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Is it even possible to buy a Windows laptop right now with only the OS installed? This is exactly why I've been recommending Chromebooks to anyone who asks my

by pkulak 12y ago

Is it even possible to buy a Windows laptop right now with only the OS installed? This is exactly why I've been recommending Chromebooks to anyone who asks my advice for about a year now.

thom 12y ago
The alternative to this is buying an OEM copy of your Windows OS, and hoping the driver situation works out.
- arthurfm 12y ago
  There isn't any need to spend any money on an additional Windows license [1]. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9073739 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9073739
reitanqild 12y ago
Microsoft sell their own laptops, in US. They are said to be good.
BinaryIdiot 12y ago
I think Microsoft sells those in its stores but even then I'm pretty sure they come with a few things but mostly from the manufacturer. It would sure be nice to bring home a Windows machine that only had Windows on it and any necessary but minor applications from the manufacturer (like a settings application or drivers and not some photo sharing spyware).
yuhong 12y ago
You can buy "Microsoft Signature" machines from the MS stores and online. Hopefully the words will spread.
- BorisMelnik 12y ago
  Wow haven't heard of those before, actually kind of like the idea of buying a PC and knowing there is an untouched version of Windows on it (unless you consider IE malware) :)
  - lelandbatey 12y ago
    I bought my last laptop this way, and it's been very satisfying to own. There was no funny business, it's just straight-up Windows. It didn't even have any stickers on it except for a tiny Intel sticker.
- shakeel_mohamed 12y ago
  MSFT should really be pushing these more, seems like a great opportunity
- praptak 12y ago
  An unfucked machine is the superspecial case, something to boast about. Let that sink for a moment.
ptaipale 12y ago
All laptops contain something which some people consider bloatware, because it is difficult to draw the line. For instance, is it "only the OS installed" if it includes hardware-specific support for the display adapter, or a fingerprint reader? Anyway, all laptops I have seen include either a generic Windows OS installation disk, or an option to order one for the price of mailing cost. But of course even with these you might have something included which you do not consider "only the OS".
- cjg 12y ago
  That seems like a pretty easy line to draw. If the software is effectively a device driver - OK; otherwise - no.
  - ptaipale 12y ago
    Well, not for me. Like, what about the login management related to fingerprint reader? The reader and device driver are quite useless by themselves if you cannot use them for login. So the laptop vendor obviously bundles the driver and application together. And then you get an app that hooks itself in the place where you normally give your password. And might hook another application which does an alternative login method using the built-in camera (facial recognition).
praptak 12y ago
With Windows even if you buy the boxed version it still doesn't mean you are free from hardware vendors fuckery. The necessary drivers are quite often bundled with shitware.
- pjc50 12y ago
  It's usually possible to unpack the driver installer, find the .INF file, and point Windows at it - this gives you the driver without any of the bloatware. (An unnecessary hassle, I agree)
- kefka 12y ago
  Yep. Especially with the fuckery that FTDI did. What did they do? If they detect a "counterfeit" FTDI (in other words, a clone not necessarily claiming to be an FTDI), the driver bricks your chip! Yeah, you can fix it using Linux, but it's a pain in the ass. Or use Linux and be away from this cancer of MS Windows ecosystem.
bigbugbag 12y ago
Yes it is, you can even buy laptops with no OS pre-installed or a gnu/linux distro. Chromebooks are the worst possible thing, I tell everyone to stay away from these crippled google branded piece of slavery. I advise either a second hand quality laptop or a brand new one while budgeting a little extra for cleaning the crap that manufacturers preload inside to allow for such a low selling price.
- pkulak 12y ago
  Chromebooks are great. I've recommended them to at least a dozen people by now and they are all super happy with them. And free from MITM!
  - bronson 12y ago
    Free from Lenovo's MITM anyway.
romanovcode 12y ago
Microsoft Surface is straight from MS - no bloat/malware. However I wouldn't buy it now since v4 is soon to come.
arthurfm 12y ago
> Is it even possible to buy a Windows laptop right now with only the OS installed? Microsoft's Windows Installation Media Creation Tool [1] enables you to download a clean Windows 8.1 ISO that can be used to re-install the operating system and wipe out all of the preloaded bloatware on any PC. To do the same with a Windows 7 PC, visit Microsoft's Software Recovery website [2]. From Windows 8.1 Update 1 onwards, there is a built-in PowerShell cmdlet called Export-WindowsDriver [3] that will backup all of your third-party drivers prior to reinstalling the OS. Export-WindowsDriver –Online -Destination c:\DriverBackup On older versions of Windows, DoubleDriver [4] is a good alternative. Once you have created a bootable USB flash drive from the Windows ISO [5], another useful tip is to create a folder called $WinPEDriver$ in the root of the drive and copy the drivers you backed up into here. Windows will automatically install the drivers found in the $WinPEDriver$ folder during installation of the OS. [1] http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-reset-re... [2] http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-recovery http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-recovery [3] https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn614084.aspx https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn614084.aspx [4] http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/System-Info/Double-Driver.shtml http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/System-Info/Double-Drive... [5] https://rufus.akeo.ie/ https://rufus.akeo.ie/
- nissehulth 12y ago
  Good list of resources, but I'd like to add that the Windows 7 recovery page doesn't accept OEM license keys. If you try to enter the key from the sticker on your laptop, you will most likely be told to contact your hardware provider. Which means you're stuck with their crapware installer.
deleted 12y ago
[deleted]

by pkulak 12y ago

Is it even possible to buy a Windows laptop right now with only the OS installed? This is exactly why I've been recommending Chromebooks to anyone who asks my advice for about a year now.

thom 12y ago

The alternative to this is buying an OEM copy of your Windows OS, and hoping the driver situation works out.

arthurfm 12y ago
There isn't any need to spend any money on an additional Windows license [1]. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9073739 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9073739

reitanqild 12y ago

Microsoft sell their own laptops, in US. They are said to be good.

BinaryIdiot 12y ago

I think Microsoft sells those in its stores but even then I'm pretty sure they come with a few things but mostly from the manufacturer. It would sure be nice to bring home a Windows machine that only had Windows on it and any necessary but minor applications from the manufacturer (like a settings application or drivers and not some photo sharing spyware).

yuhong 12y ago

You can buy "Microsoft Signature" machines from the MS stores and online. Hopefully the words will spread.

BorisMelnik 12y ago
Wow haven't heard of those before, actually kind of like the idea of buying a PC and knowing there is an untouched version of Windows on it (unless you consider IE malware) :)
- lelandbatey 12y ago
  I bought my last laptop this way, and it's been very satisfying to own. There was no funny business, it's just straight-up Windows. It didn't even have any stickers on it except for a tiny Intel sticker.
shakeel_mohamed 12y ago
MSFT should really be pushing these more, seems like a great opportunity
praptak 12y ago
An unfucked machine is the superspecial case, something to boast about. Let that sink for a moment.

ptaipale 12y ago

All laptops contain something which some people consider bloatware, because it is difficult to draw the line. For instance, is it "only the OS installed" if it includes hardware-specific support for the display adapter, or a fingerprint reader? Anyway, all laptops I have seen include either a generic Windows OS installation disk, or an option to order one for the price of mailing cost. But of course even with these you might have something included which you do not consider "only the OS".

cjg 12y ago
That seems like a pretty easy line to draw. If the software is effectively a device driver - OK; otherwise - no.
- ptaipale 12y ago
  Well, not for me. Like, what about the login management related to fingerprint reader? The reader and device driver are quite useless by themselves if you cannot use them for login. So the laptop vendor obviously bundles the driver and application together. And then you get an app that hooks itself in the place where you normally give your password. And might hook another application which does an alternative login method using the built-in camera (facial recognition).

praptak 12y ago

With Windows even if you buy the boxed version it still doesn't mean you are free from hardware vendors fuckery. The necessary drivers are quite often bundled with shitware.

pjc50 12y ago
It's usually possible to unpack the driver installer, find the .INF file, and point Windows at it - this gives you the driver without any of the bloatware. (An unnecessary hassle, I agree)
kefka 12y ago
Yep. Especially with the fuckery that FTDI did. What did they do? If they detect a "counterfeit" FTDI (in other words, a clone not necessarily claiming to be an FTDI), the driver bricks your chip! Yeah, you can fix it using Linux, but it's a pain in the ass. Or use Linux and be away from this cancer of MS Windows ecosystem.

bigbugbag 12y ago

Yes it is, you can even buy laptops with no OS pre-installed or a gnu/linux distro. Chromebooks are the worst possible thing, I tell everyone to stay away from these crippled google branded piece of slavery. I advise either a second hand quality laptop or a brand new one while budgeting a little extra for cleaning the crap that manufacturers preload inside to allow for such a low selling price.

pkulak 12y ago
Chromebooks are great. I've recommended them to at least a dozen people by now and they are all super happy with them. And free from MITM!
- bronson 12y ago
  Free from Lenovo's MITM anyway.

romanovcode 12y ago

Microsoft Surface is straight from MS - no bloat/malware. However I wouldn't buy it now since v4 is soon to come.

arthurfm 12y ago

> Is it even possible to buy a Windows laptop right now with only the OS installed? Microsoft's Windows Installation Media Creation Tool [1] enables you to download a clean Windows 8.1 ISO that can be used to re-install the operating system and wipe out all of the preloaded bloatware on any PC. To do the same with a Windows 7 PC, visit Microsoft's Software Recovery website [2]. From Windows 8.1 Update 1 onwards, there is a built-in PowerShell cmdlet called Export-WindowsDriver [3] that will backup all of your third-party drivers prior to reinstalling the OS. Export-WindowsDriver –Online -Destination c:\DriverBackup On older versions of Windows, DoubleDriver [4] is a good alternative. Once you have created a bootable USB flash drive from the Windows ISO [5], another useful tip is to create a folder called $WinPEDriver$ in the root of the drive and copy the drivers you backed up into here. Windows will automatically install the drivers found in the $WinPEDriver$ folder during installation of the OS. [1] http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-reset-re... [2] http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-recovery http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-recovery [3] https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn614084.aspx https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn614084.aspx [4] http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/System-Info/Double-Driver.shtml http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/System-Info/Double-Drive... [5] https://rufus.akeo.ie/ https://rufus.akeo.ie/

nissehulth 12y ago
Good list of resources, but I'd like to add that the Windows 7 recovery page doesn't accept OEM license keys. If you try to enter the key from the sticker on your laptop, you will most likely be told to contact your hardware provider. Which means you're stuck with their crapware installer.

deleted 12y ago

[deleted]