) Linux users, who will scrap the Windows and use Linux instead.

4) Maybe in the future Apple will offer official OS X port for selected non Mac laptops and desktops.

Microsoft could technically make the OS in the way only official license holders could use the OS. But in practice, it's not so easy task.

If the pirated copies would be made unusable, there would be large amounts of users moving from MS to free Linux. This would cause a surge of users to move from the dominating MS office products to LibreOffice and similar products. Game and other software developers would have accommodate the new surge of Linux users by offering applications to Linux platform.

Microsoft is slowly dying unless they learn how to adapt to the Opensource way of thinking.

[BB1950]

I suspect this thread will be short lived as it looks to break a few Thai Visa rules.

Even though copied software is readily available in Thailand, it's still illegal!

Discussion of cracks, hacks, and pirated software usage is illegal.

Best recomendation - Use at your own risk! Some hacks and cracks have embeded malware.

One reason an OS doesn't come preinstalled is to lower the cost.

[Crossy]

Indeed it does BB1950, I'll leave it open for now, but please bare in mind the forum rules on discussing illegal activities.

[2008bangkok]

generally when buying with a OS preinstalled it comes with the regualr preinstalled junk, norton 14 day, Nero DVD creator etc so the first thing i do is wipe the OS and start from scratch, take a couple of hrs/beers but at least its set up to how i want it, would also look at 8.1 as its not that bad as people think now..

[MKAsok]

You can buy a licence for Win7 on Amazon for about £30 (1500 THB).

[HaveFun]

I like laptop without OS which is harder to find these day. I'm one of Fedora/CentOS fanboy.

(but M$ is unavoidable in many cases the computer I'm using is running Windows as well)

as 2008bangkok mentioned those illegal offer usually come with poor low-quality installation with bloatware.

[Chicog]

If you don't want a dodgy Windows, or to pay for a proper one, you could do a lot worse than install Mint or another version of Linux.

Apart from being free, the chances are you can find a free/open source package that will do pretty well anything you want.

http://www.osalt.com/

[Sayonarax]

You can download a copy of windows legally without paying some guy 500b

Step 1

Download your choice of Windows 7 here:

Official Windows 7 ISO from Digital River

Step 2

Download the Windows 7 USB / DVD Tool:

Download link

Edited February 19, 2014 by Sayonarax

[happynthailand]

just send you a pm

[sarathjay]

http://www.ebay.de/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1311.R3.TR11.TRC1.A0.H0.XWin&_nkw=windows+7+professional+64+bit&_sacat=0&_from=R40

This is where I buy Win.7 pro legally with the sticker and DVD. I bought an Acer Note book at Pantip with with a pirated Win.7 incl.a whole heap of junk. I did a fresh installation and activated Windows by phone which takes a few minutes and installed Security essential offered free from Microsoft. At the beginning you have about 170 updates which takes time and thereafter everything runs smoothly.

If any of you guys need help in this, pl. PM me.

[Dutchbike]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I suspect this thread will be short lived as it looks to break a few Thai Visa rules.

Even though copied software is readily available in Thailand, it's still illegal!

Discussion of cracks, hacks, and pirated software usage is illegal.

Best recomendation - Use at your own risk! Some hacks and cracks have embeded malware.

One reason an OS doesn't come preinstalled is to lower the cost.

Indeed it does BB1950, I'll leave it open for now, but please bare in mind the forum rules on discussing illegal activities.

First of all it was not my intention to discuss illegal activities,appologies if i have (or almost) broken some TV rules.

Thanks everyone for theire explanations and usefull tips.

It's the first time i'll be buying a computer in Thailand and i was just surprised that the majority of laptops for sale are without OS.

I can understand much of the reasons, and the main reason in Thailand would be the price.

I can't imagine the average Thai who purchasing a laptop with their hard earned cash will have doubts about a 500 baht OS offer and in this way piracy is only encouraged even by major shops.

[Chicog]

Mint Linux is free and you are breaking no laws using it or any of the open sources programs above.

[A1Str8]

It depends on what system you prefer.

If you want Windows, pay 3500thb and have peace of mind. You dont want to deal with that sh.t that they download from the internet. I have used such pirated versions for years, its not worth it. They usually come with a so called Kit integrated into the system, and a backdoor, so the people who created that customized version of Win and activated it, can access all the data of every single person, who ever downloaded and decided to use their hacked Windows.

I mean what do you think whats the reason certain people take the time and alter the entire system in a way so you dont need to pay for it but you can simply download an activated version? Its all about money and taking advantage of stupid people, thats why they do it and not because they have nothing but love for you.

The other option, the best in my opinion is to download the latest version of Linux.

Its known to be a safe, secure and smooth system and its open source which is proof that it doesnt contain any malicious code. Its also very easy to use.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Pib]

I bought a Lenovo Z510 laptop back in mid Dec 13 at Banana IT and it only came with Free DOS....I really like the laptop...fast as heck!!! I also bought Win 8.1 at Banana IT at the same time for Bt3500 and installed it myself. Glad I went with 8.1...for the first few weeks there was a learning curve on my part getting use to Win 8.1. But it's super easy to switch from the Win 8 Metro type environment and Win 7 Desktop environment. I probably spend about 75% of my time in the Desktop environment and the remaining 25% in the Metro environment...I feel like I have the best of both worlds...and I want both of those worlds. Glad I bought Win 8.1 versus Win 7. I still run Win 7 on my backup laptop...and XP on my other third laptop. If you are going to put Windows on your new computer, don't start with a several years old operating system (i.e., Win 7); start with Win 8.1.

[Crossy]

First of all it was not my intention to discuss illegal activities,appologies if i have (or almost) broken some TV rules.

Almost is fine

Thanks to all our posters for keeping it on track with some excellent points.

[BB1950]

I can understand much of the reasons, and the main reason in Thailand would be the price.

I can't imagine the average Thai who purchasing a laptop with their hard earned cash will have doubts about a 500 baht OS offer and in this way piracy is only encouraged even by major shops.

Not only does it encourage piracy, you'll also find that these pirate systems used by the Thais (or Southeast Asians in general) are heavily infected with malware! No problem with privacy or security for them.

When it gets to the point that the computer doesn't function or is real slow, the shops just install on a new disk image for 300-500 baht. The Thais don't care if they lose data in the process, as there wasn't anything that important. They freely share everything between them.

As far as the piracy issue, Bill Gates told an audience at the University of Washington in 1998.

Although about 3 million computers get sold every year in China, people don't pay for the software. Someday they will, though... And as long as they're going to steal it, we want them to steal ours. They'll get sort of addicted, and then we'll somehow figure out how to collect sometime in the next decade.

That's exactly what happened around the globe! Vietnam, which had the highest piracy rate in the world, has improved from 100% in 1994 to 90% in 2006. The No. 1 software firm in Vietnam - Microsoft. With the release of Windows 7 in 2009, Microsoft came out with 'Southeast Asia' versions of Windows 7 Home Edition, and Ultimate. These versions could only be activated in Southeast Asia, and were sold at reduced prices by Microsoft only in Southeast Asia.

Edited February 20, 2014 by BB1950

[Chicog]

First of all it was not my intention to discuss illegal activities,appologies if i have (or almost) broken some TV rules.

Almost is fine

Thanks to all our posters for keeping it on track with some excellent points.

We're only doing it out of fear you know.

[NeverSure]

There does exist an actual working validation program for Win 7 and also one for Win 8. Microsoft can't tell that it's cracked and all features work including the "page" that says "this installation of Windows is genuine," along with the Windows validation sticker.

You do need a copy of the "enterprise" edition (Win xp) or "Windows Ultimate" (Win 7) or some version designed for corporations to put the same validation info and product key in all installations.

You do need to start with a copy of a legit Windows disk to avoid bloatware and malware.

[Pib]

There does exist an actual working validation program for Win 7 and also one for Win 8. Microsoft can't tell that it's cracked and all features work including the "page" that says "this installation of Windows is genuine," along with the Windows validation sticker.

You do need a copy of the "enterprise" edition (Win xp) or "Windows Ultimate" (Win 7) or some version designed for corporations to put the same validation info and product key in all installations.

You do need to start with a copy of a legit Windows disk to avoid bloatware and malware.

Sounds like you are talking a Volume Licensing (VL) , Multiple Activation Key (MAK), and Key Management Services (KMS) which are some of the different ways software companies "initially" active their software and possible require activation confirmation every six months or so. See this Microsoft link.

No shortage of YouTube videos and websites showing how the activation occurs, but the problem is the YouTube videos and activation utilities that supposedly work (they do sometimes but usually don't for most people or the activation soon fails as you see all the hate mail on Youtube and other websites) is based on pirated activation keys VL/MAK keys that the software manufacturer eventually blocks which deactivates your copy of software, tries to maintain activation periodically via period connection to a KMS server somewhere like Russia, and sometimes come with malware included.

Just avoid doggy software.

[Crossy]

Please don't discuss further the use of 'borrowed' or shared MAK, VL or KMS keys as a means of activating Windows, this is against Microsoft policy and is effectively illegal.

It was the widespread use of shared MAK / VL keys that led Microsoft to discontinue TechNet, much to the chagrin of many developers (myself included) who are no longer able to activate test copies of the various OSs at will

[infinity11]

You can download a copy of windows legally without paying some guy 500b

Step 1

Download your choice of Windows 7 here:

Official Windows 7 ISO from Digital River

Step 2

Download the Windows 7 USB / DVD Tool:

Download link

Too good to be true?

What is the catch?

[Pib]

You can download a copy of windows legally without paying some guy 500b

Step 1

Download your choice of Windows 7 here:

Official Windows 7 ISO from Digital River

Step 2

Download the Windows 7 USB / DVD Tool:

Download link

Too good to be true?

What is the catch?

Not really...they are just trial copies good for 30 days...you still need your Windows license number to activate them.

All these Windows 7 ISO’s come with SP1 integrated in them and have a 30 days trial period. You can use your Original windows 7 keys to activate these windows 7 copies.