Microsoft Tax - Refunds for Linux Laptops, Notebooks & PDAs

You might be entitled to a refund for Microsoft Windows and any other related OEM software that may also be included if you have installed Linux, a BSD, BeOS, OS/2, Solaris, Novell NetWare or another computer operating system on a laptop, notebook or PDA, which came preloaded with Microsoft-Windows*. See the Windows Refund.org and MS-Free-PC . There are even laptop manufacturers and resellers which offer machines without any pre-installed operating system.

To make your claim you may use the Microsoft-Windows Removal Certificate available as PDF and OpenOffice SXW file.

Success Stories

• A successful refund: Steve Oualline got a refund (manufacturer unknown).
• DELL Customer Gets Windows Refund: Dave Mitchell got a refund from DELL.
• The Toshiba Portege standoff: Adam Kosmin got a refund from Toshiba.
• money back: Geoffrey Bennett got a refund from Toshiba (in German).
• How to get a MS-Windows tax refund: Serge Wroclawski got a refund from DELL.
• successfull refundTim Speetjens (Belgium) explains how he got a refund from DELL.
• Israeli Linuz fan squeezes Windows refund out of DellZiv Devir (Israel) got a refund from DELL.
• SEOPHER: Acer asks for 50 GBP more for a notebook without Windows.
• Italian Judge Tells HP To Refund Pre-Installed XPPieraccioli Marco (Italy) got a refund from HP/COMPAQ.
• Lenovo refund: Eddy Pronk (Australia) got a refund from Lenovo.
• Amazon UK refund: Alan Lord (UK) got a refund from Amazon for an ASUS netbook.
• Amazon US refund: R. Rohbeck (US) got a refund from Amazon for an ASUS netbook.
• Poul-Henning Kamp (DK): got a refund for the Windows Vista Business license from Lenovo.
• Graeme Cobbett (UK): got a refund for the Microsoft-Windows Vista license from DELL (Studio 1555 notebook).

What to do with the Microsoft-Label or the Microsoft-Sticker?

Are you eager to remove the Microsoft label? Here are some instructions how to remove the Microsoft label.

Laptops Without MicroSoft-Tax

These manufacturers offer laptops and notebooks without pre-installed MicroSoft operating system (note: these options are not available for all countries):

• CeBop
• Issam
• MaxData
• Xeron

FSFE Repository

Windows-Tax Refund: A knowledge and experience repository on how to reclaim your "Windows Tax".