Laptop purchase no operating system?
I want to buy a laptop because I need one. But the website says "No operating system." Does that mean I have to download the operating system myself, and if so, is Windows 11 free?
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Exactly, there is no operating system on it and you have to get one yourself.
Whether you use Windows or another one (Ubuntu etc.) is up to you.
Windows itself isn't free. You can download the operating system from the Microsoft homepage and copy it to a flash drive, for example, for free. But you need a key. You can get one online—I think I paid around €15 for it back then. You'll have to look; there are various offers…
I reinstalled Windows on my current PC and it said enter license key but I could skip that and never had to pay anything
Exactly
No, only if you upgrade from an existing version of Windows to 11. You can use it for free for a while, but at some point it will ask you for a license key.
I reinstalled Windows on my current PC and it said enter license key but I could skip that and never had to pay anything
Because since Windows 10, it sends a digital license to the servers, so you don't have to search for the license again when you reinstall.
But you have a completely new device without an existing digital license
Nope
Do you know a cheap site for Windows 11 Home keys?
https://www.alternate.at/MSI/Thin-GF63-12UC-667-Gaming-Notebook/html/product/100016162#product-details (Laptop I'd like to buy)
Some time ago I bought a used laptop that didn't have an OS installed, which I didn't notice right away – luckily.
Mint Cinnamon was quick to install, is free, virus-safe, and significantly better equipped than the most expensive Windows. Linux has many advantages over commercial, non-free operating systems. Its operation is identical to Windows 10, by the way. Beginners will have no problem with it.
A laptop without an operating system is relatively useless.
So you will have to install one.
Windows is not free.
However, you can create an installation medium and install it for free.
https://www.microsoft.com/de-de/software-download/windows11
You'll then need a license key to activate it. These can be found online at bargain prices.
But there are also free operating systems, such as Linux Mint.
Here is the laptop: https://www.alternate.at/MSI/Thin-GF63-12UC-667-Gaming-Notebook/html/product/100016162#product-details (I'm from Austria, so what I need should be here in 1-2 days). Do the Windows 11 codes cost a lot?
You usually pay no more than €15. Tip: You can activate Windows 11 with a Windows 10 key.
1. Yes
2. No
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