BTW, a client purchased an HP at Wal-mart (price tag: over $1,000). After
about 8 months,
and having had to send the tower back to HP twice (once for the
motherboard replacement,
and a second time because the set of recovery CDs that HP sent wouldn't
work), HP wanted
him to send it back to them a third time for repair (me thinks they just
wanted to swap
the hard drive for another imaged drive). I told him that it was
unacceptable, and that
I would handle it for him. I phoned HP, and wanted to return the lemon.
HP said I'd have
to return it to Wal-mart. I phoned that department at Wal-mart before
making the trip,
and was told by the guy in the computer dept that he could fix it. I
thanked him for the
offer, but explained that it's been a lemon since day one, and since there
aren't ANY CDs,
any problem with the OS is major if one can't access the hidden partition,
which was a
problem since day one. Wal-mart accepted return of the HP after EIGHT
MONTHS.
I then went online, checked the Dell "as advertised" special that week,
which offered FREE
double memory, FREE upgrade to a larger/faster HD, FREE upgrade to a flat
panel monitor,
Free CD-RW and software (including the CD ROM drive already in the first
bay), FREE
shipping, and a $100 mail in rebate. The price came to about $200 LESS,
even after paying
to upgrade from integrated sound to a Sound Blaster Live card, upgrading
the speakers, and
upgrading the FREE 15" flat panel monitor to a 17" flat panel monitor,
than the HP system
which wasn't as loaded. Plus, Dell includes the CDs for all bundled
software/utilities/drivers, and a Dell OEM Windows XP CD, which includes
all that the
retail version does. NO RECOVERY CDs, real OS and program CDs!!! Dell
changes its "as
advertised" specials weekly, and when you catch them on a good week you
can really get
lucky. I was very surprised at the quality of the image on the flat panel
monitor. My
client received shipment in three days.
After setting up his new Dell system, and then configuring it for his
needs, I purchased
the same system (while all of those freebies were still included in the
online "as
advertised" special). BTW, I received the check for the $100 mail in
rebate about one
week after I had sent the request. The only negative thing, and it is
minor, is that the
Sonic OEM CDR/CD-RW software is limited. As is usually the case with some
other OEM
versions of certain software/utilities, on the Help menu, you have the
option to upgrade
to the FULL Sonic suite. But, I use Nero anyway, so it didn't matter to
me. I don't
understand why anyone would purchase an HP. I'll have to assume that the
price SEEMS low,
the HP name has recognition (because they make some decent printers), and
the purchaser is
uninformed about the importance of purchasing a system which includes a
Windows XP CD, and
CDs for the bundled software/drivers/utilities. Anyone who has had a
problem that
couldn't be fixed any other way than doing a Repair Install (or even doing
a Clean
Install), knows how important it is to have a Windows XP CD.
--
T.C.
t__cruise@[NoSpam]hotmail.com
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Nigel D said:
Totally agree with the comments about not buying systems such as HPs
where
the backup is on a partition and there are no proper installation disks.
After HP repaired the motherboard and changed the key this then failed to
work at all and it was a major hassle to get it fixed. Also the system
came
with Word 2000, and it has improved impossible to apply any of the
service
patches without having a proper installation disk.
N
HP doesn't include CDs with many of its systems. The Windows
repair/setup
files are on a
hidden partition. I believe you press the F10 key at boot to access
the
repair ( might be
another of key the F keys to repair). Unfortunately, many times, due
to
whatever problem,
when the F10 (or whatever F key) is pressed, the process doesn't work
because either the
files on the hidden partition are corrupt, or for other reasons. I do
NOT
recommend HP
systems, because most don't come with CDs, and because of that they are
a
real pain. Your
buddy has a couple of choices: He can phone HP support, and they will
send their
multi-disk CD set to help recover the system. (since the system is only
3
months old,
those CDs should be free). Or: If he used a credit card to purchase
the
HP, I'd return
it, and ask for a credit for a credit card account. If the store
refuses,
tell them
nicely that it's unacceptable and you'll have the credit card company
handle it. Usually
they take the system back at that point. I'd then order a loaded "as
advertised" special
from Dell online, which will probably be less expensive, more loaded
with
freebies, and
best of all comes with CDs for all of the bundled software, including a
real OEM Windows
XP CD. If he wants to remain status quo though, phoning HP tech
support
and getting the
free CDs is his best bet, if pressing the F10 key won't repair the
problem. In the
future, he might do more research, and NOT buy a system that doesn't
have
CDs. I have a
feeling that the person who wanted the $60, would only press the F10
key
anyway, and you
buddy STILL wouldn't have a Windows XP CD to use the next time that he
has
a problem. HP
is the Packard Bell of this decade. I tell all of my clients to avoid
HP
(PCs that is,
their printers are OK).
