[ale] Is there anybody we don't hate too much for Refurbs?

[neal at mnopltd.com]

Thanks for the reply.  Sorry to turn this into Windows support forum, 
but spouse's computer is a special case.

So, while MS now refuses to do it's normal upgrade in place without a 
new license, you are saying I can find the ISO image, burn it, and... 
boot it, and upgrade in place?  Or will it insist on a fresh install?

Understand that I'd rather give a tiger a vasectomy than risk screwing 
up my wife's desktop with 15 years of corporate tax returns.  More pain, 
but shorter duration.

regards,


Neal

On 2019-10-24 12:11, Beddingfield, Allen via Ale wrote:
> I wish you had sent this last week.  I'm in the refurbish and resell
> business (buy government surplus, and refurbish).  However, I sold my
> last PC of that last batch last week, and I probably won't do another
> batch until after the holidays.
> 
> I will second what others have said - Microcenter.  Note that the
> refurbs are not on display.  You can order online and pick up at the
> store, though.
> Depending on the specs of your computer, you could just put Windows 10
> on there.  If it still has the Windows 7 OEM or retail license code
> sticker, those will work to activate Windows 10!  Download the media,
> install the correction edition (home, pro), and use that Windows 7
> code.  When it connects to the internet, it will activate.
> 
> Allen B.
> 
> On 10/24/19 11:30 AM, Neal Rhodes via Ale wrote:
>> Slightly off-topic, but not too much.
>> 
>> My wife and partner informs me that TurboTax will no longer run on her 
>> Win7 desktop.   Without TurboTax, life ends as we know it.
>> 
>> We have used off-lease refurbs for most of our company's life.  If 
>> it's a server, I get a refurb and replace the disk with a new mirrored 
>> pair. (and load linux)   If it's a desktop, I feel lucky.
>> 
>> Thus far we've been fortunate at getting them from Tiger Direct.  
>> Alas, no longer.   Got one on Amazon a few years back and that has 
>> been fine for Android development.
>> 
>> So, I trying to find average form factor 8GB, 1TB disk, Win 10 Pro, 
>> VGA & HDMI.    When I look at Amazon, there are plenty of choices.  
>> Many of which have 15-25% one-star ratings. And you read them, it's a 
>> horror show - "arrived with broken power supply",  "NIC 
>> intermittent",  "Vendor non-communicative".
>> 
>> Yes, Amazon is horrible at policing their suppliers.    I'm 
>> wondering.... are companies being more selective at only letting go of 
>> their desktops when they know they are going south?   Are refurb 
>> vendors getting worse?
>> 
>> Is there anybody we like for refurbs these days?
>> 
>> I see the last one I bought was from Amazon Renewed, which says it has 
>> a 90 day Amazon guarantee.  I just checked at it has a 19% one star 
>> review.   I guess I was just lucky.
>> 
>> Regards,
>> 
>> 
>> Neal
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> Ale mailing list
>> Ale at ale.org
>> https://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
>> See JOBS, ANNOUNCE and SCHOOLS lists at
>> http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo