Re-imaging a Dell laptop
 

I scored a used LT from my office. But they left the OS on it. I want to re-image the thing. Is it as easy as inserting the new OS CD and following on screen instruction?

Yep, pretty. If you want, you can send it to me and I'll load Windows, patch and apply all updates and get it configured for you. No charge, just shipping and I'll turn it around in 2 days...

But you'll need the original disks or the SW serial number

If you can get a Dell Windows disk - any version of Windows - it will detect that it is running in a Dell and not require a serial # - reads it from the BIOS, etc.

Extra puter, personally I'd opt for the latest Ubuntu.

Does Ubuntu support MS Office well? Other than a browser and email app, that's all I use. NO games, CAD, etc.

There is no official MSFT version of Office for Ubuntu but there are a few well regarded open source alternatives and they are free.

OpenOffice.org

The nice thing is you can install Ubuntu alongside windows and give it a try first.

Actually you can install OpenOffice on windows if you want to try it out before thinking about switching your OS.

I guess the next thing someone would ask is can documents be sent around to different users and be read and modified? I stay with MS Office because I submit a lot.

Yes. With openoffice the default file type is ODT but you can save as doc or docx (or xls or xlsx, etc)

As opposed to the latest Ubuntu I'd go wtih Linux Mint - the new Gnome Unity interface sorta sucks imho

thanks bro thats very generous but I'd really like to try this.

OK, it's not difficult, you need to install Windows, apply the serial # you have for it, install all applicable drivers,apply all updates and patches, then install Microsoft Security Essentials. You'll download tyhe drivers from Dell';s website and put them on a thumbdrive because you can't get the laptop back on the Internet until you load the newwork drivers. Good luck. My offer stands if you get frustrated.