Loaner laptop setup

[sapphirescales]

It's a very big violation of M$'s EULA to rent or lease M$ apps. YeOldeStonecat's comment is the solution. The other option is to install a trial version of Office. Good for 30 days.

We don't load any Microsoft software on these computers other than Windows. We use Kingsoft Office on loaners. Had a few complaints, but most disgruntled clients grumble and accept it. Had a few customers ask if we could put pirated Photoshop and other things on the loaners. My response was they could do whatever they wanted with it when it was in their possession, but we don't sell or loan out pirated software. We just reimage them anyway when we get them back. If they want to pirate it and take the risk themselves, more power to them.

 

[mlfixer]

Are you saying that you will advertise that you have loaner computers or that you will loan out a laptop to your client while you work on their laptop?
Both ways can be beneficial to you.
I recently purchased 7 Dell Latitude E5420 laptops with the i5-2520M & backlit keyboard which I'm setting up as loaners and for sale, but they are for our trusted business clients, not just anyone who wants to use our services. We're pretty much a managed IT services business.

We will install our copy of Microsoft Office 2013 on the laptop before it leaves our hands as a loaner and then remove it and install LibreOffice or their copy of MS Office that they purchase from us, upon purchase of the computer.

Yup that is the idea. I've read a lot of negative feedback here about loaners but don't understand why that is an issue. I paid $200 for the Lenovo i5s and they came with Win 7 Pro and 1 year factory warranty. Absolute LoJack is really cheap when you buy it in quantities (50% off I believe) so it is like $20 a year. I'm not too concerned about theft, I am not in the inner city somewhere.

I see this as a HUGE value add and something that will put me way above all of the other techs in the area. Again, why would you go with a tech that doesn't offer a free loaner when you can go with me and get a loaner?

 

[nlinecomputers]

There is no problem at all so long as you can profit from it. At some point someone will damage or steal one of your laptops. As long as you are prepared to accept that loss then it isn't an issue.

 

[mlfixer]

It's a very big violation of M$'s EULA to rent or lease M$ apps. YeOldeStonecat's comment is the solution. The other option is to install a trial version of Office. Good for 30 days.

Trial is what I was also considering, but now when you download the trial version it generates a key for 60 days. I don't know how that key will work if I restore the laptop (via image or Deep Freeze) to the original state. I would assume it will expire based on the date it was activated regardless what computer it was on, or am I wrong?

 

[nlinecomputers]

Trial is what I was also considering, but now when you download the trial version it generates a key for 60 days. I don't know how that key will work if I restore the laptop (via image or Deep Freeze) to the original state. I would assume it will expire based on the date it was activated regardless what computer it was on, or am I wrong?

Never tried it. You'd just have to test it. Install it on one image, run for a day, nuke it and set it up again. If it has any kind of hardware hash you are probably screwed.

 

[sapphirescales]

I suppose you could install Windows without a legitimate key. It will expire in 30 days. That will prevent people from wanting to keep the laptop for too long without either buying it or picking up their old one.

 

[mlfixer]

I suppose you could install Windows without a legitimate key. It will expire in 30 days. That will prevent people from wanting to keep the laptop for too long without either buying it or picking up their old one.

They already come with licensed copies of Win 7 Pro so that is not really my issue. I may ultimately go with King's Office. I looked into Office365 and it will not really fit into my setup. For one the issue of the 1 user 5 devices comes up and I believe it will be against the MS policy to have multiple people use them.