I am planing to buy a laptop in the next days most probably with Windows 7 under an OEM license.

1) Do I have the right to ask for a CD for a full install even if it comes already installed?

2) Besides the sticker attesting the validity of the license what I should expect to be given?

3) Any chance that I could ask for two partitions in the HD?

Have read lot about this but found not the above details.

Question for myself: why all this is always so obscure / obsfuscated for common people?

 

I bought a laptop a year ago, with WIN 7 pre-installed.

It did not come with any extra CDs, but after the first boot, it asked for a full system backup. I needed 4 DVDs.

When I get my hands on new computers or cell phones, the first thing I check is how to reset to factory settings/ default settings.

On my, at that time, new Lenovo, I did the backup part, and have used it a few times.

The backup part works great.

 

When I bought my windows 7 laptop it didn't come with a CD. Used to be, with WIN95 & the likes, you got a full install CD of the operating system and another CD with all the drivers. I liked that. I don't like this. I don't know how you're supposed to get windows back if your computer crashes.

Interesting, related note: I bought a netbook from newegg.com and it was super cheap. I read the fine print and, I don't remember what it's called, but it came with a "crippled" version of windows 7. You were really limited in what you can do with it. Newegg sold me an "upgrade" from the crippled version to the full version (I think it was 60$) and when it arrived, it wasn't even a CD. It was a fancy extruded plastic box the size of a VHS cassette with a printed insert and inside was just a card with a serial number & instructions. I put the serial # in and it uncrippled itself. I was a little put off by the fact that they felt the need to charge me for a plastic box that serves no purpose but occupy a landfill, when they could have just slipped the card in the laptop box.

 

3) Any chance that I could ask for two partitions in the HD?

You should be able to do it yourself:
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/shrink-extend-volumes-partitions-windows-7/
Making a backup first is recommended, but if it's a fresh install and you get an install DVD there's not much to lose.

 

compare prices on a machine that has no operating system to one that does, then throw in the retail price of an operating system. It'll come into focus. Make your recovery and backup disks, and you'll be ahead.

All of my newer laptops have Windows Xp pro partitioned in as a boot choice, which I prefer over newer windows versions. If you are partitioning your harddrive for multiple boot systems, make absolutely sure that you make a recovery disk first.

 

Most modern laptops are either accompanied by a "format and reset to factory settings" CD OR have the option to do it in the native OEM system software. This is done by extracting OS data from a hidden partition in the hard disk.

If you decide to use your own OS disk afterwards, make sure you have at least the networking drivers downloaded in a flash stick. I did it once in a laptop and couldn't find the camera drivers. I ended up using a 3rd party video stream editor to flip the image upside down, as the drivers where messed up.
I call it one of my major fails.

 

Almost no computers come with OS discs anymore but the keys work on the correct version of windows. You can usually find a real disc to download on the net somewhere. But you can d/l the disc then enter you key and it will work. I beleive at one time even MS had a download site for the discs. I think they do this hoping naive people will buy additional copies of windows.

 

Create your own backup copy of the entire machine, even if it takes several CD's or DVD's. Even if you never have to use it, you won't be sorry you did the backup.

 

GetDeviceInfo makes a very good point.

If you intend to use your multiple partitions for multiple booting of operating systems it is vital that you install the operating systems in the correct order. Oldest first.

For Windows that would be XP then Vista then 7 then 8.

It can be the devil's own job to make a bootable system if you do it the other way round.

You should be able to receive a Windows OEM disk with your pc. Some vendors used to charge an arm and a leg for this, especially if you bought one later, but now most charge only a nominal fee.
If you buy a big name such as Dell or HP the disks are the same for every similar Dell pc and can also be obtained from _bay etc.
Please note that XP comes on a CD, but Vista and 7 come on a DVD. 8 you can only download the trial version at the moment.
Further there is a difference between the 'installation' processes.
XP is an installation disk, as with any program.
Vista and 7 are bit for bit copies of an installed system and the 'installation' is actually a copying process.

Post again for further help.

 

Yes, a ghost image is probably the best choice. I have done this for my PC too.

About the install order: Make sure Linux goes last. Windows messes up their bootloader.

 

Well, my idea is for something simpler:

Say C: for software and D: for data. In my (her) case I expect my daughter to increase much more data than software.(But you never know...)

In my own case I estimated wrong and few weeks ago I run short of space in C: with win XP. Managed to eliminate things but I am somewhere near colapse.

 

One of my friends bought a Win7 computer. I tried to make a backup with Norton Ghost...failed. Tried to make a backup with Acronis True Image..failed. Then I found the Microsoft backup program: "Please send $30 to make your own backup copy."

How irritating!
I gave up making a backup set and promised myself to avoid Win7 if at all possible.

 

Hm... Norton Ghost worked fine for me...

 

I put the serial # in and it uncrippled itself. I was a little put off by the fact that they felt the need to charge me for a plastic box that serves no purpose but occupy a landfill, when they could have just slipped the card in the laptop box.

You didn't pay for the plastic box. You paid for the license. Even big bad MS has the right to make money.