New Laptops

[[JiF][AARP]Tissueman]

Today I turn in my HP Compaq nc6100 at noon and some time later tech support hands me my new HP Compaq nc6400 theoretically with all my data etc intact, but all the unapproved programs removed. Trillian, Google Earth and who knows what else will be gone. I don't even know the specs on the new one. It might not even be the promised 6400. Sometimes they run out and just hand you something else. So I'll be off line all afternoon awaiting the new laptop.

[[JiF]Sly Gambit]

HP must be doing well with big industries. Our latest laptops are the nc6400. I've got a nc6230 (and will have it for a while) but people getting the 6400s don't like the screen. Widescreen is cool for watching movies but when you're scrolling logs or trying to bring back rows in spreadsheets it can be slightly jarring to switch from normal to wide viewing. Plus people feel like it's actually less viewing area - not sure if that's true or not. But people feel like it is.

So do you like yours?

[[JiF][AARP]Tissueman]

I haven't used the laptop screen much. I've been using it in a docking station. I haven't noticed any issues in the little time I have used it, but that has mainly been to check my work email from home. The only problems I've had with it are company induced. For some reason, we don't use any programs off the shelf, but have to have them 'fixed'. The first day I got the laptop I wandered off and my screen saver came on. We have to hit ctrl-alt-del to get the sign in screen. I entered my clever password (all my passwords are clever of course) and got an error message. It was not a password error, it was some other problem. I had to call our IT support in Costa Rica to get that fixed. Then I loaded the Iomega back-up software I used on my old laptop (with the same OS BTW). Every time I'd try to start my laptop I'd get the blue screen of death and the laptop would reboot. It never got out of that cycle. I tried safe mode and could not fix the problem. Another call to Costa Rica. One of the on-site techs (I don't live in Costa Rica) came by and after playing with it for a while had to take it away. He had to run some utility 'in the shop' to fix it.

Although the screen is bigger than my old laptop, this one seems lighter. It runs faster and I'm sure it would be a really neat laptop to have if I didn't have to run 'optimized' software on it. You wouldn't believe how long it takes me to long into the company network in the AM. IT isn't sure how to fix my backup problem. I'm planning to retire in early '08 so I'm not sure that I care. I have a good backup from just before I traded laptops and I can keep copies of anything I don't want to lose out on what little space they allow me to have on the server.

[[JiF][AARP]Tissueman]

I picked up a Dell laptop at Sam's Club in NH while on vacation. It came with Vista installed. I need to set it up for my wife to replace her ~10 year old desktop. I was concerned about getting the printer and scanner to work as they are both relatively old also. The laptop doesn't have the old printer connection. I bought a parallel to USB cable for the printer and spent some time over 2-3 hours trying stuff and then thinking about it and trying the next step. I noticed that the laptop knew the printer was there, but it wouldn't print. If I unplugged the USB end of the cable the printer icon would go 'offline'. When I plugged it back in it would go to 'ready'. I finally went to HP's website and found a troubleshooting guide. Step 3 was to remove both ends of the cable, wait a few seconds and plug them back in. When I plugged it back into the printer I heard a distinctive click that I hadn't heard the first time. The printer worked as advertised.

The scanner was easier. It recognized the scanner right away. I was worried about the scanner software as it predated Vista by years, but it loaded with no problem and worked as advertised. I've had problems with this for previous versions of Windows. I showed my wife how fast the scanner program loaded versus on her old desktop. She was impressed. I've been after her for quite a while to get a better computer. She kept saying 'no'. This one worked for her. The problem is that it only has a 10 gig drive and I have trouble keeping enough free space on it for it to work well. Every time she had a problem she'd ask me what I had done to her PC. I'd clean up the unneeded temp files etc. I also had migrated all the photos, etc. off her PC. She's going to NH for a wedding this weekend. My plan is to finish the conversion while she is gone.

I'm not sure what I'll do with the old PC. I may do a complete overhaul installing the OS again after reformatting the C-drive. If I add a larger drive it might work for extra storage. Or I'll let my son salvage parts from it.

I never thought I'd have so many PC's running in my house. The laptop makes 4, though only 3 will probably be used.

[[JiF]LtWaterboy]

I never thought I'd have so many PC's running in my house. The laptop makes 4, though only 3 will probably be used.

Woohoo!!! LAN Party at Tissue's!!!!

FYI. I bet with my luck theat I will get your OLD laptop when I return to work this week...

ps. did u choose your internet security package yet?

pps. found a new use for my 19" dell ultrasharp monitor.... plan to get an external TV tuner and another dig cable box and put in my bedroom afterall.
this will be based on me getting my new 32" Sharp Aquos LCD TV with Vyper Mode for the LR & computer....

[[JiF]Crash]

Hey...

I just swapped out over 72 HP nc6000, NW6000, and NW8000 for IBM thinkpad T60's. Being the IBM IT Specialist for my division, we get new laptops every 3 years. So we will have these for awhile. yy

[[JiF]Sly Gambit]

Hey...

I just swapped out over 72 HP nc6000, NW6000, and NW8000 for IBM thinkpad T60's. Being the IBM IT Specialist for my division, we get new laptops every 3 years. So we will have these for awhile. yy

How's that working out? We swapped out t30s for t40s and then went to Dell (who it turns out has terrible support for business customers) and then went to the nc6100s and now to the nc6400s.

Haven't heard much about t60s but I loved my t40.

[[JiF]Crash]

Working out great. All of development got the hard core T60's (schweet), and sales, support, marketing got the T42p's