Some semi-decent Win7 refurbs @ Newegg

[VirtualLarry]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16883250154

$104.99

HP Compaq DC7700 Desktop PC Core 2 Duo 1.86 Ghz 2GB DDR2 80GB HDD Windows 7 Home Premium

Refurbished newegg

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...24&ignorebbr=1

$109.99 $129.99

HP Compaq DX7400 Desktop PC Core 2 Duo 2.33GHz 2GB 160GB HDD Capacity Windows 7 Home Premium

Refurbished newegg

Edit: There's more at this link. Curiously, I was NOT able to drill-down to this list using Newegg's normal menus anymore. It's like the vast majority of their Refurb PCs are hidden and inaccessable now.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...bop=And&page=1

Edit: Nevermind, that link doesn't work either. Newegg is fuxored. Showing only 26 refurb PCs, when that link in my existing browser window shows 240.

Guess Newegg doesn't want to sell any of their refurb PCs.

Edit: Price on 2nd PC (DX7400) raised to $129.99. Still not too bad of a deal.

Edit: Newegg just put up a DX7400 with 2GB / 160GB, with Win7 Pro 64-bit, for $129.99.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883280184&ignorebbr=1

 

[Replay]

Folks are spending almost this much to buy Windows 7 for their old XP rigs.

 

[msi1337]

watch out for the DC series and blown capacitors..a lot of my clients have had issues with those.

 

[|-Goku-|]

Hmmm, not bad I suppose.

 

[PieIsAwesome]

Bleh, home windows, no domain support.

Still not bad though. My parents need a cheap computer for web browsing and light office stuff, this should do just fine.

More than fine, actually. I remember gaming on an e5400 and 7600gt with 2GB of RAM not too long ago, lol. DoW2, Company of Heroes, Fallout 3, etc. Yeah, these will be excellent.

 

[nwo]

Folks are spending almost this much to buy Windows 7 for their old XP rigs.

I've even seen some refurbs on newegg that come with the installation disk. Not sure if this is the case in the OP but great deals nonetheless.

:thumbsup:

 

[SimMike2]

Some of these don't have PCI-e slots that can handle a video card upgrade if you want HDMI output, for instance. Do your research if you want this for something like a cheap HTPC.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Some of these don't have PCI-e slots that can handle a video card upgrade if you want HDMI output, for instance. Do your research if you want this for something like a cheap HTPC.

If you click the product links, the first one comes with an ATI X1300 card, and the second with an empty PCI-E x16 slot.

I bought two of the second model, and I plan on dropping in a couple of half-height GT620 GPUs into them. They have VGA, DVI, and HDMI.

 

[StitchExperimen]

These have 32-bit OS on a 64-bit processor.
U can only use 3 1/2 GB of memory.
Buyer beware of the re-manufacturer.


-

 

[TerryMathews]

These have 32-bit OS on a 64-bit processor.
U can only use 3 1/2 GB of memory.
Buyer beware of the re-manufacturer.


-

W7 is a universal license. You can reinstall the 64 version if needed.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Well, I received my two DX7400 HP systems.

I opened it up, it was very clean, no dust-bunnies. Four DDR2 slots, presumably filled with 512MB DIMMs. Q33 chipset, whatever that is. Onboard VGA output. PCI-E x16 slot, and I think a couple of PCI-E x1 and a PCI slot.

Powered up (Hint, the shiny HP logo button is NOT the power button, gah), Win7 32-bit OOBE setup, requires you to manually punch in the Win7 product key from the sticker.

No additional Win7 install discs included (sad to say).

Refurbed by Joy Systems, Authorized MS Refurbisher. Box claims a 1-year warranty. (I think Newegg only stated 90 days.)

Overall, the system is reasonably peppy.

Edit: Came across this tidbit of info, regarding the Q33 chipset video drivers and Win7 and IE9 (and newer?).
http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Deskto...pset-video-problems-on-Windows-7/td-p/1762887
Seems that installing IE9, and not disabling HW video accelleration, causes "Display driver is not responding" errors.

I left this install at IE8, guess I'll leave it that way, or maybe drop in the GT620 card like I was thinking of.

 

[TerryMathews]

I'm reasonably certain that if a fellow is slic he could figure out how to install a legit 64 bit version.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I'm reasonably certain that if a fellow is slic he could figure out how to install a legit 64 bit version.

Might have to be a bit slic with BIOS mods then, because the original COA was for Vista Home Basic.

 

[mvbighead]

Hmm, interesting...

Would the display port on this model:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16883250749

Support passing audio using a DP to HDMI cable? Wondering if this would work, as is, for an HTPC (without adding a graphics card).

 

[VirtualLarry]

prolly DP 1.1. I think 1.2 is required for audio. I don't think Intel's chipset video-output hardware included any sound hardware either.

 

[av911]

watch out for the DC series and blown capacitors..a lot of my clients have had issues with those.

Hmm, I've never had problems like that with the hundreds of DC7600s and DC7700s. But we don't keep them longer than 3 years though.

 

[TerryMathews]

Might have to be a bit slic with BIOS mods then, because the original COA was for Vista Home Basic.

I've had some HP from that era on the business side which contained both certs in the BIOS.

 

[mvbighead]

prolly DP 1.1. I think 1.2 is required for audio. I don't think Intel's chipset video-output hardware included any sound hardware either.

I did some closer looking. This appears to have a q45 with Intel GMA4500 GPU. There was apparently a IntelGMA4500HD GPU for a different chipset. I don't think I will be counting on this for HD playback, so I may be inclined to find a different one and slap a low wattage HDMI card in there for playback.

 

[msi1337]

Hmm, I've never had problems like that with the hundreds of DC7600s and DC7700s. But we don't keep them longer than 3 years though.

well, and the models I have had issues with were some of the first DC7 Series they made, it appears the capacitors are a bit better now.