  Every Dell laptop ships with an OS-Recovery Disc and even discs for re-installing drivers. If you lost the CD, download Ubuntu Linux or if you have something to spend, then you can buy Windows 7/8 on your choice. For compatibility, Windows 7 and for features, Windows 8.    Unfortunately this is no longer true. All computers (not just Dell) sold nowadays come without disks. Tablets, some laptops and ultralights don't even have optical drives. If you need to reinstall windows there are several options--using the Recovery Partition or System Images or ordering the windows disks or usb thumb drive from the manufacturer if you are still under warranty. 
 My computer broke down last month because of the hardware. And I had the hardware replaced but I also lost the operating system. I bought my computer in Toronto last year but I am living in China now, so I transferred it to China. The computer is still under guarantee. But it will expire on January 4,2014. An agent in China told me that I could not order CDs for operating system just because the computer was not bought in China. Can anybody help me with the problem? 
How can I have the operating system?