[Discuss] Avoiding paying Windows license in the US

[Rich Pieri]

On Mon, 31 May 2021 23:38:54 +0200
Julian Daich <julian.daich at freecomputerlabs.org> wrote:

> Thanks. I talked today with an HP representative. for almost 40
> minutes Their position was taking it as it comes with WIndows or
> returning the laptop to be refunded for all. Seems that getting
> refunded only for the OS is a hard and time consuming process.

Yup. The license data is programmed into the ACPI SLIC table. Wiping
Windows and installing something else does not remove the license data.
You need some specialized software tools to do this. Even if you can
prove to your OEM that you removed the license data, if you have the
tools to reprogram the SLIC table then you have the tools needed to
back up that table and restore it at a later date.

TL;DR: if you don't want to pay for Windows then don't buy a computer
that shipped with Windows on it. Go check out System 76.

-- 
Rich Pieri