Does Dell ship the 64bit Vista Ultimate DVD too?

So, finally I ordered my XPS 1330 today. I choose Windows Vista Ultimate SP1 as my operating system, but in the invoice I got it only says it contains the 32-bit version.

I know that the 64bit version of Ultimate is bundled from MS to the 32bit version of Ultimate but Dell doesn't think that is true. Should I have the 64bit version DVD in my package or not? Do I need to nag Dell about this?

 

Yeah just call dell and ask them to send the 64bit version. They will be more than happy to send it out.

There is no problem.

 

u need to nag.. u got ultimate, so dell is obligated to give it to u....

i remember seeing a post about the part numbers for vista x64 thats in the dell CSR manual that you can refer the CSR to....cant find it ;(

 

OK I emailed dell and GUESS what?

This is what I get for buying Vista Ultimate on a 2800$-worth computer (without the 25% discount ) ...

What's the best place to nag? I want them to send me the DVD before the laptop arrives so I can do a clean reinstall asap.

 

Remember you can request only if you order the Ultimate or Business Editions.

 

Yeah, I think I've said in every post that I have the Ultimate edition. They emailed me again saying that they won't ship it to me.

I think I'm going to have to call, talk to someone in ****in India, and waste 30 minutes of my life to get them to do the NORMAL thing.

 

Call them up again and tell them to refer to DSN policy document ID 158098, 5th bullet under Policy, first sub-bullet. They will look it up, read it, and dispatch. They cannot go against their policies. That particular bullet details the fact that all users with Vista 32-bit of Business or Ultimate is entitled to a free 64-bit DVD.

 

i just called them Thanks To Forte for the DSN Policy i will get the Ultimate 64bit Monday with my new system

 

I just spent 1 hour on the phone with them. They refused to ship me the Windows Vista Ultimate 64bit

 

If the CSR rep is too lazy to look up Dell policy and is giving you a hard time, just hang up and switch to a different one.

 

Don't Quit bro
try, try and try till you get it
i will get it by Monday so when its in my hand i will give you the part number

 

I emailed them too, and they said, quote

They simply refuse to do it. I can't belive I paid extra to get that DVD and now I'm not getting it.


I've already spent almost 2 hours on this issue, which is a simple thing. I'm really having second thoughts about buying a Dell laptop. Their customer support is SO BAD.

 

Don't you just hate CSRs that feel like they know it all, when in actuality they don't and think all customers are brainless and do not know what they are doing. On top of that they don't bother to even look at their own policy.... kinda sad I think.

 

ok call them and say:
i have a M1530 Vista Ultimat 32-bit OS
i would like you to send me the Vista Ultimat 64-bit CD with my system
your DNS policy document ID 158098 says that all users with Vista 32-bit of Business or Ultimate is entitled to a free 64-bit DVD.
if they say No tell them you want to talk to the manager or the boss or wtv bigger than them

 

and don't say you want them to install it <-- thats why they say no
tell them i will install it my self

 

They usually just say, talking to manager will say the same thing and will refuse. Or even might transfer you to another CSR sitting right next to them. Just hang up and try another one.

They usually say no because they think its ridiculous that Dell would give out 64-bit versions of Vista for free. Though their policy states specifically as I pointed out, it is so.

 

i just hate them
they don't know anything about the damn policy

 

Its one thing if they know dont know their policy, but its a completely different thing when they don't even bother looking it up after you tell them all the details as to where exactly in the policy it is stated.

I haven't run into this kind of a CSR before thankfully, hopefully never will.

 

Exactly... you are telling them exactly where does it say and that will take them 1 sec!!

 

I just talked 30 minutes more. Same thing they passed me from Sales to Customer Support and vice-versa for 4 times, and none of them said that they even know what an internal policy is, or if they can send me that DVD.

I'm getting really close to canceling this order.

 

Thats why. You want to talk to Technical Support to request the Vista 64-bit disc. NOT customer care, NOT sales. Good luck!

 

The one guy that I talked to from Technical Support (one guy that wasn't in India!) said there's no such thing as an "internal policy" and he bought the laptop himself and he didn't get a 64-bit DVD ... so what am I supposed to do?

 

You have to watch out once I got a guy named Chris Bernard, but he was actually an indian with a much smaller accent. Just keep saying:

" DSN policy document ID 158098 says that all users with Vista 32-bit of Business or Ultimate is entitled to a free 64-bit DVD."

Don't get all angry on them, but the DSN policy definitely exists. The guys just too lazy to look it up.

Its DSN policy, NOT DNS.

 

Yeah they found it and they still wouldn't give the DVD too me.

I'm just wondering if I get the DVD from somewhere else can I just install Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit using the CDKEY on the back of the laptop?

I've already spent 2 hours on the phone and I'm not willing to waste anymore time with these retards that can't understand 3 words in English.

 

damn
i don't think you can bro
but trust me call n call you will get it
wait tell tomorrow
Good Luck
i will send you the part number just incase

 

Wait then so they shipped a new cdkey to use with your Ultimate 64-bit?

 

no... ur CD Key under the laptop can activate the 64bit version of the same Vista

eg u ordered 32bit Vista Home premium, can activate 64bit Vista Home Premium

though only one CDKey per OS installed... u cant activate your laptop which has 32bit AND 64bit installed using hte same key

@valval

get the 64bit CD from a friend(or other sources ), actiave using the key under the laptop

 

Per Dell policy, if you purchased 32 bit Vista of any version, you are entitled to the 64 bit DVD of the same version upon request, with the caveat that Dell does not provide complete 64 bit driver support for all platforms. XP 32-to-64 bit is excluded from this policy. Consumer (aka Home and Home Office) purchases are not eligible for the 64 bit DVD as of June 3. This is subject to change.

 

That is truly retarded ...

@paper_wastage are you sure about that? Because I have other brand desktops and I cannot activate a copy (a legal one!) of Windows unless I install it with the OEM CD (which works for any product - I have some HP desktops at works on which I reinstalled windows using one single disk).

 

^I installed and activated Vista 64-bit on my laptop, using a genuine OEM disc (not the Dell one) which I luckily already had, so it does work for sure. The key on your laptop will work for both.

 

Yeah but I will need an OEM disc, not an retail MS Vista Ultimate.

 

did you call again ?

 

The discs are all the same. It's the keys that differ, retail keys, OEM keys etc.

 

The actual key is stored in the bios, so any Vista Ultimate disc would work. No OEM disc needed. Though since Dell is handing them out free if you purchased Business or Ultimate... why not.

 

Yes, the OEM key should work.

Another option is to look for Orev's Activation Bakup and Restore utility, in the Windows forum. You run this on your activated install (in this case 32-bit) and "backup" your activation info to a usb key. Then you install 64-bit without a key, and after it's installed you restore the activation data from the usb key. Worked for me.

BTW, this utility isn't intended (and I don't know if it would even work) to pirate new installs to other machines. It's intended to retore legal activation status on the same machine that it was backed up from.

 

They may not be able to ship until a service tag is generated for your system. I used Dell online tech chat last thursday and requested Ultimate 64. It arrived the next day.

I did try installing Ultimate 64 via an OEM image I found. It asked for the serial number and did the whole activation thing. I tried again with the Dell DVD when I got it and no request for serial number or to activate it.

 

Yeah I know for sure because I've done this in a number of business HP desktops and laptops. And you can't activate those with the key written on the back, you need to have the disk from the manufacturer. I will wait until the laptop gets here maybe I will like the 32-bit version after all

 

Call again you might get it this time lol

 

Honestly, you don't. Works fine here with my non-Dell disc.

 

^^.. Dell OEM Discs cannot be used(so far i've seen) to installed on non-Dell OEM computers, even as trial(30day)...

Original Retail discs can be used to install on Dell OEM discs, though you might need to jump thru a few more hoops to activate(might need to call Microsoft to activate...)

 

I used a non-manufacturer specific OEM disc to install, without jumping through any special hoops. No idea if full retail box versions are different though, I did assume the discs were indentical and it's determined by the key!

 

Thanks for the info! Just got dell to send by referring to that document number!

 

Wait, so hold on ... can they do that with Home premium too or is it only exclusive to Ultimate and Business buyers? Also, Dell only has 32-bit drivers on their website ... so will that cause a complete mess having 32-bit drivers on a 64-bit OS?

 

believe its only Ultimate and Vista Business

they have 64 bit drivers for most of their hardware on their site(believe they dont have the driver for UPEK fingerprint, but its available here)

 

They only provide the disc for Ultimate and Business, but you can use the 32-bit Home Premium key on 64-bit, you just have to obtain the disc through other means. For example, I already had a disc because I have 64-bit Home Premium on my desktop machine.

 

Thanks to that DSN Policy ID, they are shipping me the 64-bit DVD no questions asked... I found this site while waiting on hold... he came back the first time saying no and that the software was "buggy" so it was my benefit to not have the 64-bit version! HA!

 

Meanwhile I have reordered the laptop and used a better coupon ... and no Vista Ultimate. Downgraded proc from T9300 to T8300 (0.1 Ghz and 3Mb L2 cache which I probably won't feel at all) and saved 400$!

 

I just ordered the x64 version from Dell, and they sent it out with little to no effort.

I quoted the DSN doc # and 5 minutes later I had a ship code. Should be here Tuesday at the latest

Thanks.

 

I am assuming you are a business customer with either Vista Business or Ultimate?

 

That was almost too easy using the info provided in this thread. Thanks Guys!

Looks like I'll be reformatting my Studio17 up to 64-bit soon!