Question about Laptop & Vista or XP

[Graphic Queen]

The biggest and most important question I have is if I buy this
laptop, will it run ok if I reformat the hard drive and install
Windows XP Home Edition on it? That is what I have on my desktop here.
That brings up another question I have because I need to know if the
sales person was BSing me or not. He said that XP Home Edition might
not work on this laptop because the drivers were made for the Vista. I
wanted, and still do for that matter, to buy another XP and reformat
the hard drive on the laptop and do a clean install of the XP I would
buy. Why is it that it would not work? I just didn't understand his
explanation about the drivers wouldn't be there for XP because they
are new and different drivers for Vista. I am one of those people out
there that likes my hard drives partitioned and don't want all of that
trial-ware that they stick on the machine, so I have always just
reformatted and started clean by installing the OS myself and that way
I get it installed the way I like it. Actually, I am kind of a bit**
when it comes to stuff like that. If anyone can explain to me what he
was talking about and let me know if it was BS or not I would greatly
appreciate it.

I will let you know up front that I have no knowledge about laptops at
all, except for the bare basics I would guess. I have used desktops
for well over 20 years now though and can even replace or add my own
hard drives, sound cards and such as that. Have never messed with a
motherboard and really don't want to.

I am wanting to buy a laptop to use on trips. I do not need it for any
kind of business or anything, just want to access the internet for
information and email and such as that.

I saw one today at the local Best Buy. This is it. They are selling it
for $599.99

It has 4 USB ports and the guy told me that I could also connect to a
data port via modem. I would also be buying a cool deck (or whatever
it is called) to have the laptop sitting on it to keep it from getting
too hot.

What I want to know is if this is a good buy and about right for a
laptop for my needs? Is Gateway any good? What all do I need to know
about laptops? Any help would be greatly appreciated because I need to
buy this by the end of the week if it is a good buy and such.

They have the memory I would need on sale and it would be another
$50.00.

Full Specifications: Gateway MX8738 Laptop Computer
CPU and Memory Processor Brand Intel
Processor Class Pentium Dual Core
Processor Speed 1.73 GHz
Installed Memory 1 GB
Memory Technology DDR II SDRAM
Cache Size 1 MB

Storage Hard Drive Capacity 160 GB
Included Drives DVD±RW (±R DL) / DVD-RAM
CD Write Speed 24 X
CD Rewrite Speed 16 X
CD Read Speed 24 X
DVD Read Speed 8 X
DVD Write Speed 8x (DVD±R), 2x (DVD-R DL), 2.4x (DVD+R DL)

Display and Graphics Display Size 17 in
Display Type TFT active matrix
Graphics Processor Intel GMA 950
Resolution 1440 x 900 pixels

Battery Type Lithium ion

Communications and Networking Modem Speed 56 Kbps
Network Support Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g

Software Operating System Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium

Connectors Interface Provided S-Video, VGA, Phone line, Ethernet

Warranty Information 1 year warranty
Base Warranty 1 year warranty

General Product Info Input Devices Touchpad, Keypad
Included Sound Card Sound card
Weight 7.3 lbs
Also known as Gateway MX8738, Gateway
Manufacturer Part No. MX8738
Dimension 1.4 in x 16.1 in x 10.9 in (HxWxD)

 

[Richard G. Harper]

Frankly, I don't recommend changing the operating system on a laptop unless
the manufacturer fully supports it with either custom install media and/or
full driver support on their Web site. Laptops contain specialized hardware
that was chosen for either small size, low power consumption, or both; the
odds that an off-the-shelf copy of Windows will support these devices is
pretty low. If the manufacturer doesn't have XP drivers or customized XP
install media the odds are good that you're going to wind up with an
expensive brick for your efforts.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* NEW! Catch my blog ... http://msmvps.com/blogs/rgharper/
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* The Website - http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

 

[Guest]

The sales person was NOT bullshitting!
And, this is a VISTA newsgroup, NOT XP.

 

[=?iso-8859-1?Q?Axel_G=F6ller?=]

:

The only correct advise is: leave the preinstalled system on the machine.
Otherwise you might run into trouble with warranty and possibly with
problems due to the hardware not fitting to the drivers.

I am wanting to buy a laptop to use on trips. I do not need it for any
kind of business or anything, just want to access the internet for
information and email and such as that.

Therefore you should not buy a 17 inch notebook. Buy a smaller one, you will
be glad not to have such a big thing on your trips.

I saw one today at the local Best Buy. This is it. They are selling it
for $599.99

I would also be buying a cool deck (or whatever
it is called) to have the laptop sitting on it to keep it from getting
too hot.

Forget the cooling pad. I have tried several, and none of them had an
advantage. And again - you will not like the cooling pad on trips.

What I want to know is if this is a good buy and about right for a
laptop for my needs? Is Gateway any good? What all do I need to know
about laptops? Any help would be greatly appreciated because I need to
buy this by the end of the week if it is a good buy and such.

Look for a notebook with built-in WLAN adapter. One day you might want to
contact a hot spot or any other WLAN.

They have the memory I would need on sale and it would be another
$50.00.

Save your money for a dinner or something else. For your purpose the
original memory in any notebook is sufficient.

Communications and Networking Modem Speed 56 Kbps

Is good for use in places (hotel) where they don't have WLAN

Network Support Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g

Here WLAN is missing, see above.

Software Operating System Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium

Splendid. Be happy with that and don't change it (see above and other
postings).

Greetings
Axel

 

[Saucy]

The biggest and most important question I have is if I buy this
laptop, will it run ok if I reformat the hard drive and install
Windows XP Home Edition on it? That is what I have on my desktop here.
That brings up another question I have because I need to know if the
sales person was BSing me or not. He said that XP Home Edition might
not work on this laptop because the drivers were made for the Vista. I
wanted, and still do for that matter, to buy another XP and reformat
the hard drive on the laptop and do a clean install of the XP I would
buy. Why is it that it would not work? I just didn't understand his
explanation about the drivers wouldn't be there for XP because they
are new and different drivers for Vista. I am one of those people out
there that likes my hard drives partitioned and don't want all of that
trial-ware that they stick on the machine, so I have always just
reformatted and started clean by installing the OS myself and that way
I get it installed the way I like it. Actually, I am kind of a bit**
when it comes to stuff like that. If anyone can explain to me what he
was talking about and let me know if it was BS or not I would greatly
appreciate it.

I will let you know up front that I have no knowledge about laptops at
all, except for the bare basics I would guess. I have used desktops
for well over 20 years now though and can even replace or add my own
hard drives, sound cards and such as that. Have never messed with a
motherboard and really don't want to.

I am wanting to buy a laptop to use on trips. I do not need it for any
kind of business or anything, just want to access the internet for
information and email and such as that.

I saw one today at the local Best Buy. This is it. They are selling it
for $599.99

It has 4 USB ports and the guy told me that I could also connect to a
data port via modem. I would also be buying a cool deck (or whatever
it is called) to have the laptop sitting on it to keep it from getting
too hot.

What I want to know is if this is a good buy and about right for a
laptop for my needs? Is Gateway any good? What all do I need to know
about laptops? Any help would be greatly appreciated because I need to
buy this by the end of the week if it is a good buy and such.

They have the memory I would need on sale and it would be another
$50.00.

Full Specifications: Gateway MX8738 Laptop Computer
CPU and Memory Processor Brand Intel
Processor Class Pentium Dual Core
Processor Speed 1.73 GHz
Installed Memory 1 GB
Memory Technology DDR II SDRAM
Cache Size 1 MB

Storage Hard Drive Capacity 160 GB
Included Drives DVD±RW (±R DL) / DVD-RAM
CD Write Speed 24 X
CD Rewrite Speed 16 X
CD Read Speed 24 X
DVD Read Speed 8 X
DVD Write Speed 8x (DVD±R), 2x (DVD-R DL), 2.4x (DVD+R DL)

Display and Graphics Display Size 17 in
Display Type TFT active matrix
Graphics Processor Intel GMA 950
Resolution 1440 x 900 pixels

Battery Type Lithium ion

Communications and Networking Modem Speed 56 Kbps
Network Support Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g

Software Operating System Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium

Connectors Interface Provided S-Video, VGA, Phone line, Ethernet

Warranty Information 1 year warranty
Base Warranty 1 year warranty

General Product Info Input Devices Touchpad, Keypad
Included Sound Card Sound card
Weight 7.3 lbs
Also known as Gateway MX8738, Gateway
Manufacturer Part No. MX8738
Dimension 1.4 in x 16.1 in x 10.9 in (HxWxD)

What you plan to do is frig around. If you are OK with that go to it. If
not, don't. If you do, check first though to see if the manufacturer
supplies XP drivers for the laptop. If not, you might be more cautious

But if they do, you can give it a whirr if you don't mind any warranty
issues etc. etc. I wiped my own laptop of the Acer version of Vista and
installed a generic version of Vista (i.e. without all the 2nd and third
party junk that mucks up the system) and am *very* happy with it.

Saucy

 

[Saucy]

What you plan to do is frig around. If you are OK with that go to it. If
not, don't. If you do, check first though to see if the manufacturer
supplies XP drivers for the laptop. If not, you might be more cautious

But if they do, you can give it a whirr if you don't mind any warranty
issues etc. etc. I wiped my own laptop of the Acer version of Vista and
installed a generic version of Vista (i.e. without all the 2nd and third
party junk that mucks up the system) and am *very* happy with it.

Saucy

P.S. Note: I said I installed a generic version of Vista, [not XP] and was
happier. You might consider that route. The laptop makers load a lot of junk
that, IMHO, mess up the works. Vista w/o all that runs very well. I also
loaded Server 2003 at one point and got it going, and interestingly enough
it works very well on the laptop (Acer 5100).

Saucy

 

[Guest]

The salesman was not BSing.

Give us a break from your rambling.
Go to XP newsgroup, this is Vista.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

The biggest and most important question I have is if I buy this
laptop, will it run ok if I reformat the hard drive and install
Windows XP Home Edition on it?

Ask Gateway. Have they provided WinXP-specific device drivers for the
laptop's components?

That is what I have on my desktop here.

I don't see the relevance of what OS you have on any other computer.

That brings up another question I have because I need to know if the
sales person was BSing me or not. He said that XP Home Edition might
not work on this laptop because the drivers were made for the Vista.

A salesman that actually knows something? Wow! He's correct, of
course. Vista drivers won't work in WinXP.

I
wanted, and still do for that matter, to buy another XP and reformat
the hard drive on the laptop and do a clean install of the XP I would
buy. Why is it that it would not work?

Because there may not be WinXP-specific device drivers available for a
laptop that was specifically designed for Vista.

I just didn't understand his
explanation about the drivers wouldn't be there for XP because they
are new and different drivers for Vista.

Then you should not be attempting such a course of action, yourself.
Hire an experienced professional.

I am one of those people out
there that likes my hard drives partitioned and don't want all of that
trial-ware that they stick on the machine, so I have always just
reformatted and started clean by installing the OS myself and that way
I get it installed the way I like it.

That's doing it the hard way, but it's your time. There are a great
many 3rd party prtitioning tools available, and the additional trialware
is almost easily removed via the Control Panel.

Actually, I am kind of a bit**
when it comes to stuff like that. If anyone can explain to me what he
was talking about and let me know if it was BS or not I would greatly
appreciate it.

I will let you know up front that I have no knowledge about laptops at
all, except for the bare basics I would guess. I have used desktops
for well over 20 years now though and can even replace or add my own
hard drives, sound cards and such as that.

Then how can you possibly not understand the purpose of device drivers
and the critical importance of having the correct ones?


--

Bruce Chambers

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