Guest ken Posted September 28, 2008 Posted September 28, 2008 I need to purchase a new laptop computer for my college-age daughter. It appears that the new ones (HP, Sony, Dell [i know that there is a higher end in Dell that uses Vista Business] all come with various flavors of Vista. My experience is with Win2K and Win XP Pro, which I have come to know well enough to do most of the support (with help from people here). I have heard problems about Vista being a memory hog and having "problems" but I am unclear about what those problems might be. In addition, I am not sure if these newer computers would run XP Pro (which I would prefer). If someone would venture their opinion about potential problems using Vista as opposed to XP Pro or if I could be directed to info elsewhere, I would be grateful. My daughter is not a gamer; she uses her computer for standard Office programs, music storage, iTunes, etc... Thanks Ken K
Guest Nepatsfan Posted September 28, 2008 Posted September 28, 2008 Re: Laptops and Vista "ken" <kenk@usenet.org> wrote in message news:gbo937$nf8$1@registered.motzarella.org... >I need to purchase a new laptop computer for my college-age daughter. It >appears that the new ones (HP, Sony, Dell [i know that there is a higher >end in Dell that uses Vista Business] all come with various flavors of >Vista. My experience is with Win2K and Win XP Pro, which I have come to >know well enough to do most of the support (with help from people here). I >have heard problems about Vista being a memory hog and having "problems" >but I am unclear about what those problems might be. In addition, I am not >sure if these newer computers would run XP Pro (which I would prefer). > > If someone would venture their opinion about potential problems using > Vista as opposed to XP Pro or if I could be directed to info elsewhere, I > would be grateful. My daughter is not a gamer; she uses her computer for > standard Office programs, music storage, iTunes, etc... > > Thanks > Ken K You can still order a Dell laptop through their Small Business division that will have XP Pro installed. The base operating system on these computers is Vista Home Basic. For an additional $99 you can select to upgrade to Vista Business with a downgrade option for Windows XP Professional. The computer will come with a license for Vista Business but XP Pro will be installed. I can't speak for the laptops but I know that a new Dell Vostro desktop ordered with this option will come with an installation DVD for Vista Business and a recovery partition on the hard drive to restore XP Professional. Business Notebooks and Laptop Computers - Dell http://www.dell.com/business/laptops?~ck=mn Note: If your daughter will be connecting to the college's network you should check to make sure what minimal operating system is needed. You may find that they only support XP Pro, Vista Business, or Vista Ultimate. Also, if you plan on asking this question in the Vista General newsgroup be prepared to deal with a large number of useless responses. Good luck Nepatsfan
Guest DL Posted September 28, 2008 Posted September 28, 2008 Re: Laptops and Vista You ought to go for 2gb of memory as a base My Dell with 2gb, medium CoreDuo & Vista Business is fine, so far :) "ken" <kenk@usenet.org> wrote in message news:gbo937$nf8$1@registered.motzarella.org... >I need to purchase a new laptop computer for my college-age daughter. It >appears that the new ones (HP, Sony, Dell [i know that there is a higher >end in Dell that uses Vista Business] all come with various flavors of >Vista. My experience is with Win2K and Win XP Pro, which I have come to >know well enough to do most of the support (with help from people here). I >have heard problems about Vista being a memory hog and having "problems" >but I am unclear about what those problems might be. In addition, I am not >sure if these newer computers would run XP Pro (which I would prefer). > > If someone would venture their opinion about potential problems using > Vista as opposed to XP Pro or if I could be directed to info elsewhere, I > would be grateful. My daughter is not a gamer; she uses her computer for > standard Office programs, music storage, iTunes, etc... > > Thanks > Ken K
Guest Richard in AZ Posted September 28, 2008 Posted September 28, 2008 Re: Laptops and Vista "ken" <kenk@usenet.org> wrote in message news:gbo937$nf8$1@registered.motzarella.org... |I need to purchase a new laptop computer for my college-age daughter. It | appears that the new ones (HP, Sony, Dell [i know that there is a higher | end in Dell that uses Vista Business] all come with various flavors of | Vista. My experience is with Win2K and Win XP Pro, which I have come to | know well enough to do most of the support (with help from people here). | I have heard problems about Vista being a memory hog and having | "problems" but I am unclear about what those problems might be. In | addition, I am not sure if these newer computers would run XP Pro (which | I would prefer). | | If someone would venture their opinion about potential problems using | Vista as opposed to XP Pro or if I could be directed to info elsewhere, | I would be grateful. My daughter is not a gamer; she uses her | computer for standard Office programs, music storage, iTunes, etc... | | Thanks | Ken K Almost any of the new PC's are designed to use Vista and should perform well for your daughter. Vista is not really and "memory hog" but does require more basic RAM to run well. Make sure the computer you buy has a minimum of 2 GB. I don't see any reason your daughter would need any more than Vista Premium and most likely could get by with Vista Basic. If you don't buy a Dell, make sure you use the system program to make yourself a set of restore disks. This will require a couple of DVD-R, or about 8 CD-R disks. Check any Sony machine to make sure they did not partition the HD into a very small C drive and a large D drive. Experienced users know to put program on the D drive (in this configuration) but novice's tend to let program install in the default C drive and then fill the C drive until it does not work any longer. With a laptop I like the Compaq feature that lets you turn off the touchpad. Then you can use an external mouse and not have heavy thumb problems with the touchpad. Any brand laptop will be expensive to repair since they are all custom designed and require priority hardware. This said, buy the extended warrantee. Remember that every vendor will have a few lemons. You will hear a lot about Vista problems, but the same was said when 95 was introduced, when 98 was introduced and when XP was introduced. Most of the problems are either due to "I don't like change" or upgrades to old hardware.
Guest Leythos Posted September 28, 2008 Posted September 28, 2008 Re: Laptops and Vista In article <gbo937$nf8$1@registered.motzarella.org>, kenk@usenet.org says... > I need to purchase a new laptop computer for my college-age daughter. It > appears that the new ones (HP, Sony, Dell [i know that there is a higher > end in Dell that uses Vista Business] all come with various flavors of > Vista. My experience is with Win2K and Win XP Pro, which I have come to > know well enough to do most of the support (with help from people here). > I have heard problems about Vista being a memory hog and having > "problems" but I am unclear about what those problems might be. In > addition, I am not sure if these newer computers would run XP Pro (which > I would prefer). > > If someone would venture their opinion about potential problems using > Vista as opposed to XP Pro or if I could be directed to info elsewhere, > I would be grateful. My daughter is not a gamer; she uses her > computer for standard Office programs, music storage, iTunes, etc... 2GB Memory at least, dedicated video memory at least. Core 2 Duo at least, Quad core would be overkill, but nothing less than a 2Ghz Core 2 Duo or better. -- - Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum. - Calling an illegal alien an "undocumented worker" is like calling a drug dealer an "unlicensed pharmacist" spam999free@rrohio.com (remove 999 for proper email address)
Guest Unknown Posted September 28, 2008 Posted September 28, 2008 Re: Laptops and Vista You're in hell with Dell! Sony costs too much. Hp has good reputation. But there are others such as Lenovo formerly IBM with a very good reputation. If you order from Dell the sales person will try to sell you the Brooklyn bridge. "ken" <kenk@usenet.org> wrote in message news:gbo937$nf8$1@registered.motzarella.org... >I need to purchase a new laptop computer for my college-age daughter. It >appears that the new ones (HP, Sony, Dell [i know that there is a higher >end in Dell that uses Vista Business] all come with various flavors of >Vista. My experience is with Win2K and Win XP Pro, which I have come to >know well enough to do most of the support (with help from people here). I >have heard problems about Vista being a memory hog and having "problems" >but I am unclear about what those problems might be. In addition, I am not >sure if these newer computers would run XP Pro (which I would prefer). > > If someone would venture their opinion about potential problems using > Vista as opposed to XP Pro or if I could be directed to info elsewhere, I > would be grateful. My daughter is not a gamer; she uses her computer for > standard Office programs, music storage, iTunes, etc... > > Thanks > Ken K
Guest Big_Al Posted September 28, 2008 Posted September 28, 2008 Re: Laptops and Vista Unknown wrote: > You're in hell with Dell! Sony costs too much. Hp has good reputation. But > there are others such as Lenovo formerly IBM > with a very good reputation. If you order from Dell the sales person will > try to sell you the Brooklyn bridge. > "ken" <kenk@usenet.org> wrote in message > news:gbo937$nf8$1@registered.motzarella.org... >> I need to purchase a new laptop computer for my college-age daughter. It >> appears that the new ones (HP, Sony, Dell [i know that there is a higher >> end in Dell that uses Vista Business] all come with various flavors of >> Vista. My experience is with Win2K and Win XP Pro, which I have come to >> know well enough to do most of the support (with help from people here). I >> have heard problems about Vista being a memory hog and having "problems" >> but I am unclear about what those problems might be. In addition, I am not >> sure if these newer computers would run XP Pro (which I would prefer). >> >> If someone would venture their opinion about potential problems using >> Vista as opposed to XP Pro or if I could be directed to info elsewhere, I >> would be grateful. My daughter is not a gamer; she uses her computer for >> standard Office programs, music storage, iTunes, etc... >> >> Thanks >> Ken K > > Then don't order from Dell *people*. Do it yourself on their web page. I did, got what I wanted and nothing more or less. Besides, you can play with +/- options to get it tweaked just where you want it $ wise.
Guest olfart Posted September 28, 2008 Posted September 28, 2008 Re: Laptops and Vista "ken" <kenk@usenet.org> wrote in message news:gbo937$nf8$1@registered.motzarella.org... >I need to purchase a new laptop computer for my college-age daughter. It >appears that the new ones (HP, Sony, Dell [i know that there is a higher >end in Dell that uses Vista Business] all come with various flavors of >Vista. My experience is with Win2K and Win XP Pro, which I have come to >know well enough to do most of the support (with help from people here). I >have heard problems about Vista being a memory hog and having "problems" >but I am unclear about what those problems might be. In addition, I am not >sure if these newer computers would run XP Pro (which I would prefer). > > If someone would venture their opinion about potential problems using > Vista as opposed to XP Pro or if I could be directed to info elsewhere, I > would be grateful. My daughter is not a gamer; she uses her computer for > standard Office programs, music storage, iTunes, etc... > > Thanks > Ken K You might want to check out refurbished orr lease laptops from the business sector. I just bought my grandaughter(who is also starting college) a Dell D610 ( 1.6gb, 1gb RAM) with WinXP Pro for $350.00 incl shipping. She didn't want Vista as she is used to using WIN XP on her home computers. The Dell meets all of her needs...wireless, CD burning....etc and came with some basis office programs installed. Has a 1 yr warranty. I added some basic anivirus, antispyware and other utilities to it. It had a 40gb H/D which seeems to be very quiet. Just in case it fails I gave her a brand new 40GB (put it in a USB enclosure) to use as a backup in case her H/D does fail. Several years ago I bought an off lease Dell C610 wuth WIN 2000. I upgraded it to WinXP and have run the socks off of it with no problems. I did purchase a new battery for it. I have also bought several other off lease machines with good results I don't want to spam this N/G, but if you email me at my olfart65 addy I'l gladly give you the links to a couple of vendors that I have been satisfied with.
Guest Patrick Keenan Posted September 28, 2008 Posted September 28, 2008 Re: Laptops and Vista "ken" <kenk@usenet.org> wrote in message news:gbo937$nf8$1@registered.motzarella.org... >I need to purchase a new laptop computer for my college-age daughter. It >appears that the new ones (HP, Sony, Dell [i know that there is a higher >end in Dell that uses Vista Business] all come with various flavors of >Vista. My experience is with Win2K and Win XP Pro, which I have come to >know well enough to do most of the support (with help from people here). I >have heard problems about Vista being a memory hog and having "problems" >but I am unclear about what those problems might be. In addition, I am not >sure if these newer computers would run XP Pro (which I would prefer). > > If someone would venture their opinion about potential problems using > Vista as opposed to XP Pro or if I could be directed to info elsewhere, I > would be grateful. My daughter is not a gamer; she uses her computer for > standard Office programs, music storage, iTunes, etc... > > Thanks > Ken K The laptop I'm writing this on runs Vista Business and it's fine. I have shut off a number of the more annoying security features, such as UAC, and it's fine. With SP1, and any new system will come with that, it is solid and reliable. You do have to be sure that the apps you install and hardware you attach are Vista-compatible, just as you had to with XP. If you wish to run XP on those systems, you must be absolutely sure that drivers are available AND have them to hand. Only Vista Ultimate and Business qualify for "downgrade" licensing, meaning that you can legally install XP on them (which requires wiping the disk) and get an activation code from MS. Otherwise, you will have to purchase new XP licenses. But I think that with a few hours of tweaking, you'll find that downgrading isn't really necessary. HTH -pk
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