$399 laptop Compaq

[gigahertz20]

Okay guys, to provide an update to my like 12 posts in this thread...lol

I have finally got everything working after doing a complete format of the laptop, now I have a fresh install of Windows Vista Premium 32 bit that works fine.

So what took me so god damn long?

The fucking Compaq driver page for this laptop has the wrong wireless drivers and is missing the chipset drivers as well, if you install the chipset drivers directly from Nvidia they don't install the wired ethernet adapter like they should, you need the Compaq specific nvidia chipset drivers.

If you go to the proper support page for this model which is, Compaq Presario F762NR Notebook PC it lists no chipset drivers and the wireless driver they have on that page is wrong as well. DON'T DOWNLOAD IT.

Instead go to this one, http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfr...roduct=3694906&lang=en, which is for model F750US, download the "Atheros AR5007 802.11b/g Wireless LAN Driver " to get your wireless card working after a fresh Vista install and install the nForce chipset drivers to get your wired network adapter to work.

What stumped me for so long was that Everest, PC Wizard 2008, identified the wireless network adapter as an Atheros AR5006X, WHICH IS WRONG so I kept on downloading multiple versions and installing them but none of them worked. You have to get the Atheros AR5007 driver I mentioned before to get the wireless to work after a fresh install.


Of course, you can just avoid all of this and not worry about reformatting your computer, instead just uninstall all the AOL and yahoo bloatware that comes preinstalled, then run PC decrapifer (A previous poster mentioned this), http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/, and you should be fine. I just can't stand not knowing what's on my laptop so I had to do a fresh install that way I have control of everything on my laptop.


If any of you do a fresh install and run into problems, PM me or post a question and I'll see if I can help you, I've been working on the problems mentioned in this post since early this afternoon, but now I'm done and it's 12:43AM...bed time!


One thing I have to add, after you install all your software and delete all the crap that comes on this laptop, I would STRONG SUGGEST you create an image of the laptop, Acronis True Image Home V.11 (latest version) is the easiest and one of the best.

edited to remove piracy comments/suggestions/instructions
moderator allisolm

 

[bryanW1995]

Originally posted by: DW in UT
Not trying to steal this thread, but another $400 laptop this week is this Acer from Radio Shack

Looks like the deal has you pay $550 then rebate comes as a $150 prepaid Mastercard. (Mastercard good anywhere, or just at Radio Shack?)

1. vista home basic.
2. "rebate" of $150 instead of just the lower price.
3. single core celeron 550 hardly compares to a dual core tk-57.
4. amd graphics +++ better than intel.

not as good of a deal.

 

[Karaktu]

Has anyone looked at the memory the machine comes with? 2 x 512? 1 x 1GB? Non-removable?

The specs say the machine supports up to 3GB, which makes me think the first modules is a soldered 1GB stick.

Curious.

Joe

 

[beat mania]

Its a stick of 1gb.

First time I've ever used Vista ... boy does this thing suck.

 

[gigahertz20]

Originally posted by: beat mania
Its a stick of 1gb.

First time I've ever used Vista ... boy does this thing suck.

Vista is not that bad, it's just alot different then XP. I like it more then XP, some of the things they changed I really don't care for, but it's not that bad. Make sure you turn off the user account control, so you don't keep getting pop-ups asking for permission everytime you do something

Instructions.....disable UAC
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto...-way-on-windows-vista/


Don't forget to disable the Security Center Popup Notifications in Windows Vista as well....it's so annoying

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto...ions-in-windows-vista/

 

[Rage187]

For $39 I bougt 2x1gb sticks to update the laptop. Worked without issue.

The good news is that it has a 7000m Nv graphcs chip. It is enough to play SIM2 at medium details at the laptop resolution of 1280x800 which is th whole reason I bought the laptop for my wife. I am mightly impressed.

 

[tbogstad]

Originally posted by: Rage187
For $39 I bougt 2x1gb sticks to update the laptop. Worked without issue.

The good news is that it has a 7000m Nv graphcs chip. It is enough to play SIM2 at medium details at the laptop resolution of 1280x800 which is th whole reason I bought the laptop for my wife. I am mightly impressed.

should have just grabbed a single 2gb stick for $40.00 and you would have had 3gb for the same amount of money.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820231147

or one of these for even less after rebate.


http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820227236

 

[gigahertz20]

Originally posted by: tbogstad

Originally posted by: Rage187
For $39 I bougt 2x1gb sticks to update the laptop. Worked without issue.

The good news is that it has a 7000m Nv graphcs chip. It is enough to play SIM2 at medium details at the laptop resolution of 1280x800 which is th whole reason I bought the laptop for my wife. I am mightly impressed.

should have just grabbed a single 2gb stick for $40.00 and you would have had 3gb for the same amount of money.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820231147

or one of these for even less after rebate.


http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820227236

Just to be clear, this laptop has 2 DIMM slots correct? One is already filled with 1GB of PC2 5300 DDR2 single channel memory, and the other DIMM is empty correct?

Having 1 DIMM slot filled with a 1GB stick of memory, and the other DIMM slot filled with a 2GB stick of memory won't cause any problems correct?

I'm probably going to go ahead and buy that G.SKILL memory from Newegg you linked to. Thanks for the link!

 

[marmasatt]

Thanks Gigahertz20 for the information. I picked one of these up for $ 314 total after tax using the $ 100 OM coupon.......

This is my first system w/ Vista. So it's automatic to get another stick or two of ram and then do what (like configurations and what not?)

 

[jrichrds]

Originally posted by: Rage187
For $39 I bougt 2x1gb sticks to update the laptop. Worked without issue.

The good news is that it has a 7000m Nv graphcs chip. It is enough to play SIM2 at medium details at the laptop resolution of 1280x800 which is th whole reason I bought the laptop for my wife. I am mightly impressed.

Go to laptopvideo2go.com for updated graphics drivers for the Geforce 7000M. I don't game, but those that do say they can extract extra performance by using the right driver.

 

[jrichrds]

Originally posted by: gigahertz20Just to be clear, this laptop has 2 DIMM slots correct? One is already filled with 1GB of PC2 5300 DDR2 single channel memory, and the other DIMM is empty correct?

Having 1 DIMM slot filled with a 1GB stick of memory, and the other DIMM slot filled with a 2GB stick of memory won't cause any problems correct?

I'm probably going to go ahead and buy that G.SKILL memory from Newegg you linked to. Thanks for the link!

It has 2 DIMM slots, and this chipset doesn't support dual channel mode anyways, so you might as well get a 2GB module and increase your system memory to 3GB.

For the Compaq laptops that I have owned in the past year, Compaq bases maximum expandable memory on how many open slots there are and how much each slot can accomodate. In this case, it comes with a single 1GB chip and 1 empty slot. Each slot suppports 2GB. So they list maximum expandable memory as 3GB. When you could actually go to 4GB if you replace the existing 1GB chip (and run a 64-bit OS so you can actually utilize all 4GB).

As for upgrading the CPU in the future, what you do is find the fastest CPU being used in the F700 series. That CPU will be supported by the motherboard and BIOS firmware. Then, in another year when these chips are obsolete and prices are low, you can pick one up for cheap and pop it in for a performance boost.

 

[beat mania]

Anyone tried using the DVDR yet? I'm burning the recovery discs for backup and it seems like its only running at 2x or something, SLOW .... definitely not 8X as advertised.

 

[magomago]

aww bad news. For some reason it hasn't shipped or charged my card. I called them and they don't know what is going on (after hours call), they said they would call me back, but I'm going to call on my own tomorrow to ensure things. Did anyone order on Sunday and get everything charged and well?

 

[jrichrds]

Originally posted by: beat mania
Anyone tried using the DVDR yet? I'm burning the recovery discs for backup and it seems like its only running at 2x or something, SLOW .... definitely not 8X as advertised.

Which burner make/model did you get? They tend to mix and match these components.

 

[msi1337]

for those wanting to use Windows XP on this notebook

check out this link

I havent tested it yet, but will update later with results

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Personally, all Presario's scare the shit out of me. Pre-Sari-O , almost sounds like they're appologizing in advance like they are really saying " Pre sorry, yo. " Spooky how that phrase and that Compaq model line sound so much alike.

If you get any Compaq/HP laptop make danged sure you stay on top of the latest BIOS as they seem to have a lot of issues with the shipping BIOS revision causing serious problems with thier laptops lately.

 

[2Xtreme21]

I went ahead and bought this last night. I also got a FAR photo printer with it (advertised on their website), but I had to point it out to them.

After I cleaned out all of the crap installed, I'm starting to like it. Going to put Office 2k7 on it tonight and then I'll have my school / office laptop I've wanted for some time.

 

[msi1337]

so far I am just trying to make a restore disk so I can load xp, and reload vista if it doesnt work...

it has taken 68 mins to make files, and will take (3) DVD-R discs... wow, do I hate vista and all this crapware!

if you are keeping vista on this, you had better buy a 2gb stick of ddr2 667 memory for it. This is ridiculous!

 

[freshspace]

Originally posted by: marmasatt
Thanks Gigahertz20 for the information. I picked one of these up for $ 314 total after tax using the $ 100 OM coupon.......

This is my first system w/ Vista. So it's automatic to get another stick or two of ram and then do what (like configurations and what not?)

How did you do this? I purchased this laptop for $399.99 and purchased the 2 year warranty for another $100. I would love to use this coupon. Does Staples take competitor's coupons?

 

[freshspace]

Oh by the way, what is the standard warranty on this? I haven't opened the box yet (my birthday is not until this weekend), but apparently, the warranty is written on a sticker on the computer. Also, the guy at Staples told me that it has 90days warranty? Is this true? Maybe he was trying to sell me the warranty (replacement). But I was going to get it anyway. Could someone clarify? Thanks.

 

[freshspace]

Originally posted by: beat mania
Anyone tried using the DVDR yet? I'm burning the recovery discs for backup and it seems like its only running at 2x or something, SLOW .... definitely not 8X as advertised.

I've had this happen to me on different burners. Sometimes, it is the actual DVD disk that only allows it to be burned at a certain speed. Also, maybe you need to update the firmware for the burner. Another source that could limit your burning capacity.

 

[msi1337]

freshspace, I tried to send you a PM, but it was blocked

to answer your questions

yes, staples will take coupons from comptetitors.

like office max, office depot.

I have found that it is pretty hard for them to honor this policy. Especially after the purchase has already been made.

also, the standard warranty is 1 year through Compaq/HP

 

[jrichrds]

Originally posted by: magomago
aww bad news. For some reason it hasn't shipped or charged my card. I called them and they don't know what is going on (after hours call), they said they would call me back, but I'm going to call on my own tomorrow to ensure things. Did anyone order on Sunday and get everything charged and well?

I had the same thing happen for my online order on Sunday. I even called them on Monday and they said everything was ok even though it still said "Researching." Now they tell me it's being shipped out today even though it still says "researching" on my online order status.

 

[Nymphaea]

Nice deal. Give the same price as an EEPC, I'd definitely go with this. =)

 

[beat mania]

Originally posted by: jrichrds

Originally posted by: beat mania
Anyone tried using the DVDR yet? I'm burning the recovery discs for backup and it seems like its only running at 2x or something, SLOW .... definitely not 8X as advertised.

Which burner make/model did you get? They tend to mix and match these components.

Looks like its just the recovery disc program, loaded up another buring software and its buring fast.

Now I've got everything backed up I can reinstall vista and get rid of that d: partition at the same time. Loading xp would be better, but I don't think its worth it to spend extra money for a copy of xp on a sub 400 computer for which I already paid for a vista license.