Dell laptops without OS

[riph72]

Hi all,

I don't know if this is news to any of you, but having despaired at the lack of options when buying a laptop without Windows, I contacted Dell on a whim and asked about whether their laptops could be bought non-OS... I firmly expected a "no chance" response, but apparently they will supply Latitude and Precision laptops OS-free, with a discount of £50-£60. But you have to contact them directly - you can't buy non-OS via their normal purchase-mechanism.

I haven't tested this, but the guy actually did sound like he knew what he was talking about!

Hope this is of use to someone :)

Cheers,
Richard.

[MadmanRB]

Honestly if you want a computer with no OS just build your own, thats what I did and its honestly not that hard nor complicated.

[haqking]

Honestly if you want a computer with no OS just build your own, thats what I did and its honestly not that hard nor complicated.

Not as easy if its a laptop which is the OP statement ;-)

[MadmanRB]

Not as easy if its a laptop which is the OP statement ;-)

Yeah laptops you cant do it, sad thing really.

[haqking]

Yeah laptops you cant do it, sad thing really.

well yes you can, i just meant its not as easy for the average person who wants a OS free machine.

Also to the OP there are a few places where you can get a laptop OS free or with Linux pre-installed.

http://www.linuxemporium.co.uk/products/laptops/
http://www.linuxcertified.com/linux_laptops.html
Dell will be shipping a Ubuntu laptop https://www.zdnet.com/blog/open-source/dell-readies-ubuntu-linux-laptop-for-developers/10958
Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Laptops-Linux-Computers-Accessories/s?ie=UTF8&rh=n%3A429886031%2Cp_n_operating_system_browse-bin%3A182778031&page=1

many others too and not forgetting system 76 https://www.system76.com/

Page a with a few links http://linuxpreloaded.com/

[MadmanRB]

well yes you can, i just meant its not as easy for the average person who wants a OS free machine.

Indeed, though they should do that for those who dont want windows

[riph72]

Honestly if you want a computer with no OS just build your own, thats what I did and its honestly not that hard nor complicated.
I'd have no problem building a desktop system without OS, laptops are a bit trickier...

[riph72]

well yes you can, i just meant its not as easy for the average person who wants a OS free machine.

Also to the OP there are a few places where you can get a laptop OS free or with Linux pre-installed.

http://www.linuxemporium.co.uk/products/laptops/
http://www.linuxcertified.com/linux_laptops.html
Dell will be shipping a Ubuntu laptop https://www.zdnet.com/blog/open-source/dell-readies-ubuntu-linux-laptop-for-developers/10958
Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Laptops-Linux-Computers-Accessories/s?ie=UTF8&rh=n%3A429886031%2Cp_n_operating_system_browse-bin%3A182778031&page=1

many others too and not forgetting system 76 https://www.system76.com/

Page a with a few links http://linuxpreloaded.com/
I'm keeping an eye on Project Sputnik (Dell)! I do hope they don't limit it to 13" laptops though, or that would be dead in the water for me.

[papibe]

Hi riph72.

Here are a few interesting related links:

Comprehensive list of hardware suppliers who sell computers with Ubuntu pre-installed (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuPre-installed).
Ubuntu on Dell (http://www.ubuntu.com/dell).

Regards.

[irv]

About a week ago I was looking for a cheap laptop for a sound system and I checked Walmart online and here is a list I found. Of course they all come with Window 7, but for these prices I would have installed Ubuntu along side of it. I ended up using an older laptop that I bought some time ago. It was a no-name laptop that I setup myself. My son picked it up for me so I don't know where he got it. Anyway, here is the list:

Asus K53U-RBR5 with AMD Dual Core E-350 4GB & 640GB HD Webcam, card reader $378.54

Compaq Presario CQ57 AMD Dual Core E-300 2GB 250GB HD Webcam, card reader $315.00

Toshiba Satelite C655D-S5518 AMD E-300 3GB 320GB HD Webcam, 4 in 1 card reader $328.00

HP 2000-299WM Intel Celeron T3500 3GB 320GB HD card reader $314.98

Sony VAIO VPCEG32FX/W Intel Pentium B960 4GB 640MB HD Webcam card reader $478.00

Compaq Presario CQ57-339WM Intel Celeron B800 2GB 320GB HD Webcam card reader $298.00

[Old_Grey_Wolf]

A lot of corporations buy computers with no OS. They buy several computers at a time that are identically configured. They have their own “Site Licenses” for OS and software. They make an image of a computer and put it on all the computers. It save them on maintenance time.

Many computer manufactures sell computers with no OS; however, you have to contact them directly. They are usually not found on their websites. At work I have computers from Dell, HP, and SGI that didn't come with an OS.

[irv]

Have you seen this one yet. At least it doesn't have windows on it.
http://www.omgchrome.com/samsung-chromebox-accidentally-goes-on-sale-gets-unboxed/

[rg4w]

Yeah laptops you cant do it, sad thing really.
There are a few, but even on this page all but two of the models have switchable graphics, which AFAIK are still problematic in Ubuntu:
http://rjtech.com/shop/index.php?dispatch=categories.view&category_id=220

[irv]

There are a few, but even on this page all but two of the models have switchable graphics, which AFAIK are still problematic in Ubuntu:
http://rjtech.com/shop/index.php?dispatch=categories.view&category_id=220

Wow, spendy for no Hard Drive, CPU, Memory, Wifi, etc. You can buy one complete for almost the same price.

[mips]

How about a Dell with Ubuntu preloaded?

http://arstechnica.com/business/2012/05/new-dell-ubuntu-ultrabooks-a-step-in-the-right-direction-for-linux-support/


New Dell Ubuntu ultrabooks a step in the right direction for Linux support
But upstream hardware support is more important than preinstallation.

by Ryan Paul - May 8 2012, 10:50pm SAST

Dell has launched an experimental project called Sputnik to produce a Linux laptop that is tailored to meet the needs of software developers. The first stage of the project is a six-month exploratory effort that will pair Dell’s XPS13 Ultrabook with Ubuntu 12.04.

Dell’s Barton George, who described the concept this week in a blog post, hinted at the potential for a more ambitious follow-up effort if the initial experiment succeeds. Dell’s previous Linux efforts have had mixed results. The company first began to offer Ubuntu on desktop and laptop computers in 2007 after open source advocates used Dell’s IdeaStorm website to campaign for Linux preinstallation options.

The availability of Ubuntu-enabled hardware models from Dell has been spotty over the years. The dell.com/ubuntu landing page on Dell’s website often indicates that no products are available with Linux preinstalled, which was the case for most of the past year. At present, Dell is only offering two low-end Vostro models with Ubuntu to consumers in the US. Dell’s Ubuntu machines have reportedly fared better in China, where Dell has made an effort to give the Linux platform a retail presence.

Dell has also previously dabbled with Ubuntu developer machines. When it offered a Mini 10v with an incomplete build of the Ubuntu Moblin Remix in 2009, the company characterized it as an offering for developers and early adopters. And so it was: the touchpad didn’t work properly and the software was missing key features.

Through all of this, our position has been that Linux users would be better served if Dell would focus on improving Linux hardware compatibility across its line instead of trying to offer individual systems with Linux preinstalled. There are a lot of major areas where hardware support needs to be improved, especially on laptops, where power management and dual-mode graphics hardware are still not supported as well as they should be.

The preinstallation offerings in the past have been little more than a gimmick, especially given the small number of Dell systems for which it has historically been offered. The average Linux enthusiast is probably looking for a higher-end rig than the kind of ultra-budget systems that Dell has typically offered with Ubuntu. History has also shown that trying to sell Ubuntu on low-end systems to cost-conscious people who have never heard of Linux is not a winning formula.

More... (http://arstechnica.com/business/2012/05/new-dell-ubuntu-ultrabooks-a-step-in-the-right-direction-for-linux-support/)

[rg4w]

How about a Dell with Ubuntu preloaded?

http://arstechnica.com/business/2012/05/new-dell-ubuntu-ultrabooks-a-step-in-the-right-direction-for-linux-support/
I'd jump on that in a heartbeat if it wasn't for the 1366 x 768 resolution.

They say Sputnik targets devs, but seriously, how many devs do serious coding at 768p?

[irv]

Check this one out:
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/05/new-74-android-mini-computer-is-slightly-larger-than-a-thumb-drive/
The small computer has an AllWinner A10 single-core 1.5GHz ARM CPU, a Mali 400 GPU, and 512MB of RAM. An HDMI port on the exterior allows users to plug the computer into a television. It outputs at 1080p and is said to be capable of playing high-definition video.
EDIT: I should of said for $74.

[riph72]

I'd jump on that in a heartbeat if it wasn't for the 1366 x 768 resolution.

They say Sputnik targets devs, but seriously, how many devs do serious coding at 768p?
My thoughts exactly. I'd buy it tomorrow if it had a 17" screen and resolution to match!

[drawkcab]

Even 4-5 years ago it was relatively easy to get "whitebooks"--a laptop chassis and motherboard--that you could then outfit to your spec. There are plenty of companies like rjtech, powernotebooks, etc. (visit notebookreview.com's forums) that basically offer custom whitebooks with no operating system installed. For higher-end gaming laptops with the latest, greatest gpu, these can be really good places to shop. For the average consumer these are not great deals though.

It's too bad Lenovo just removed their No operating system laptops from their website. I've been super impressed with my Thinkpad and IBM service to the point that I would just advise you to buy one of their rigs on sale and wipe Windows.

[drevicko]

There's also https://www.powernotebooks.com/
Their focus is on gaming laptops so they've all got pretty decent graphics. They sell Sager, MSI and PowerPro laptops without OS. I had a sager from them for many years - was quite happy with it and with their attitude and service.

[Bart_D]

Hi all,

I don't know if this is news to any of you, but having despaired at the lack of options when buying a laptop without Windows, I contacted Dell on a whim and asked about whether their laptops could be bought non-OS... I firmly expected a "no chance" response, but apparently they will supply Latitude and Precision laptops OS-free, with a discount of £50-£60. But you have to contact them directly - you can't buy non-OS via their normal purchase-mechanism.

I haven't tested this, but the guy actually did sound like he knew what he was talking about!

Hope this is of use to someone :)

Cheers,
Richard.

If you want to buy a laptop and never install Windows on it (you will stick with Linux only), then the 2 best options may just be system76 and zaReason. Both ship to your neck of the woods - UK.

Why do you prefer Dell? What is the benefit of a Dell laptop over system76 or zaReason?

EDIT: Okay, I'm not sure if zareason ships to the UK, but system76 does.
zareason: http://zareason.com/shop/Shipping.html
system76: https://www.system76.com/home/shippinginformation/

[Jakin]

About a week ago I was looking for a cheap laptop for a sound system and I checked Walmart online and here is a list I found. Of course they all come with Window 7, but for these prices I would have installed Ubuntu along side of it. I ended up using an older laptop that I bought some time ago. It was a no-name laptop that I setup myself. My son picked it up for me so I don't know where he got it. Anyway, here is the list:

Just me, but i wouldn't waste me money on those e-300 cores.. E2 cores sure.

[lz1dsb]

Dell laptop without an OS... hm. That's exactly how I bought my laptop, from a local store. It's not something uncommon here in Bulgaria. Not only Dell laptops are sold this way.

[mythic97]

I got my laptop from a friend blanked, he replaced the hard drive and smashed the old one (for security reasons) i tell you if a friends got an old laptop buy it they should give you a low price like 30 quid + a spare motherboard:)
In my case

[Statia]

I'm keeping an eye on Project Sputnik (Dell)! I do hope they don't limit it to 13" laptops though, or that would be dead in the water for me.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/29/dell_launches_sputnik/

[newbie2]

I'm keeping an eye on Project Sputnik (Dell)! I do hope they don't limit it to 13" laptops though, or that would be dead in the water for me.

Priced at US$1549, it comes with one year of on-site support as part of the package. The laptop is now available in the U.S. and Canada, and will become available in other countries next year.

The XPS 13 laptop has a 13-inch screen. The company did not immediately provide the weight or battery life of the laptop.

Dell is already selling the XPS 13 ultrabook with Windows 8 starting at $999, making the Linux-based cousin much pricier. (http://www.pcworld.com/article/2017383/dell-ships-lightweight-xps-13-laptop-with-ubuntu-linux.html)
:rolleyes:
here are others :
http://zareason.com/shop/Laptops/
https://www.system76.com/laptops/
:)

[irv]

newbie= Priced at US$1549, it comes with one year of on-site support as part of the package. The laptop is now available in the U.S. and Canada, and will become available in other countries next year.

The XPS 13 laptop has a 13-inch screen. The company did not immediately provide the weight or battery life of the laptop.

Dell is already selling the XPS 13 ultrabook with Windows 8 starting at $999, making the Linux-based cousin much pricier.
I like the specs on this Dell XPS 13 but the price is way out of line. $550 more then one with Win8. What's with that. Does that mean Ubuntu is worth $550 more then Windows? Right now I am typing this on a Asus transformer with a 11" screen. It converts into a tablet when I unplug it from the keyboard, and maybe it doesn't have all the specs the Dell has, but I only paid a little over $400 for it. With the extra battery in the keyboard I get about 15 hours out of it. Not bad! Of course it is running Android 4.1 and Not Ubuntu but for travel it is just fine. If Dell would lower the price alittle below the Win 8 XPS13, I would be interested in it.
http://eee.asus.com/en/transformer-infinity/features The transformer now has the HD model.
I will say this, I would ratther be using Ubuntu and not Android as an OS. But for the price difference I think this is the best way to go for now.

[KiwiNZ]

I like the specs on this Dell XPS 13 but the price is way out of line. $550 more then one with Win8. What's with that. Does that mean Ubuntu is worth $550 more then Windows? Right now I am typing this on a Asus transformer with a 11" screen. It converts into a tablet when I unplug it from the keyboard, and maybe it doesn't have all the specs the Dell has, but I only paid a little over $400 for it. With the extra battery in the keyboard I get about 15 hours out of it. Not bad! Of course it is running Android 4.1 and Not Ubuntu but for travel it is just fine. If Dell would lower the price alittle below the Win 8 XPS13, I would be interested in it.
http://eee.asus.com/en/transformer-infinity/features The transformer now has the HD model.
I will say this, I would ratther be using Ubuntu and not Android as an OS. But for the price difference I think this is the best way to go for now.

The additional price reflects the higher support and development costs.

[irv]

The additional price reflects the higher support and development costs.

I went out on Amazon and read some reviews on this model that came out with Win7. There were a lot of bad reviews on the hardware. HD crashes, Over heating, etc. I hope Dell deals with these issues. I see the spec on the one we are talking about now has a SSD which will help with speed and heating problem.

[KiwiNZ]

I went out on Amazon and read some reviews on this model that came out with Win7. There were a lot of bad reviews on the hardware. HD crashes, Over heating, etc. I hope Dell deals with these issues. I see the spec on the one we are talking about now has a SSD which will help with speed and heating problem.

Heating issues have plagued Dell and HP consumer products, the problem mainly lays with the GPU.

[PhilGil]

The additional price reflects the higher support and development costs.
And then in three months, when no one buys one, Dell will be able to say, "See, no one wants Linux machines." Project Sputnik will be history and Dell and Microsoft will be back to business as usual.

[irv]

I have an older Dell Inspiron 1521 running Ubuntu 12.10. It always ran on the hot side, but since I installed an SSD the temp drop somewhat. It still runs hot when I watch videos, but under normal use it is running better. Yes I agree that Dell and HP's do have overheating problems. One thing about this little Asus I am using right now is it is running very cool even though I have be on it a few hours. I don't feel any heat at all. If you have heat, you know your batter life is not going to be good.

[mamamia88]

Honestly as much as I don't like supporting Microsoft I think you're better off just shopping for the laptop that fits your needs best and if it comes with windows so be it. You'll have way more choices this way. Also, why do computers without an os cost more than ones with an os sometimes?

[KiwiNZ]

And then in three months, when no one buys one, Dell will be able to say, "See, no one wants Linux machines." Project Sputnik will be history and Dell and Microsoft will be back to business as usual.

Not the case, in say a Dell Inspiron 15R, if Dell were to release this with ubuntu preinstalled they will need to relabel the machine, change their web site, redo the quick set up guides and manuals. Develop new drivers etc to work with ubuntu and other software/hardware. They then have to prepare dealer training and provide additional support structures and staff.

Believe it or not there is no dark shady back room conspiracies it is just business.

[PhilGil]

Not the case, in say a Dell Inspiron 15R, if Dell were to release this with ubuntu preinstalled they will need to relabel the machine, change their web site, redo the quick set up guides and manuals. Develop new drivers etc to work with ubuntu and other software/hardware. They then have to prepare dealer training and provide additional support structures and staff.

Believe it or not there is no dark shady back room conspiracies it is just business.

Until a major computer supplier decides that selling Linux machines adds value to their bottom line and is willing to invest in getting things off the ground, preinstalled Linux is a no-go. This is just another half-assed attempt by Dell to get 100% cost recovery on a Linux offering, and it's doomed to failure from the start. Why would anyone pay $500 more for a machine with Ubuntu pre-installed when they could buy a Widows machine and install Ubuntu themselves.

Why does Dell even bother?

[KiwiNZ]

Until a major computer supplier decides that selling Linux machines adds value to their bottom line and is willing to invest in getting things off the ground, preinstalled Linux is a no-go. This is just another half-assed attempt by Dell to get 100% cost recovery on a Linux offering, and it's doomed to failure from the start. Why would anyone pay $500 more for a machine with Ubuntu pre-installed when they could buy a Widows machine and install Ubuntu themselves.

Why does Dell even bother?

It is simple if it takes off then volume sales mean that overheads are recouped faster and then the cost can come down, if there is small sales volume then the cost stays up or the product is withdrawn as being unprofitable.

They are not going to release a product on the market at below true cost.

[irv]

It is simple if it takes off then volume sales mean that overheads are recouped faster and then the cost can come down, if there is small sales volume then the cost stays up or the product is withdrawn as being unprofitable.

They are not going to release a product on the market at below true cost.

All we need is an Entrepreneur to make a deal with Dell and buy a bunch of computer with no OS' and install Ubuntu and resell them. If I wasn't such an old guy I would do it.The only problem is I might die before I get them all sold.