Are Built PC's less reliable then PC's you can buy from OEM manufactors?

[blurredvision]

Neos,

I'm unaware of a 'tweaking' program that we may use to get our machines to run smooth. It's mostly just lots and lots of input from different sources to get everything to work together. HP has been in the computer business since 1995, and since that time, I can say that we have kept a few of the same companies around. When that happens, we learn from past mistakes, and correct it. I can't really comment on what fixes and changes we have made from series to series, but only because there are so many. As HP's technicians, we have some input on what to include on newer models, just because we deal with the problems on a day in and day out basis.

So to answer your question, there is no program, just a lot of people's input as to what to do. When you put about 1000 techs together, there is all kinds of things you can think of.

 

[A2KLAU]

Well the thing is some big companies like HP, they have Techies working on mobos. Those mobos are specifically designed for each compnaonet that the company is going to put in! So the mobo is 100 Ready for what it is going to recieve. With the ones like Asus, Abit and them lot they are universal. They are prepaired for whatever you fling at it, but it won't be 100 optimised for that component. Thats probably why the HP was quicker than your comouter because of that! HP was 100 Optimised for the components installed by HP making their own mobo. I think that is a reasonable explaination as my Dell, which was a PII 450, had its own mobo and it was pretty quick!

SKY.

 

[blurredvision]

Yeah, the motherboards we use are stripped down versions of popular ASUS motherboards. Most people aren't even aware of that, because that information isn't readily available to common users.

 

[RossGr]

4 years ago my wife did not trust my home built, she was sure that a brand name computer would be much better. So, I bought a HP Pavillion, with a 1 year in house repair warrenty. Good thing, after a chache memmory and hard drive failure it was a good thing we had the in home repair. Now, 4 years later it is still a P133 and always remain so, it still is running but not as usefull, upgrades are to expensive and limited.

She now recogizes that home builts are just as good and the tech support is 7/24 and always on hand.

Reliability is never having to use the warrenty.

 

[nortexoid]

Depends who components and driver (and OS) u're building your computer with, also
depends on what OEM model computer u're purchasing...

my beotch's computer is a HP Celery 333 and ALWAYS gets errors - i.e. blue screen, protection faults, etc...

i built my comp. w/ fairly good quality compoentns and it rarely gives me errors, and it's
running out of spec all over the place...

in other words, it totally depends on the overall system configuration, and generally, people
who build their own computers and give a damn about how their computer performs will have a solid reliable system...in most cases, more reliable than OEM

 

[A2KLAU]

So I am right! Thats good! Cause there was a pattern of that and which department you work in WC Charlie? You seem to be pretty high in the ranks! And how come you are alowed to use Anandtech at work, unless youa re high up in the scale and have time on your hands?

SKY.

 

[blurredvision]

I wouldn't say I'm high in the ranks SKY. LOL. I find the thought of that amusing. I work mainly for the Pavilion line of computers, which is HP's only home computer series.

I use anandtech at work because it helps pass the time quicker when I have nothing to do. Pavilions are pretty decent computers, and of all of them we sell, we really get a minimum of calls regarding problems with them. Just the usual calls from owners who really should've bought a webtv instead of a full blown PC.

 

[A2KLAU]

So you are more tech support rather than fixing the things or abit of both or am I way off? And did you get my PM message?

SKY.

 

[blurredvision]

Yeah, I'm more tech support that anything else. And I have been for a while. That's why I found it funny when you mentioned the fact of moving up in this company....LOL It's still funny.

And I did get your PM, and replied to it as well.

 

[A2KLAU]

Strange I have not got your PM message back yet? Thats funny?!

SKY.

 

[blurredvision]

Sent it again. Try now.

 

[A2KLAU]

Still no luck it still says No New Messages. Maybe my PM is down or something? I'll give it a little bit more time! If it still does not work then put it on the forum!

SKY.

 

[blurredvision]

.

 

[A2KLAU]

We just turned thos place into our litle chat room thing! Hee Hee... Anyway I live in the U.K and calling the US is abit far from here! But thanks anyway!

 

[JellyBaby]

Yes feel free to talk amongst yourselves.

Go home-brew!

 

[dszd0g]

HP has been in the computer business for a lot longer than 5 years. They may have been in the PC business for 5 years. However, I have worked with old HP Nova boxes running MPE, Apollo 300s and Panther boxes running HP-UX 8.0. I have worked with HP computers more than 10 and 15 years old.

 

[madthumbs]

Did anyone mention Alienware PC's? I think they do a decent job of building. They tend to use the same parts I would as far as I can see. The only difference is that I can build it myself cheaper, and have more control over each spec.

 

[Vinny N]

Neos:

About one system flying over another...
Seems to be a combo of motherboard and the hard drive in my opinion...

(Motherboards are central to the system, and the hard drive is slowest part of the computer that you rely on so often(excluding floppy drives, modems, and NICS))

I've seen a lot of systems by a small company that use to be around in Central New York, they always were very picky about their motherboards. Those systems usually booted absurdly fast, and were always responsive when doing anything in windows.

Sometimes they seemed to have magic hard drives that always seeked at the lowest time the drive was spec'd at.

Anyways...you didn't say much about the HP system and your own system besides CPU and RAM, which usually don't give off any noticeable measure of speed unless you're talking about benchmark like situations like framerate in a game or speed of a filter in photoshop. I'm certain you meant general speed and responsiveness.

 

[blurredvision]

<< HP has been in the computer business for a lot longer than 5 years. They may have been in the PC business for 5 years. However, I have worked with old HP Nova boxes running MPE, Apollo 300s and Panther boxes running HP-UX 8.0. I have worked with HP computers more than 10 and 15 years old. >>


Yes, dszd0g is correct. I should've been more clear. HP has only been in the home computer business since 1995. Sorry for any confusion.

 

[tbumpus]

UKSpace - Regarding home-built vs. oem reliability, keep in mind the forum in which you're posing your question and the likely response you'll get. You're asking a bunch of guys and gals who almost universally have put together their own machines. If you go ask the same question to a bunch of Dell reps, you're likely to get a different kind of answer. This isn't to say you can't home-build a reliable PC. I've got two boxes at home built around Asus motherboards that have been reliable as hell. I also work for a small company that purchases only Dells, and they've been just as reliable. So, in the end, take the comments you get here with a small grain of salt.

 

[R0b0tN1k]

For the past two years I've been using a Dell and it has worked great the whole time. The whole thing is 100% name-brnad quality parts and I never had a compatibility problem. I had upgraded many components over time with success. Just recently I moved up to a Dual P3 800 system I assembled myself and I am noticing some differences. I only buy good stuff for myself, but it still doesn't seem as problem-free as the Dell. So, from my experience, computers from well-known large companies are the most reliable, and if they're not, the warranties will make sure it is (Dell's support is second to none.) If you're willing to accept some problems, build one yourself. Also, I wouldn't really call assembling a PC &quot;fun&quot; at all...it's really just a pain. I work in an IT department...maybe that's why I hate them. It's nice to just pull a new machine out of the box, plug it in, and be done with it.

 

[dcdomain]

In terms of OEM computers, I've had positive experiences with Dell, Micron, and IBM. Horrid experience with Compaq (POS)... a bad experience with ABS (returned it promptly, computer arrived DOA) and my friend just had a bad experience with a new HP. Returned it after a week. I told him to buy a computer from cyberpowerinc...

In terms of small generic computers, I had a custom built one done by a small shop. Pretty stable... I just built my first system, also first AMD system, and Win2K crashed after 3 days, I had to reformat and reinstall everything again. So far it's going strong (another 3 days...). It's just a bit loud, 4 case fans, since this is the first time dealing with AMD, I want to make sure I'm keeping that thing cool.

 

[Cosmic_Horror]

remember OEM systems aren't really targeted toward computer hobbists/hardcore gamers!

say your grandma wants a basic computer to surf the net and send email. nothing fancy. you have a choice build it yourself and handle any and all problems she has, or get her to buy an e-machine with warrenty? If you don't mind providing tech support , then the choice is easy but in can be a pain.

Stability and reliability really come down to 1)- the componets chosen, 2)- the state of the software for those componets and 3)- the ability of the person to put it all to geather and diagnose any and all problems.

Good research usually helps overcome point 1 and 2 above and experience helps the 3.

Putting togeather your very first system from scrath on your own can be quite frieghtening (esp. a couple of thousand dollars worth of equipment waiting to be put togeather) but also a lot of fun!
There is a level of satisfaction and acomplishment is achieving this.

 

[Special K]

I would agree with some of the earlier posts saying that putting the hardware together is the easy part - its getting the OS, drivers, and software running that is the challenge. Last summer I built my first computer and while I had a few problems assembling the actual hardware (such as putting the removable motherboard tray back in - I had never dealt with those before) what really frustrated me was, first reboot after installing windows, seeing something like &quot;user.exe file is missing or corrupted, windows must be reinstalled&quot; and then having the computer suddenly power off by itself. So I reinstalled windows, and the same thing happend - two more times. I thought it had something to do with enabling DMA, but I will never know for sure now. Eventually, I ended up sending everything back (not just because I was frustrated at building it - I had other reasons, but I won't go into those).

 

[firehawk2]

i also think taht buying a private company PC's like dell, gateway, or other falcons its pretty good and to pay more for there warranty and stuff and sicne u can probabily add change the system parts like motherboard or cpu unlike compaqs or hewlett packard, sony u probabily cant....