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Please note that if you purchase blank machines, you can not use the Windows 8 Upgrade licenses offered by the MSU Computer Store to put an OS on them. The $85 Windows 8 Upgrade License with Software Assurance and $54 Windows 8 Pro Upgrade License are upgrade licenses only. You need to have a Windows OS on the machine before you can use them. Rachel Rachel Zakhem Michigan State University IT Services Site License Coordinator, MSU Computer Store (517) 432-5367 cstore.msu.edu<http://cstore.msu.edu> On Jun 24, 2013, at 5:23 PM, STeve Andre' <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: I have gotten so many mixed signals on this that I have given up and helped people build their own computers, from Newegg. Except for laptops, it's been working. Lenovo claims to have Linux based Thinkpads, but twice now, they denied their existence. They have also denied selling TP's without disks, but I know someone who got 12 of them that way. So buying computers without the MS tax is hard. You might be able to go to a local computer store and get an OS free machine but beware that some stores automatically roll Windows into the price. I'm all ears for new sources. --STeve Andre' On 06/24/13 09:43, Rivard, Ronald wrote: MSU’s Dell rep, Pat Hug [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>, would be a good resource for some help. Pat can find out if Dell is currently able to upload an image without an OS. /ron rivard From: Wortz, Josh [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Monday, June 24, 2013 8:52 AM To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: [MSUNAG] Possible to Buy Dell or any other major brand Pc without an OS? You could use Dell ImageDirect. This allows you to pre-build your image through a web interface which allows you to enter your own keys or you can upload your own image. Then when you order your computers, you should be able to order them pre-imaged. I used this at a previous employer when I had to order dozens of laptops/desktops at a time. Joshua Wortz RHCT - RHEL5 | MCSE - 2K3 | MCTS - Exchange 2007 | MCTS - Vista - Configuration | MCDST Systems Administrator Collaborative Services & Support @ IT Services Michigan State University [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> 517.432.5304 (Office) From: Al Puzzuoli [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Friday, June 21, 2013 12:01 PM To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Subject: [MSUNAG] Possible to Buy Dell or any other major brand Pc without an OS? Hi all, We are looking at upgrading our department’s Assistive Technology lab this summer. We want to purchase all-in-one touch screen PCs, and are currently focusing on the Dell XPS27. I would prefer to buy something in the Optiplex line, perhaps the Optiplex 9020, except that in order to use some of our assistive technologies, we require HDMI in, and the optiplex apparently only offers HDMI out. I want to roll a Windows 8 Enterprise image out to all these machines, so really don’t see the need to spend money at time of purchase for an OS, but according to our Dell rep, they won’t sell us a machine without some version of Windows. He stated that the Windows 8 Enterprise licenses sold by our computer store are “upgrade only”, so we would be out of compliance with Microsoft in any case if we were to install that version to a bare machine. Can anyone shed more light on this? Is there any way to get around the waste of buying a machine with a version of Windows which will immediately be blown away and never used again? The rep did indicate they do offer the option of selling select machines with Linux installed but alas, they apparently don’t do that for any of the machines we are interested in. Thanks, Al Puzzuoli Michigan State University Information Technologist http://www.rcpd.msu.edu<http://www.rcpd.msu.edu/> Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities 517-884-1915 120 Bessey Hall East Lansing, MI 48824-1033