b5media.com

Advertise with us

Enjoying this blog? Check out the rest of the Technology Channel Subscribe to this Feed

That Damn PC: Hardware, Software, Virus, Malware, PC Troubleshooting,

Should you buy a preinstalled Windows Vista or install it yourself?

by Kiven on January 14th, 2007

My opinion on this goes like this: If you have a deep knowledge of PC’s and their inner workings (e.g. enthusiasts, power users, etc) then installing it yourself is the wiser choice. Not only can you choose how Vista is installed but all the settings and configuration that will undoubtedly come with it, giving you better flexibility and control over what is installed on your pc once Vista is set up. The drawback of this method is that you need to be knowledgable enough to install Vista and anticipate problems such as driver incompatibilities plus the time you need to actually sit down and configure everything up. Installing an OS yourself is also a great way to get to know your PC even more.

On the other hand, having a preinstalled OS is a boon to those who dont want to tinker with settings and other similar stuff. You get a working OS with not much effort on your part, nicely configured and ready to go. Most OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers like Dell) also bundle software with preinstalled OSes and is a good way to start off someone who has no or limited software to install on his new PC. One drawback of preinstalled software is that you might not need what’s installed along with the software. Or you get a bunch of apps that just take away valuable RAM by running in the background. OEMs also tend to bundle preinstalled OSes with a restore CD, whihc will wipe away your data and settings if you use it to restore your PC to its original state when purchased which isnt as “clean” as when you install the OS yourself.

POSTED IN: Windows Optimizing, Windows Vista

1 opinion for Should you buy a preinstalled Windows Vista or install it yourself?

Have an opinion? Leave a comment: