OK...
I have been in the market for a BLACK notebook (or at least the part the inside of the notebook be black when I'm using it.) I refused to plump down the money Dell wants for their XPS 17" model so I ended up at HP's site.
About a week and a half ago I ordered the DV8000Z (I wanted a AMD system that supported 64 bit for the future since I am was buying a new system.) Well, the model arrived (CTO) but I didn't like it, it was just to big and gawdy for my tatstes. I did however LOVE the blue LED lights all over it and the screen was pretty nice (although the "Brightview" threw me for a loop!) It almost looked as if there was a thin film of glass over the LCD, very strange and not use to what I'm looking at when it comes to LCD's but it was nice! I ordered the notebook with the backup CD for XP Home SP2, for an extra 10 bucks, so before I decided whether I was keeping it, I did a clean install of XP Home. I then reinstalled all the drivers from HP's website, since they don't provide a drivers CD (this is my first complaint right off the bat!)
Now here is my question regarding the drivers when it comes to wipping a drive, and reinstalling the OS with HP's systems.) I have read numerous threads on here where everyone is saying if you buy an HP and you wipe the drive to do a clean install, you are going to be in trouble!? I don't get it...
I installed all the drivers for the DV8000Z from HP's website, everything worked perfectly! I even went into the device manager to make sure, there was no exclamation marks next to any hardware, nope, 'all systems were good to go'!
The notebooks come with SATA harddrives, you guys have said on here that you have to retrieve the drivers for the harddrive from the notebook BEFORE you wipe the drive or you are screwed. I still don't get it!? Since when do you need a driver for a harddrive? If there was a driver needed for the harddrives, why are they not included in the driver/download section for the specific model? Again, I'm really confused.
Maybe someone can explain this for me?
OK, onto my next journey coming up:
I still want a black notebook (I currently have a Dell in Silver and I'm just totally over it!)
So I finally decided that the 15.4" model notebook is perfect for me (which is what I currently have.) So that is what I'm going to go with. And once again, having a 64 bit processor is important to me for the future. So I have decided on the HP DV5000Z.
HOWEVER...
For some odd reason, HP is not offering the option to add a backup OS CD when you CTO the DV5000Z, yet they offer the selection for the DV5000T. So I called and complained about it (as most of you know I'm good at that lol), anyways...all I got were run around answers from the sales people, nobody had a clue as to why the option is not available for the 5000Z but it is for the 5000T. I even went as far as contacting corportate offices about it (hey I need a a OS CD, the first thing I always do is do a clean install of the OS when I buy a new system.) The lady in corporate was really nasty with me about it and said "if I had a dime for everytime a customer has called me complaining about this, I would quit my job!" I said well maybe that should tell you something! People want and DESERVE a OS CD with their new systems, it's not right for you NOT to include it (not to mention not including the drivers CD.) Anyways...
To make a long story short I got nowhere with her.
I called the parts department, they want to charge me 48.00 to send me a OS CD and a drivers CD for the 5000Z (should I order it of course.) I am furious! Why are they charging people amost 50 bucks for a CD that SHOULD already come with the system in the first place? I can understand 10 bucks, but 50???
So here are my problems concerning the HP DV5000Z:
1.) The LCD screen is ONLY offered in a WXGA resolution (1200X800) and you can opt to order it with the "brightvew" technology. My question is: I have NEVER owned a XGA screen before in either non wide screen sizes or wide screen sizes. By settling for a WXGA screen (I would probably order it with "brightvew" unless you guys advised against it), is the screen going to be less quality then say a WSXGA or WUXGA? When watching movies on my notebook, am I going to be missing parts of the picture on my screen? I know everyday applications will be larger on the screen, and I will have to do some scrolling on ocassion but other then that, is it a bad screen, cheap screen or is it really ok to 'settle' for a WXGA screen? Really, I need some good and honest opinions here.
2.) As far as the operating system goes. Since they refuse to provide a copy of the OS, is it ok if I use my Dell XP Home SP2 CD to reinstall Windows on the sytem when I get it? Or is the HP machine going to reject the CD because it came from Dell? I assume an XP Home SP2 is XP Home SP2, what is the difference as to who it comes from? But maybe I'm wrong... If the machine rejects Dell's copy of the OS to install it, I guess I have to pay HP 48 bucks to send me the backup copy of the OS and the drivers CD then, or else I'm going to be screwed.
3.) Once I do get the system wipped and the OS reloaded, when it comes to installing the drivers, are there ANY drivers that I'm going to need to install for the DV5000Z that are NOT on HP's website? And if so, WHY? This question goes back to the question I asked about regarding the SATA harddrives and you guys saying you need to install a driver for these drives. I still don't get that at all.
4.) When it comes to CTO'n the system with a harddrive, do I really want to 'up it' to a 5400 RPM drive? I mean it's not extremely expensive to do so but would I really see any performance gains from having a 5400 RPM drive, verses a 4200 RPM drive? If so please explain
5.) Finally, regarding the battery. They offer a 6 cell (standard) and a 12 cell battery for the DV5000Z system. The sales guy at HP told me that a 6 cell batttery would last me UP TO 5 hours (which I do not believe at all) and get this, he told me the 12 cell battery would last me up to 10 hours! I have NEVER heard of a notebook battery lasting 10 hours between charges...I just don't buy that at all! My situation regarding a battery: 99 percent of the time I have plugged into the wall, sometimes I will lay on my bed and be online for a few hours in the evening but other then that, I'm always plugged into the wall...even when I go out of town as I am right now typing this to you all in my hotel room. So, my question is: Do I need to waste my money on a 12 cell battery (that by the way will stick out from the bottom of the system and annoy the hell out of me) or would a 6 cell battery work just fine for me?
OK, this was a long first post and I think I'm done with it now. I look forward to reading some replies on this.
Thank!
P.S. I'm assuming (from what I've read on HP's website) that all the same ports and connectors that are on the DV8000Z are also on the DV5000Z? From what I can tell, that is correct but I just wanted to double check.
Thanks.
I have been in the market for a BLACK notebook (or at least the part the inside of the notebook be black when I'm using it.) I refused to plump down the money Dell wants for their XPS 17" model so I ended up at HP's site.
About a week and a half ago I ordered the DV8000Z (I wanted a AMD system that supported 64 bit for the future since I am was buying a new system.) Well, the model arrived (CTO) but I didn't like it, it was just to big and gawdy for my tatstes. I did however LOVE the blue LED lights all over it and the screen was pretty nice (although the "Brightview" threw me for a loop!) It almost looked as if there was a thin film of glass over the LCD, very strange and not use to what I'm looking at when it comes to LCD's but it was nice! I ordered the notebook with the backup CD for XP Home SP2, for an extra 10 bucks, so before I decided whether I was keeping it, I did a clean install of XP Home. I then reinstalled all the drivers from HP's website, since they don't provide a drivers CD (this is my first complaint right off the bat!)
Now here is my question regarding the drivers when it comes to wipping a drive, and reinstalling the OS with HP's systems.) I have read numerous threads on here where everyone is saying if you buy an HP and you wipe the drive to do a clean install, you are going to be in trouble!? I don't get it...
I installed all the drivers for the DV8000Z from HP's website, everything worked perfectly! I even went into the device manager to make sure, there was no exclamation marks next to any hardware, nope, 'all systems were good to go'!
The notebooks come with SATA harddrives, you guys have said on here that you have to retrieve the drivers for the harddrive from the notebook BEFORE you wipe the drive or you are screwed. I still don't get it!? Since when do you need a driver for a harddrive? If there was a driver needed for the harddrives, why are they not included in the driver/download section for the specific model? Again, I'm really confused.
Maybe someone can explain this for me?
OK, onto my next journey coming up:
I still want a black notebook (I currently have a Dell in Silver and I'm just totally over it!)
So I finally decided that the 15.4" model notebook is perfect for me (which is what I currently have.) So that is what I'm going to go with. And once again, having a 64 bit processor is important to me for the future. So I have decided on the HP DV5000Z.
HOWEVER...
For some odd reason, HP is not offering the option to add a backup OS CD when you CTO the DV5000Z, yet they offer the selection for the DV5000T. So I called and complained about it (as most of you know I'm good at that lol), anyways...all I got were run around answers from the sales people, nobody had a clue as to why the option is not available for the 5000Z but it is for the 5000T. I even went as far as contacting corportate offices about it (hey I need a a OS CD, the first thing I always do is do a clean install of the OS when I buy a new system.) The lady in corporate was really nasty with me about it and said "if I had a dime for everytime a customer has called me complaining about this, I would quit my job!" I said well maybe that should tell you something! People want and DESERVE a OS CD with their new systems, it's not right for you NOT to include it (not to mention not including the drivers CD.) Anyways...
To make a long story short I got nowhere with her.
I called the parts department, they want to charge me 48.00 to send me a OS CD and a drivers CD for the 5000Z (should I order it of course.) I am furious! Why are they charging people amost 50 bucks for a CD that SHOULD already come with the system in the first place? I can understand 10 bucks, but 50???
So here are my problems concerning the HP DV5000Z:
1.) The LCD screen is ONLY offered in a WXGA resolution (1200X800) and you can opt to order it with the "brightvew" technology. My question is: I have NEVER owned a XGA screen before in either non wide screen sizes or wide screen sizes. By settling for a WXGA screen (I would probably order it with "brightvew" unless you guys advised against it), is the screen going to be less quality then say a WSXGA or WUXGA? When watching movies on my notebook, am I going to be missing parts of the picture on my screen? I know everyday applications will be larger on the screen, and I will have to do some scrolling on ocassion but other then that, is it a bad screen, cheap screen or is it really ok to 'settle' for a WXGA screen? Really, I need some good and honest opinions here.
2.) As far as the operating system goes. Since they refuse to provide a copy of the OS, is it ok if I use my Dell XP Home SP2 CD to reinstall Windows on the sytem when I get it? Or is the HP machine going to reject the CD because it came from Dell? I assume an XP Home SP2 is XP Home SP2, what is the difference as to who it comes from? But maybe I'm wrong... If the machine rejects Dell's copy of the OS to install it, I guess I have to pay HP 48 bucks to send me the backup copy of the OS and the drivers CD then, or else I'm going to be screwed.
3.) Once I do get the system wipped and the OS reloaded, when it comes to installing the drivers, are there ANY drivers that I'm going to need to install for the DV5000Z that are NOT on HP's website? And if so, WHY? This question goes back to the question I asked about regarding the SATA harddrives and you guys saying you need to install a driver for these drives. I still don't get that at all.
4.) When it comes to CTO'n the system with a harddrive, do I really want to 'up it' to a 5400 RPM drive? I mean it's not extremely expensive to do so but would I really see any performance gains from having a 5400 RPM drive, verses a 4200 RPM drive? If so please explain
5.) Finally, regarding the battery. They offer a 6 cell (standard) and a 12 cell battery for the DV5000Z system. The sales guy at HP told me that a 6 cell batttery would last me UP TO 5 hours (which I do not believe at all) and get this, he told me the 12 cell battery would last me up to 10 hours! I have NEVER heard of a notebook battery lasting 10 hours between charges...I just don't buy that at all! My situation regarding a battery: 99 percent of the time I have plugged into the wall, sometimes I will lay on my bed and be online for a few hours in the evening but other then that, I'm always plugged into the wall...even when I go out of town as I am right now typing this to you all in my hotel room. So, my question is: Do I need to waste my money on a 12 cell battery (that by the way will stick out from the bottom of the system and annoy the hell out of me) or would a 6 cell battery work just fine for me?
OK, this was a long first post and I think I'm done with it now. I look forward to reading some replies on this.
Thank!
P.S. I'm assuming (from what I've read on HP's website) that all the same ports and connectors that are on the DV8000Z are also on the DV5000Z? From what I can tell, that is correct but I just wanted to double check.
Thanks.
