How's your Walmart laptop holding up?

[dextux]

My Walmart laptop is great now! I just got another 512MB of RAM in the thing, making it 768MB now. Also, I reinstalled windows to get rid of all the HP crap that was installed when I bought the machine. I can't stand all the extra stuff that computer companies install when I know I will never use them and all they do is just make my computer slower. My computer is runny very very good right now. I can't complain at all for the price of everything. :)

[ryleeblack]

Glad that everything is working well for you guys. ^^

[skylog]

If you don't mind, once you get it could you let me know how it's working. I'm looking for something, but wont' have the money for a week or so since I spend so much on BF.

i got the ram on wednesday and put it right in. everything is working great right now (not that it wasn't before), although i am still in the process of installing all of my applicationss and utilities. i plan on running some memory test programs on the ram some time over this weekend, but as i stated before, corsair is a quality product and i have not had any problems in the past. this is my first experience with their value select ram however, from all my research there such be no problem. i did note that the ram did increase in price since the weekend, so i do not know what to tell you there, but they often run weekend sales so maybe it will go down.

 

good luck and let me know if you need anything else.

[tinaclark1]

I have to say that my laptop is working great....in fact I can't get my husband to put it down....he is constantly on it. I bought it so I didn't have to fight with him to use the computer. Now we are fighting over who is going to lay in bed with the computer and who has to sit at the desk. LOL

 

I also want to add that everyone one of our electronics in our house have come from Walmart. Our 5 TVs, 2 VCRs, Surround Sound System, 3 DVD players. I have to say that we have never had problems with any of them. In fact two of our TVs are over 9 years old, and are perfect to this day. We buy everything from Walmart, I don't believe that any of these big named companies with reputations to uphold, like HP, Sony, Samsung, etc..would sell substandard products with their names on it. That is too risky.

[couponprincess]

I don't really think he was saying that their electronics are junk, just that the lower-grade products would go into a walmart computer before a circuit city one.

 

But I'm a Walmart hater so I'll jump out of this thread lol

[TheLegend]

I don't really think he was saying that their electronics are junk, just that the lower-grade products would go into a walmart computer before a circuit city one.

 

But I'm a Walmart hater so I'll jump out of this thread lol

 

He also based his comment upon a friend's fishing reel.

 

Now how in the blazes does that equate cheaper computer parts? Especially in a name brand product such as HP? Used to be I'd expect that from an EMachines or Packard Bell, but even eMachines are more reliable today than they used to be.

[msomnipotent]

He also based his comment upon a friend's fishing reel.

 

Now how in the blazes does that equate cheaper computer parts? Especially in a name brand product such as HP? Used to be I'd expect that from an EMachines or Packard Bell, but even eMachines are more reliable today than they used to be.

Emachines was bought by Gateway and then spun off again, according to BB. That was supposed to increase their reliability. I thought Gateway still owned them, but what do I know? I have been told be many people that only a few component makers supply several manufacturers. So it just depends on the components. LG is a little-known Korean mfg, but they bought all the rights to Zenith, and all Zenith wares are actually LG now. Zenith invented a lot of the HD components and sold the rights to several companies before they were bought out by LG, so that Sony you paid top dollar for just may be a Zenith under the skin. It's the same with Vcrs and DVD players.

[DaleRider]

He also based his comment upon a friend's fishing reel.

 

Now how in the blazes does that equate cheaper computer parts? Especially in a name brand product such as HP? Used to be I'd expect that from an EMachines or Packard Bell, but even eMachines are more reliable today than they used to be.

 

OK....then how about this from HP's own website?

 

I worked a few weeks ago on a lady's computer she'd bought from Wal-Mart. It was an HP 6735KR. Looked up the computer on HP's website to look at what the original specs were and if the computer had been altered before I got it. (It'd been worked on before by a "friend" of hers so I wanted to make sure nothing was amiss from that.....and he didn't really fix it!)

 

I found something interesting......two models of the same computer. So I called HP tech support and asked........the HP 6735KR was a Wal-Mart specific computer and the HP 6735MX/CN were their online and BestBuy/Circuit City/Staples/etc. model.

 

Interestingly, the motherboards were DRASTICALLY different.

 

The BB/CC/Staples/online/etc. model had an Asus brand motherboard....and Asus is considered by some the Cadillac of motherboard manufacturers.

 

Hers, on the other hand, had a TriGem motherboard, a rather cheap Chinese-made 'board that's only sold to OEMs and cannot be purchased retail.

 

 

A link to the Asus motherboard model HP computers.....hers is not listed here, but is kinda by number.....6735, just the MX and CN versions....not the KR.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?dlc=en&lc=en&product=58739&lang=en&cc=us&docname=bph07170

 

Here's a link to her computer's motherboard.......and it lists her model, the 6735KR model (left column, half way down....)

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?dlc=en&lc=en&product=58739&lang=en&cc=us&docname=bph07169

 

Now, both models ran Intel Celeron chips and had essentially the same chipsets, but who'd you want building it? To put it in other terms, do you want Toyota or Honda building your car or do you want Kia or Fiat?

 

To top it off, her hard drive was an offbrand Chinese hard drive, not a Western Digital, Seagate, Maxtor, Samsung, Fugitsu, Toshiba, or any other known and retail brand.

 

The memory wasn't even brand marked.....just had speed markings on the chip and an HP sticker saying "Remove and void warranty."

 

Now, I'm not saying every single HP Wal-Mart computer is made with cheaper components than the BB/CC similar models, but when Wal-Mart demands a price point be met, the manufacturer will do most anything to meet it....otherwise WM will go elsewhere to get that price.

 

If you've ever noticed, almost every electronic item in WM is almost the same part number as BB and CC, but is usually a letter or number off.....for a reason.

 

Personally, I buy dog food in Wal-Mart, but never electronics. Seen too much junk come out of there to trust them.

[malachitecat]

Ya know, I really don't care if off brand parts are used as long as I get the use and performance out of them that I expect. I have bought just about every electronic in my home from WM (except one of the three computers - which I bought the parts and put together myself) and I have not had a problem with any of them. I expect to use this laptop for a couple of years and then once I graduate, get my CPA license, and get a good paying job I will upgrade. This laptop was just something to get me through the tax season (I have to do volunteer work for class credit) and make it possible to take my work to my professors and say 'Help!!!" lol. So far it has been wonderful, the only thing I'm changing is to upgrade the memory. If it took off brand parts to get the price on this laptop so low that I could afford it and complete college and get the job I've been dreaming about since I was 16 and it still works to my expectations, I say go for it. Okay, i'll step off my Have a wonderful day all!

[ihateshopping]

OK....then how about this from HP's own website?

 

I worked a few weeks ago on a lady's computer she'd bought from Wal-Mart. It was an HP 6735KR. Looked up the computer on HP's website to look at what the original specs were and if the computer had been altered before I got it. (It'd been worked on before by a "friend" of hers so I wanted to make sure nothing was amiss from that.....and he didn't really fix it!)

 

I found something interesting......two models of the same computer. So I called HP tech support and asked........the HP 6735KR was a Wal-Mart specific computer and the HP 6735MX/CN were their online and BestBuy/Circuit City/Staples/etc. model.

 

Interestingly, the motherboards were DRASTICALLY different.

 

The BB/CC/Staples/online/etc. model had an Asus brand motherboard....and Asus is considered by some the Cadillac of motherboard manufacturers.

 

Hers, on the other hand, had a TriGem motherboard, a rather cheap Chinese-made 'board that's only sold to OEMs and cannot be purchased retail.

 

 

A link to the Asus motherboard model HP computers.....hers is not listed here, but is kinda by number.....6735, just the MX and CN versions....not the KR.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?dlc=en&lc=en&product=58739&lang=en&cc=us&docname=bph07170

 

Here's a link to her computer's motherboard.......and it lists her model, the 6735KR model (left column, half way down....)

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?dlc=en&lc=en&product=58739&lang=en&cc=us&docname=bph07169

 

Now, both models ran Intel Celeron chips and had essentially the same chipsets, but who'd you want building it? To put it in other terms, do you want Toyota or Honda building your car or do you want Kia or Fiat?

 

To top it off, her hard drive was an offbrand Chinese hard drive, not a Western Digital, Seagate, Maxtor, Samsung, Fugitsu, Toshiba, or any other known and retail brand.

 

The memory wasn't even brand marked.....just had speed markings on the chip and an HP sticker saying "Remove and void warranty."

 

Now, I'm not saying every single HP Wal-Mart computer is made with cheaper components than the BB/CC similar models, but when Wal-Mart demands a price point be met, the manufacturer will do most anything to meet it....otherwise WM will go elsewhere to get that price.

 

If you've ever noticed, almost every electronic item in WM is almost the same part number as BB and CC, but is usually a letter or number off.....for a reason.

 

Personally, I buy dog food in Wal-Mart, but never electronics. Seen too much junk come out of there to trust them.

Dalerider, not sure you are getting the whole story from this lady. Wal-Mart's computers from HP all have a wm in the model number and have for years.

[rockets34life]

My Walmart laptop is great now! I just got another 512MB of RAM in the thing, making it 768MB now. Also, I reinstalled windows to get rid of all the HP crap that was installed when I bought the machine. I can't stand all the extra stuff that computer companies install when I know I will never use them and all they do is just make my computer slower. My computer is runny very very good right now. I can't complain at all for the price of everything. :)

hey dextux, how did you format over HP's stuff? Did you just pop the XP CD in and reformatted the C drive?

[EliteABombAZ]

hey dextux, how did you format over HP's stuff? Did you just pop the XP CD in and reformatted the C drive?

He probably installed a retail version of XP. If you reinstall using the HP System Disk (Restore Disk), it will most likely reinstall your OEM XP and all of the HP "extras".

[Adamski]

He also based his comment upon a friend's fishing reel.

 

Now how in the blazes does that equate cheaper computer parts? Especially in a name brand product such as HP? Used to be I'd expect that from an EMachines or Packard Bell, but even eMachines are more reliable today than they used to be.

It doesn't EQUATE reels to computers, but considering that both items are for sale AT THE SAME STORE (Wal-Mart), don't you think there may be a pattern in some of the products that Wal-Mart buys? As in, "Manufactured specifically for Wal-Mart" with cheaper parts.

 

OK, assume they don't do it at all for electronics, they do it for fishing reels. Think they don't do it on any other products as well?

[KrissPenn149]

I was worried about getting that laptpo b/c it just seemed to be "too-good-to-be-true". but apparently, in the very short time frame since the purchase of these laptops, they all seem to be working.

 

Only time will tell of course... :-)

[dextux]

hey dextux, how did you format over HP's stuff? Did you just pop the XP CD in and reformatted the C drive?

Yeah that's basically all I did. It's all in the owners manual I think the "getting started" manual that tells you how to do all of that. With the driver and software recovery cd, you can select which programs you want and don't want to install....so you don't have to have all that HP crap on your computer. :)

[rockets34life]

Thanks for the response, dextux. I'm HP FREE!!! Here's what else I found out...

 

You know that HP wireless internet app? Well, the limited or no connectivity prompt that everyone gets....it's a known issue with HP and there's nothing they have done about it. Even when it says you are not connected, you are. What kind of B.S. is that? That HP wireless internet app is crap.

 

Well, after the format, I also noticed a huge difference in internet connectivity with the wireless card. It doesn't drop every minute and everything seems great now! All I need is an upgrade in memory.

[Gporter34]

Mom's WM laptop is doing great! She loves it. She doesn't use it for much more than sending and recieveing e-mail and maybe pay a few bills, but she thinks it's wonderful. I have an HP desktop that I bought almost two years ago at WM and we all love it. It was alot cheaper and it has been great. The kids use it alot and I am on it almost all of the time.I also buy most of our electronics at WM and have never had any problems out of most of them. Just a bum VCR a few years ago. The rest of it works fine.

[DaleRider]

Dalerider, not sure you are getting the whole story from this lady. Wal-Mart's computers from HP all have a wm in the model number and have for years.

 

Sorry to burst your bubble, but HP's computers end in MANY letters other than wm. Some do, many do not, as the current generations of HP's end in "N" and "W" from Wal-Mart.

 

The lady provided the original box, which I didn't need to take from her home, the original receipt, which I held onto while I had her computer in case it was a hardware failure (it turns out her son was downloading risque material and had infected it badly with worms and viruses that McAfee failed to catch...miserably.)

 

No each and every Wal-Mart desktop from HP/Compaq ends in "WM", that's jsut a fallacy and incorrect. You should investigate before making such blanket statements......current lines available from WM:

 

A1250N

A1219N

a1265w

 

These are in-store models, not confined to on-line ordering.

[DaleRider]

It doesn't EQUATE reels to computers, but considering that both items are for sale AT THE SAME STORE (Wal-Mart), don't you think there may be a pattern in some of the products that Wal-Mart buys? As in, "Manufactured specifically for Wal-Mart" with cheaper parts.

 

OK, assume they don't do it at all for electronics, they do it for fishing reels. Think they don't do it on any other products as well?

 

And you do know Wal-Mart is the largest single importer of Chinese goods into the U.S., right? WM is responsible for 10% of all Chinese-made goods imported into the U.S., which is a rather staggering amount considering this is just one retailer with that large an amount of importation from China. It's also been estimated that upwards of 80% of all goods sold in Wal-Mart are Chinese in origin.

 

Coffee makers, dog food, paper towels, etc. are what I consider safe Wal-Mart items. Large dollar electronic items from Wal-Mart are like those on HomeShoppingNetwork.....won't buy them there.

[TheLegend]

It doesn't EQUATE reels to computers, but considering that both items are for sale AT THE SAME STORE (Wal-Mart), don't you think there may be a pattern in some of the products that Wal-Mart buys? As in, "Manufactured specifically for Wal-Mart" with cheaper parts.

 

OK, assume they don't do it at all for electronics, they do it for fishing reels. Think they don't do it on any other products as well?

 

I wouldn't know.... I don't assume things.

 

I maintain specialized machinery for a living and deal with replacement parts that can come from a variety of suppliers. Many of those suppliers will often modify the specs for a part in order to make it cheaper to the customer. Sometimes the result is a part that's actually better than the OEM. Sometimes it's not.

 

At the same time... a supplier will make one part that's absolutely terrible. But have other products that no other supplier can touch for quality and/or cost.

[TheLegend]

And you do know Wal-Mart is the largest single importer of Chinese goods into the U.S., right? WM is responsible for 10% of all Chinese-made goods imported into the U.S., which is a rather staggering amount considering this is just one retailer with that large an amount of importation from China. It's also been estimated that upwards of 80% of all goods sold in Wal-Mart are Chinese in origin.

 

Coffee makers, dog food, paper towels, etc. are what I consider safe Wal-Mart items. Large dollar electronic items from Wal-Mart are like those on HomeShoppingNetwork.....won't buy them there.

 

Wasn't too long ago they used to say that Japanese items were inferior. They don't say that anymore now.

 

The Koreans are improving all the time, and I doubt the Chinese are sitting still either.