*Deal is back, $29 more but 1TB HDD* lenovo Q190 mini-pc, Now $279+tax shipped

[Peterdoubt]

I forgot that I had purchased one of the $14.99 Pro upgrades when I bought my son his Win 7 laptop with the upgrade option to Win 8. He does not want to use it so in the midst of upgrading to Win 8 Pro now and then will add Media Center and see how she goes. As of now this is a great little computer and much more than just a HTPC.

Are there any ways around this? I bought Windows 8 pro for my laptop last year but I believe the license is only good for 1 machine, correct? There should at least be a discount available. I just set the Lenovo up and it's quite the bargain, but I, too, would like to use Media Center, which I have on my lappie.

 

[Radeon962]

The Laptop upgrade is a "one machine at a time". You can use it on any machine, just only one system at a time. If you have it installed on the laptop, then it can't be on the Q190 at the same time.

 

[VirtualLarry]

How hard is it to put Windows 7 on this box? Does the BIOS/UEFI have Secure Boot or Fast Boot? Are they able to be disabled?

 

[Radeon962]

Was thinking the same thing as Windows 8 is not going over well with the family. 6 kids and a wife leads me to find a way to "upgrade" to Windows 7 as the Windows 8 experience is too haphazard as you end up bouncing back and forth between the Metro screen and Desktop.

To me, Windows 8 is pretty nice but seems to be a skinned Windows 7 that needs some more refinement.

I am going to see if installing Windows 7 would work as I did find some information on Windows 7 drivers on Lenovo's website:

http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/IdeaCen...190-Windows-7-drivers-don-t-work/td-p/1037303

The machine itself is more than enough to be a stand alone computer to use for web surfing, Office applications, video, etc. It really is an amazing piece of hardware and definitely deserves some more time to see if I can get it up and running Win 7 as it would be perfect as a secondary computer. I picked up a Q180 CD/DVD drive from eBay for $30 +/- shipped and it connects to the Q190 and then you just use the two-prong USB plug that comes with it. Slick setup and you can remove it and put it away until you need it again as it is just plug in the USB and it's ready to go.

 

[Peterdoubt]

Was thinking the same thing as Windows 8 is not going over well with the family. 6 kids and a wife leads me to find a way to "upgrade" to Windows 7 as the Windows 8 experience is too haphazard as you end up bouncing back and forth between the Metro screen and Desktop.

To me, Windows 8 is pretty nice but seems to be a skinned Windows 7 that needs some more refinement.

I am going to see if installing Windows 7 would work as I did find some information on Windows 7 drivers on Lenovo's website:

http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/IdeaCen...190-Windows-7-drivers-don-t-work/td-p/1037303

The machine itself is more than enough to be a stand alone computer to use for web surfing, Office applications, video, etc. It really is an amazing piece of hardware and definitely deserves some more time to see if I can get it up and running Win 7 as it would be perfect as a secondary computer. I picked up a Q180 CD/DVD drive from eBay for $30 +/- shipped and it connects to the Q190 and then you just use the two-prong USB plug that comes with it. Slick setup and you can remove it and put it away until you need it again as it is just plug in the USB and it's ready to go.

You might want to try adding this start menu - it pretty much feels like win 7 - there are still some things you have to hunt around for, but it made me decide not to revert to win 7 once I got the video drivers working on my HP lappie.:
http://www.classicshell.net/

 

[Peterdoubt]

Do they still make the BluRay drive for this?
And thanks Radeon - figured that...

 

[Radeon962]

I have looked at a few of the Start menus, Start8, classicshell, etc. but the issue is still how things bounce between the Metro interface and desktop. If you fire up Explorer from Metro then it's one way. If you fire up Explorer from desktop its different. If you install Chrome and pin it to the Metro screen, then when you start it up it takes you back to the desktop, etc.

It is nice and I could make a go of it if I was the only user, but I do not feel like taking a call at the office from someone at home and explain to them how to get somewhere. It just seems that Win 8 should have been Metro only or Desktop only, not both.

I think down the road MS will get it sorted out and it will be a great system in the future as Win 7 is the best they have put out, IMO, and Win 8 is the start point for an improved Win 7 but not quite there yet.

Kids would probably learn it if forced, wife not so much. And a happy wife is a good wife. The kids bounce between IOS and Windows at school to Win 7 at home, so they can and will learn anything. The wife has so much other stuff on her plate that to have her learn Win 8 is not worth it at this point in the state that it is in.

Might have to make it as a 3rd system for them to play with and get used to it and then move it into the secondary system spot or just install Win 7 and be done with it.

 

[rekd0514]

try this one as well
http://startisback.com/#download-tab

 

[Binky]

Alive again. This time at $279, but with a 1TB HD instead of the 500GB.

http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/c...341829A01A0A22
Use code USPQ460314

 

[SithSolo1]

Alive again. This time at $279, but with a 1TB HD instead of the 500GB.

http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/c...341829A01A0A22
Use code USPQ460314

Thanks, I'll update the OP.

 

[drbrock]

why is this not the go to HTPC? Am I missing something here? Very small form factor and a legit copy of windows 8.

 

[VirtualLarry]

At this price, with the 1TB HDD pre-installed, it would make a nice little NAS. Plus, you could connect a USB3.0 external HDD (4TB) too. And since it's a full-blow OS, you could run backup scripts, etc. on it too, or a torrent program, etc. Too bad it doesn't come with Win8 Pro, then you could RDP in.

Edit: Why, oh why, can you NOT customize the build, and select Win8 Pro? I am dumbfounded by the stupidity of Lenovo. Especially when you consider the target market of this PC, and the HTPC aspects, namely, that you need Win8 Pro to add the Media Center add-on.

Totally stupid.

 

[jalaram]

why is this not the go to HTPC? Am I missing something here? Very small form factor and a legit copy of windows 8.

No optical drive. Otherwise, it would make for a great HTPC. I just have too many systems as it is.

OP: not to nitpick, but isn't the new price $29 more?

 

[bznotins]

At this price, with the 1TB HDD pre-installed, it would make a nice little NAS. Plus, you could connect a USB3.0 external HDD (4TB) too. And since it's a full-blow OS, you could run backup scripts, etc. on it too, or a torrent program, etc. Too bad it doesn't come with Win8 Pro, then you could RDP in.

Edit: Why, oh why, can you NOT customize the build, and select Win8 Pro? I am dumbfounded by the stupidity of Lenovo. Especially when you consider the target market of this PC, and the HTPC aspects, namely, that you need Win8 Pro to add the Media Center add-on.

Totally stupid.

While it doesn't help with the Media Center aspect, Remote Desktop can be enabled via registry tweak. And on top of that, I have found TeamViewer to be far better anyway (converted a few months ago).

That said, if you're running XBMC, this is one sweet HTPC value.

 

[SithSolo1]

No optical drive. Otherwise, it would make for a great HTPC. I just have too many systems as it is.

OP: not to nitpick, but isn't the new price $29 more?

*facepalm* Why yes, it is $29 more. I am fail at math.

 

[bigfootnmd]

Hi,

I purchased the Lenovo Ideacentre Q190 (57312246) using a coupon code from http://liliputing.com/ from the 3/15 deals list. However the code provided is no longer valid.
On the Lenovo page if you select this model you can apply the current code SLAMDUNK (Valid through 3/27) for $100 off lowering the price to $349. This is still a good deal.I did verify that there is merchant on EBAY selling the optional DVD/RW drive from the Lenovo Q180 for $22
+ shipping. The drive does attach to the CPU unit using a USB clip and will likely fit along with the CPU unit in the included stand. However, for me the only time I need a DVD/RW drive is when I am either loading software from CD or burning some files to a DVD disc. So, not having a DVD R/w Drive connected all the time to the Q190 won't be an issue for me. Also, since I have a big HD TV with Surround sound in the living room I don't watch movies on my desktop pc.

This unit has 1.5 G Celeron 887, 4 gig RAM, 1 TB hd, Windows 8 64 bit and no optional DVD/RW or Blu-ray. So, I bought a Samsung USB DVD/RW for $35. Included was a VESA mounting bracket which can be used to mount the unit on the back of a Monitor or BIG Screen TV. However, this model does not include the optional remote control.
I now have this Q190 dual booting with the original Windows 8 64 bit OS and
Ubuntu 12.10 Secure remix. Currently Ubuntu 12.10 does not have drivers for the Realtek WIFI chip. So, until that bug is fixed I am running an old fashioned network cable.

Overall I am quite pleased with this little computer. I have retired my 4 year old
Dell Inspiron 531 (slim case). The Q190 is not even 1/10 the foot print of my old Dell.
It is also nearly silent.

BTW the Ubuntu community also offers XUBUNTU which has an excellent Media Center Platform.

 

[SimMike2]

why is this not the go to HTPC? Am I missing something here? Very small form factor and a legit copy of windows 8.

It costs $99 to get Windows Media Center on this system because you need the pro pack. Deal killer for many people who want an HTPC system, at least if they are using their computer with a HD Homerun Prime cable card network device. Really greedy and stupid of MS to not only take this formerly included feature away, but also make average home consumers pay $99 to get it.

 

[gorcorps]

This would be a great HTPC for me. I pretty much strictly use xbmc so there's nothing I really lose with this version of Win 8. With closing on my house in a couple weeks this is a terrible time to be spending money though.

 

[Perknose]

I have no real need of this, and less disposable income to play with, but I'm having the damndest time resisting making a purchase.

That freaking cool little remote you can now get for $35, plus the detachable drive from e-bay that fits like a glove, plus its being VESA mountable, all practically scream, "Hey, Sailor!" :awe:

 

[gorcorps]

I have no real need of this, and less disposable income to play with, but I'm having the damndest time resisting making a purchase.

That freaking cool little remote you can now get for $35, plus the detachable drive from e-bay that fits like a glove, plus its being VESA mountable, all practically scream, "Hey, Sailor!" :awe:

If it helps, I've had that remote for a little while now and it's not that great. I've considered getting something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Perixx-PERIBOA...ds=htpc+remote

But honestly I think Mobile Mouse is so good that's the best thing for me.

 

[RPD]

So is the only place to get the DVD drive eBay?

 

[gorcorps]

So is the only place to get the DVD drive eBay?

Maybe not the only, but the only at any decent price from the little research I did

 

[Vernon593]

so can you upgrade the cpu or is it soldered on? What about other upgradeable parts?

 

[AustinInDallas]

DOH, just noticed it only has SPDIF output and no analog outputs. Weird.

its under the front panel "Flap"

 

[bigfootnmd]

RPD, Ebay appears to be the only place that has the DVD/RW drive that was
sold last year with the Lenovo Ideacentre Q180. However, as I indicated in my posting
I got an external USB DVD/RW drive for about $30. I used it to load Turbo Tax
last week from a CD. For now the USB DVD/RW that I purchased (not the one from Ebay) awaits in a drawer until the next time I need to load something from DVD.
The only real reason to get the Lenovo DVD/RW drive from EBAY is if you are going to mount the combination Q190 and DVD/RW drive together on the back of a TV or
monitor and use them to play DVD movies.