New laptop without OS CD, what do I do?

I just bought a laptop, I chose it because it was very cheap. It is an EI Systems, 1.6 Processor, 512 MB memroy, ..., Windows XP.

I assumed that "Windows XP home version" on the advert means that I get a Windows XP CD but there isn't such a thing. It doesn't even have a hard copy manual but I managed to find a PDF manual on one of the CDs and apparently the laptop is not supposed to come with an OS CD.

Well, what do I do if I broke the OS? What are the options for me?

 

Most laptops have a partitioned hard drive which keeps all your setup files on one partition (which they keep inaccessible to the user).

If something goes wrong you can "restore default settings" from the control panel..

At least thats what most do...

Hope that helps

 

Borrow XP Home Cd from a friend and install it using the key at the bottom of your laptop.

 

As mention by "dastuff", most labtop in market now doesn't provide OS cd, but have all the necessary setup files inside ur labtop. Just in case, u need to format it or restore windows, u can just boot it and it automatically retrives thsoe files from the hidden partitions... So dun worry bout tat!

 

borow from a friend. If it already comes installed on the hard drive, you should make a backup of it imediatly. After that every time you want to format just put the backup cd/dvd and you will start from a brand new windows instalation (if you make the backup before installing stuff)

 

Humm, OK these answer it. So I have these three solutions:

1. Take another XP CD and just enter the key.
2. Use the files that are stored somewhere on the hard disk.
3. Take a backup ...

Thanks guys.

 

I bought a Sony VAIO one month ago. It was not exactly a cheap laptop. But even I did not get a CD along with it.

It has a dump of Windows XP Media Center on one invisible partition along with all the drivers and applications, which installs with one click. Ofcourse you have to take a backup of your personal files.

 

yeah, i ve got a friend who bought a vaio 11.1" (almost 2000€) and did not even got a windows CD. It had just the win on the hard drive... we had to make a backup to a dvd.

I dont mind paying for quality, but for 2000€ they could at least give the windows cd/dvd!

 

Yes, that really sucks. I bought mine for around $1650 and I looked in the box 4 times but i couldn't see any CD, then i called them to tell that my CD is missing, then they told me no CD is provided with the machine.

I was expecting atleast 8 CDs with the laptop for the price i paid. lol

 

go back in time, clone the working HD to another just in case the one you have now craps out on you

if that doesn't work try what everyone else already said.

I think it's retarded they don't give you a windows CD, I guess they can't afford another 37 cents' I mean how is the average user going to be able to figure out how to use the restore option and locate the service files stowed away on the HD somewhere??

 

see that would make too much sense if they shipped CD's with it.

I'm in the same boat, no CD's. my LT was under $1k though so I was only expecting 4 CD's tops.

The kicker is that the freakin' pre-load Adobe Acrobat goes to automatic updates on the Internet and then tells me...please insert the CD! what CD???? mofo's

 

Download linux and install it.

 

Earlier I was opting for Dell, they were charging $10 or $15 for the CD. It was mentioned on their website when you configure the laptop.

But i opted for VAIO later, there was no mention for extra cost of CD on their website, so I assumed that it would ship with package.

What sucks more is that their stupid invisible partition is taking up 7 GB of my HDD space. Although I can delete it using third party software like Partition Magic, but there is no option to take a backup of that drive to a DVD or something.

 

that's funked. got to be a way around it being hidden and all that stuff so that you can back it up.

My Acer actually came with some sweet B/U software and one of the first things it did when I turned it on, was create a backup of the entire system for you (DVD). I thought that was pretty damn slick.

 

Well, I used to consider myself an "way above average" user but seems that I have to face the fact because I still haven't found that "restore option".

And so far I haven't found an official website for the laptop - as I mentioned above it is called "EI Systems".