


Unfortunately, these short-term savings often have a much higher long-term cost. I personally think this is a very bad practice, but I also understand that it may save the manufacturer (and ultimately you) a little bit of money.

Many computer manufacturers are pre-installing Windows without giving you the actual installation media to go with it. Let’s look at how to prepare for this day and what straws you may have to grasp at should you arrive unprepared. This can cause some panic when you’re later instructed to make sure that you have media ready before installing some other software or hardware or if you ever find yourself needing to reinstall your system from scratch. It’s becoming more and more common to have a completely legal installation of Windows without installation media such as CDs or DVDs.
