I would like to purchase a netbook, (something cheap and simple) but I want to control which Linux OS I install.......I'm having trouble finding a netbook for sale with no OS.

Anybody have any ideas? Perhaps I'm looking in the wrong places...


Thanks.

How the H--- are we supposed to help you with this?

Your location is posted, at left, as "Kansan". But where the F--- is that?

LQ is global, so please don't expect us to guess your local neighbourhood, even if that is all you know of the world.

I just go to my local PC shop (not a big chain, it's a "family business") they are always very helpful, and will build and sell me any hardware without an OS pre-installed. Dirt cheap, good value, good follow-up (please swap this video-card for another one. "OK"), no messing-about.

They are happy, I am happy.

Try your local (not mainstream) shop. You might be pleasantly surprised.

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Seems rather harsh treatment.

Personally I doubt you could find one. Basically a linux choice is a no install cost to the OEM. No OS might be $5 less.


There is little reason for a company to sell no OS laptops or mini's. Like 4 people would order it.

You could always get a remanufactured or used or scratch/dent specials off Ebay; and just get rid of whatever OS is there...

"Harsh" was not intended. Just facts.

The "local shop" (where I live) will provide hardware, and hardware support, without an OS pre-installed, and do it very reasonably. No charge for the lack of a pre-installed OS. I do have to pay extra if I want windows installed (which I do not).

Perhaps the OP doesn't have this option, but how are we to know? (S)he is making an assumption that we know what is available / legal in Kansan, wherever that is.

Just to expand upon, or rephrase slightly if I may:

While there *are* very (very!) few large retailers, box stores, and the like, that will supply a machine with no OS, it's much more painless to do like tredegar wrote, using either your local small computer shop, or by ordering parts from online.

Two ways, which amount to the same thing: order hardware bit by bit, and assemble it yourself (usually via ordering online) or at the local shop, custom-tailor your machine (specify your parts you want, and specify no OS) and have them assemble it for you.

NOTE: it is not as easy getting a "netbook" piece by piece, as it is with a desktop machine, I realize that. So your local small computer shop is in this case, your best bet.

Cheers!
Sasha

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Hey fellow kansan......

I'd follow grapefruitgirl's and linus72's advice. I've tried our local stores here SW part of Kansas and had some fun with one place telling me I'd have to "pay" to have them remove windows, was quite hilarious...Ha ha...

But seriously, you could look on ebay, I've purchased several desktop computers one 2.0ghz 512mb for $70 and a 2.4ghz 512mb for $60, and a 3.0ghz 1gb for $100 (Got a mouse and keyboard with this one, also unfortunately with windows XP, but I've ran live CD's and USB slax on it). Although I had plenty of monitors lying around, still even if I purchased monitors at a local store wouldn't have come to more than $250 for the whole setup. The only thing that ticked me off about the computers was the 40gb hard drives, but I had several laying around so again, not a big problem for me.

Unfortunately I haven't looked into netbooks too much, but I've seen several that were not too bad. However, I just don't know cause I haven't really tried for one yet, but if I had this luck with desktops, certainly there's good netbooks on there as well.

Yes, thanks everyone...you too tredegar....I guess I should have been a little bit more specific. I live in Kansas a state in the USA. I am looking for an online vendor that sells to customers in the USA. I wasn't intending for anyone to have to guess my location. (I never really thought that was that important...now I know)

I live in a tiny town and there are NO local computer shops,(nearest would be about 60 miles) so....I buy a majority of my things online. I was just asking if anyone had any ideas.

I'll scan e-pay a little closer. I just thought that there may have been a company that sold these little net books with the option of no OS installed. (apparently not) Oh well, thats why I asked.

Thanks

P.S...Mol_Bolom I say Kansan because I've lived in just about every part of the state. Currently in North central. You close to Dodge?

As far as I know there is not anyone who sells a netbook that contains no OS unless its on ebay. But if you bought one that has Linux on it then they are normally cheaper then the ones with windows. Many of them these days tho come with windows xp or with windows xp with a Linux option disc. Honestly tho its not that big of a price problem, these netbooks are fast moving products and were barely introduced back in late 2007. Since then they have gotten a bit bigger and the price has fluctuated greatly from 199 to 500. Personally I would just browse the internet to find some deals before going to ebay since many on ebay will buy it brand new for less then there selling it there. I would also keep my eye out for some of the older netbooks (Like 5 month's or so) that stores are trying to get rid of. This is how I was able to pickup my Lenovo for the utterly unheard of price of $170 brand spankin new from the store. The manager was trying to get rid of it since it was his last one and it was a display model. 200 with 15% off. Try looking for the lenovo s10e or an aspire or even eee. All of them are well supported in linux and windows environments.

The problem with buying a computer without an OS stems from the manufacturers' deals with Microsoft. All of the major computer manufacturers like Dell, Acer, HP and even Asus have deals with Microsoft that say every complete system they sell must come with an operating system, even if it is not Windows, or they will lose their special license pricing.

This is why you used to be able to get special order computers with FreeDOS, not because anyone wanted to use FreeDOS, but because they needed a free place holder OS. I believe Acer used Linpus Linux, not the usable Linpus that comes on an Acer Aspire One netbook, but a totally useless and unconfigured OS that doesn't even support the system's hardware, it was just meant to boot and keep Microsoft happy. These were not popular and most companies dropped this option, I assume partially because of tech support calls from users that did not understand what they were buying.

So, just about every netbook comes from the factory with an OS installed, not much you can do about it. If you want a recent netbook with good specs for a good price, it is almost impossible to get one without Windows on it. Just the way the market has gone, unfortunately, very slim offerings of Linux netbooks.

Without without...

In all probability there will be a greater choice of laptop or netbook systems that are well supported in linux if you accept that they have Windows on them when they come to you.

Indeed, those powerful linux partitioning tools were created for a reason.

Some firms seem to make machines that are amenable to linux, IBM/Lenovo is one of them. Some manufacturers use propriety parts and standards that don't take well to linux, Dell, Toshiba, Compac come to mind.

Here too Google is your help mate. A search of any model you might consider buying for optimal linux functionality should get you further along the road to a good linux machine than any search for a machine without Windows that may accept linux.

The end is linux, the starting point is secondary.

Out of curiosity, does this mean that the OS is loaded as soon as these companies either purchase the computers or manufacture them? Or if the OS is installed prior to purchasing, then why not have a section on their web sites strictly aimed towards those of us Linux users. The systems are free, and they wouldn't have to do much. Hell, most of us do our own research into what computers would work, so all they would need to do is a simple text page listing the computers and OS's that could come with them.

Indy452 >> Close is a relative term for anywhere in SW Kansas, LOL. However, it's only about an hour drive to Dodge. I'm in Garden City.

LOL FreeDos beats all the OSs (except the lack of a good browser).
@the OP
trying to find a new laptop without an OS would be very dificult,
the manufacturers dont want to hear about the customer that buys it and gets a missing operating system message in the left top corner.

Most Windows systems are mass produced, they make thousands at a time. So labor and everything becomes very cheap. Doing something custom is going to cost more, so what you save by not getting Windows is going to be cancelled out by the labor involved to make the custom order without it. Dell only offered FreeDOS on certain systems, not their whole line, they weren't any cheaper than buying one with Windows and in some cases were more expensive for the same hardware.

EDIT:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dell_n_Series

I didn't know that, because of their deal with Microsoft, they aren't even allowed to advertise these systems.

Hey , I don't think you will get a notebook without an OS pre-installed ( not very sure )

In that case , there are 2 option for you .

1) Get a laptop with Linux installed in it ( it will be very cheap )
2) There are also laptop with free DOS pre-installed ( it will only cost you for the hardware )

you can also google for that, an online shop with no OS , I am not very sure .

Thanks
Peeths