A short summary of my adventures in OEM Adware Baitware Loss-Leader-Land:
a) From Nov 2004 onwards, Dell stopped shipping...
Windows XP Reinstallation CD
Dell Resource CD
Dell Modem Driver CD
Dell Tools CD
with their desktops and laptops. Instead, you get a spiffy, CD-sized, rectangular, sky-blue postcard on which you can read the following (I'm obviously not making this up):
Your new computer does not require an operating system CD or driver CDs.
Wow. Just wow. Hold it right there. We are witnessing the triumph of marketing over gravity, no less. Grant yourself a moment of reflection and allow this pearl of wisdom to sink in.
And now, let us continue and find out what this brave new world of Windows PCs without need for OS backups, system tools or drivers actually looks like:
Instead, if you ever need to reinstall your software, use one of the following methods:
The System Restore function within XP
Dell PC Restore "returns your computer to its original operating state".
Oh, you were wondering where you are going to get your drivers, system tools and the OS backup you know you will most definitely need rather sooner than later? Hey sure, no problem. We were just kidding with that piece of cardboard. Here's the deal:
1) OS backup: Do it yourself (what did you think). Dell now generously provides you with a handy, one-off tool to create your very own personal OS backup CD. Saves Dell about two cents on the CD, costs you around ten cents for it. And better make sure you get it right the first time round cause you only get one chance to make your backup.
2) Drivers: search Dell's fantastic website for them. Spend some serious time there. What did you think.
Q. Oh, and that PC Restore thing -- just what is that exactly?
It's a system wiper you can, conventiently, invoke any time, at boot time. And by the way, Dell outsourced that neat little job to Symantec -- the company that's been happy to use rootkit-like cloaking mechanisms to hide certain files used by its SystemWorks product from its users, for years.