Can you buy an "empty" computer?

[Bizibilder]

Having just upgraded fron Vista to Windows 7 I was wondering if you can buy a computer that has NO software pre-loaded?

I'm not into "building from component parts" but I have always found the pre-loaded junk that you seem to get from the high street suppliers is little more than a waste of hard disc space.

So can you buy an "empty" computer and then just load the operating system and software that you want? And, if so, where from and would it be an economical option? (I suspect that the "packages" sold by the big suppliers may be cheaper?)

Surely it would be possible to buy a better spec machine for the same money and then load it with whatever you choose?

[wayne weedon]

Any PC builder should be able to do what you require really.

[Capricorn]

Think you answered the question yourself when you said:

"building from component parts"

People that do a build from component parts get the software they want and install it. If they couldn't then they would have the electronics but no operating system.

[brantuk]

Most computers come pre-installed because very few people know how to install an operating system. But the answer is definitely yes! I have built many systems from scratch - purchasing and assembling the parts - then installing operating systems including Unix, Windows, and several others you wouldn't have heard of.

If you have the technical know how you can completely wipe a pre-installed machine and put whatever you like on it

[brantuk]

Also - it used to be financial advantageous to build from scratch - but nowadays it's more cost effective to purchase pre-installed due to the economies of scale the giant companies have achieved - it's almost impossible to beat them on price. You would only do this if you wanted to assemble a "purpose dedicated" machine (e.g. a special graphics processor for gaming, or a system that can process fast enough for controlling industrial machinery or moving objects like missiles).

[Bizibilder]

Thanks to you all - I started out in IT 20 years ago working on a mainframe and have progressed through most forms of PC since then! I have no qualms about "self build" really - I'm just too lazy in my old age!

I guessed that the economics may well be the stumbling block! Possibly not really worth it in the long run.

[Rob]

You can buy all the components and build one or buy a barebones from Novatech/scan computers

Rob

[brantuk]

"I have no qualms about "self build" really - I'm just too lazy in my old age!"

Hey Bizibuilder - I think I'm beginning to feel this too lol

[sbooder]

Dell Vostro comes blank also Alienware machines, but they are pricey. You can also buy a Dell from their outlet which are returned machines for less money, they may come loaded but you get better spec, and you can just zero the HDD and start from scratch with Ubuntu 10.10 or something similar.

[adamsp123]

You mean something like this

Extra Value Desktop PC - Desktops | Ebuyer.com

no operating system

[Earl]

if you want as PC most vendors supply with No OS.

If you want a Real PC you build it yourself.

[Keiran]

I think it will be very hard to find an off the shelf PC with nothing installed, as most people purchasing one, just want to get it home and use it... as you probably already know, there is nothing stopping you from buying a PC and formating the HDD and then installing you OS and other software. This would save space on the HDD but most new PC come with such big HDD it isnt a problem. The only problem i have is when you buy an off the shelf PC it comes with so much rubbish installed, and so little RAM the comupter slows.... but on start up you can just stop such rubbish from loading and then uninstall it.

As for saving you money and getting a better spec PC for the same money.... Good luck finding one, I think you may find it quite hard.

HTH

Keiran

[Carbon Brush]

Just a word of warning on the DIY route. Manufactuers with 'pre installed' operating systems only include device drivers for that system. I recently bought a windows 7 computer on the basis of price. But I would have preferred it to run XP. All my astro software is a year or two or more old and knows nothing of Windows 7. I have a licensed XP that I could install. But this is 'old' and the motherboard is 'new'. This meant I did not have the device drivers for the motherboard. It meant that I would have to work out what I wanted and download them from the motherboard manufacturer's website. All possible, but a lengthy process.

In the end I stuck with W7, but made it look more like XP and fiddled around until it would run my software. Then I came up with a better idea. I gave the computer to a poverty stricken student and got an old XP system running.

Sorry, no easy solutions!

[sbooder]

I still have an old system running 98SE, the best OS Microsoft ever produced, it never crashed, and never suffered from hacks. But sadly MS stopped updates for it, very sad.

[wayne weedon]

You can buy all the components and build one or buy a barebones from Novatech/scan computers

Rob

Or a plain old "empty" PC!

I also use Novatech a fair bit, and would recommend then as a fair supplier.

Award Winning Desktop PCs, Office PCs & Gaming PCs from Novatech

Wayne....

[Nillchill]

On an additional note, please be very wary when installing your preferred O.S. to your empty PC. With Microsoft product it is a breach of licensing to utilise any OEM licensed OS on any other machine apart from the one it was purchased with. This is also why the majority of PCs sold off the shelf come with OS installed. To truly install your OS you should purchase a retail (boxed) copy of the OS of choice. in that case you are allowed to transfer it between machines.

[pvaz]

All my current PCs came with a pre-intalled OS and all it toke was about 30min to uninstall all unwanted manufacturer software )antivirus trial, office trial and a few other stuff).

After that it's pretty much the same as a standard OS installation, at least I can't see any difference.

Nill. Assuming you replace your PC every 3 years and after such a period an OS is usually outdated, it's better to buy the OEM license for around 40% of the package license. True it's only legal on the machine it was bought with but when you get a new machine the OS is already outdated and the extra cash you spent on it is lost.

[Beulah]

You can buy all the components and build one or buy a barebones from Novatech/scan computers

Rob

Novatech is excellent.

[Catanonia]

Most definately go the self build route if you ave the patience and skills.

For example my pc

Intel I7 920 8 processors / cores over clocked from 2.66Ghz to 4.2 Ghz

Corsair water cooler, self contained.

Asus motherboard

6GB fast RAM

GTX 260 video card.

3GB raided fast hard disk.

Massive cooled gaming case

DVD writer etc etc

SD card reader

All build for about £1000 6 months ago..

It is a kick a$$ machine and is perfect for high processing on images.

Well worth it.

On a plus, I installed it so it dual boots Windows 64bit 7 and OS Mac Snow Leopard.

My Mac boot is faster than any Mac you can buy

Add in a couple of 21inch flat screens, tis awesome and well worth the self build route.

[Merlin66]

Reading this thread.....

I have a ol' Acer laptop which is long overdue for replacement....

I'd like to stay with XP and have the OEM disks.

As you know all the new laptops come with Win7 pre-installed...

Are you telling me that if I reformat the HD in a new laptop and install XP that there maybe other problems??? (motherboard?)

I'd honestly assumed it was just a matter of dumping Win7 and installing XP?????

[pvaz]

Reading this thread.....

I have a ol' Acer laptop which is long overdue for replacement....

I'd like to stay with XP and have the OEM disks.

As you know all the new laptops come with Win7 pre-installed...

Are you telling me that if I reformat the HD in a new laptop and install XP that there maybe other problems??? (motherboard?)

I'd honestly assumed it was just a matter of dumping Win7 and installing XP?????

You'll probably need a package license CD of win XP. But, while vista was a complete disaster, 7 is actually faster and more stable then XP on my machine. The windows UI is better too with the auto split screen when you drag it to the side, and some other features. You should uninstall the garbage the manufacturers push in and give 7 a try.

PS-> Installing an OEM from a previous machine on another PC is piracy. You might as well download a version of XP from the web if the OEM doesn't run. If it's for personal use I don't see you getting an inspection at home and besides, when you buy the new PC, Bill Gates is already getting a share of the money for the pre-installed Win 7, which you won't be using.

[Merlin66]

Hmmmm

So if my HD crashes and I replace it I can't reinstall XP from the original disks?? I thought the licence covered the use on one machine for personal use - didn't say which machine? ( The XP software is a separate package with it's CD and serial - it didn't come pre installed...)

Also, If I don't boot up the new machine and use Win7 ( ie accept the Microsoft T&C) surely I should get my money back for the software which I neither want or used??

Win7 maybe OK, but all my astro programs work 100% under XP, don't want to go through the pain of not having them run under Win7....XP's fine for me.

[Toadeh]

Don't forget the cost of the OS. You can buy OEM, which you can install on that new pc and that PC alone (i.e., once it dies, you need a new copy from a legal point of view). Or you can buy the licensed version for a silly figure.

[russ]

Hmmmm

So if my HD crashes and I replace it I can't reinstall XP from the original disks?? I thought the licence covered the use on one machine for personal use - didn't say which machine? ( The XP software is a separate package with it's CD and serial - it didn't come pre installed...)

The OEM version is tied to one machine (motherboard), cannot be transferred to another machine. The retail version can be installed on one pc and transferred to a new pc if the old one fails.

I've only ever bought OEM versions for the reason already mentioned. By the time the PC becomes obsolete there will be a new OS to install anyway. And there difference in cost between OEM and Retail is quite big.

And i self build my PC's, not for cost reasons, but for pleasure. Plus the off-the-shelf PC's tend to have naff motherboards, weak power supplies and hopeless graphics cards. They will fit low end components with big numbers so it looks good for marketing.

[Merlin66]

OK!

Understand now the difference between an "OEM" copy of XP and a "Retail" copy of XP....I have a retail copy.

So what about all the comments the the "newer motherboards are designed for Win7 and may have problems with XP"????? I have to re-install all the programs and the drivers for my cameras etc etc anyway.