Just bought an HP Laptop for $160 bucks... LOL

[mike_jmg]

Ok here is the thing

It is a Hp Pavilion ze4300
AMD Athlon XP 960 Mhz or something like that
256 Mb of ram
battery is completely dead, so i need to use the power cord all the time :rofl:
runs windows XP
40Gb HDD
Wire-required ethernet adaptor LOL
No system restore software

but feels kind of ok, since I was planing on taking a job out of my state and I didn't had one

maybe I could get a good use of this thing once I format it and remove norton antivirus that makes it really slow.

What do you guys think about my deal?
Also some thoughts about if a laptop needs drivers for the screen or speakers, since on the hp webpage I just found drivers for the touchpad, wlan (I was like wtf?), and some ATI stuff (also got me wtf?). Oh yeah and a BIOS update

Any comments on what to do, would be very much appreciated

Also just found out that maybe the replacement battery is prizier than my new laptop :rofl:

[mike_jmg]

44 views and 0 comments, at least insult me or something

[Eviltaco64]

Sounds like a decent laptop (f**k people who mock anything that isnt dual-core).
Try to find the cheapest battery and buy an external wireless card. That could make it a totally tubular AND MIGHT I ADD radical laptop.

[the_eternal_dark]

Actually, not a bad deal there. Here's a few tips: If you are still wanting to use Windows XP, get acquainted with nLite. Or move back to 2000. Or go with a Linux distro of your choice, in regards to your memory, try anything using the XFCE desktop (xubuntu - very easy to use, lightweight). If you're needing this for work, think about what you will need on it and make your choice based on your needs.

For drivers: http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/ProductList.jsp?locale=en_US&taskId=135&prodTypeId=321957&prodSeriesId=373113

If the device isn't listed on the page, then it is supported "out of the box" by Windows I assume. The screen shouldn't need a driver, but you will have resolution/display issues until you install the correct graphics driver.

Get a good PCMCIA wifi card, if your laptop has a PCMCIA slot.

Battery: http://www.electronics-batteries.com/hp_laptop_batteries_dekcell_bl_5502.htm

or http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&q=Hp+Pavilion+ze4300+battery&um=1&ie=UTF-8&checkout=1&sa=X&oi=product_result&resnum=1&ct=checkout-restrict

just to get an idea about the cost for the battery. The starting costs I found were $40+ to $120+, and I personally wouldn't spend more than $60 for it though.

[Junixx]

I would recommend getting a lightweight distro of Linux, a pretty light one that I can think of would have to be Puppy Linux, it hasn't been updated in a while I think but it runs great even from the CD.

[Triv1um]

Old school.

That is simular spec to my old IBM laptop, i was running Win2000 (downgrade from XP) and ubuntu..

Sweet as a nut my friend.

[the_eternal_dark]

I would recommend getting a lightweight distro of Linux, a pretty light one that I can think of would have to be Puppy Linux, it hasn't been updated in a while I think but it runs great even from the CD.

If mike_jmg has never used Linux before, Puppy Linux is probably not the best starting point. I would say Xubuntu or maybe even Fluxbuntu (a very big maybe, flux is a bit more complicated than people give it credit) would be better candidates. Also, the ability to find help with any 'buntu is much greater than trying to find help with Puppy due to the size of the community.

[ICE]

Xubuntu would get my vote. Its very easy to use and its xfce desktop is a light as you will find.

[Axelius]

Hmm, I think the older AMD processors were pretty good, so AMD's 960 Mhz is just as powerful as some old Intel Pentium 4 with 1.4Ghz (or so). So even XP shouldn't be that much of a problem for this Laptop...

Even 256MB of Ram aren't THAT bad...when I bought my first Pc with XP on it it had 256MB of Ram as well...

I guess, if you find a cheap battery you will have a lot of fun with this laptop :thumbup:

EDIT: Are you sure, it's only 960MHz? Most of the other Laptops I have found have about 1.6-2.2Ghz???

[ICE]

There is an alternative to any of the above choices that I can point you towards. Pm me if you want to know..

[mike_jmg]

Thanks for all the comments, really appreciated it

I really need to look for a cheap battery, the two places I've found that sell batteries said it cost $160 (as always prizes in Mexico are really inflated), but I searched on many pages and it is about 60-70 for the US, maybe some friends can help me, hope they will.

As for the wireless card, I have no Idea what a PCMCIA slot is, but I think it has one, it has some slot on the side with a lot of pins deep inside like the IDE port on a motherboard (I'll post a pic when I find my pro duo adaptor for the camera). I was thinking about getting a usb wireless card, but that might be a problem with the 1.0 usb ports. So PCMCIA sounds like a good option

As for OS, I'm really used to WinXP, I've never used Linux, so no hopes there :p. It still runs OK.

Those where my main worries, wireless card and the battery issue. I'm still a bit afraid about formating it, I found the drivers I was describing, on that link that the_eternal_dark posted, so I'll wait until a friend of mine gives me back my Driver Genius program (or maybe not)

Thank you guys, you've really helped me out

Edit: Ok did it
is this a PCMCIA slot?, or what is it?

[the_eternal_dark]

Xubuntu would get my vote. Its very easy to use and its xfce desktop is a light as you will find.

Actually, fvwm is VERY light and pretty simple. xubuntu has a recommendation of 256mb or more. FVWMCrystal + Ubuntu = tiny sys requirements, I've run it on a laptop with 90MB ram, 500mhz PIII, etc, and after getting Epiphany and Gnome Office (or scrap all office software and use google docs to save resources and install space) instead of FireFox and Open Office, it flew. But the only problem with the setup I once had is that I had to build Crystal and go through and slim everything down and kept GDM because it just works and works well. That old thing is dead now, mb fried.

But for simplicity sake, at least on the install end, I agree that xubuntu is the easiest lightweight distro out there.


Ok did it
is this a PCMCIA slot?, or what is it?

Yes.

[mike_jmg]

Hooraay!, one down and one more to go
thank you, you saved me from wasting my money on a usb wifi card

also, sorry, I know is best to have a light OS, but I'm very unfamiliar with those, maybe someday

[the_eternal_dark]

No problem, if you need help running anything, I'm sure we can help. All you have to do is ask.

[Triv1um]

Hooraay!, one down and one more to go
thank you, you saved me from wasting my money on a usb wifi card

also, sorry, I know is best to have a light OS, but I'm very unfamiliar with those, maybe someday

I suggest using Win2000 then.

It really isnt that bad.

[Eviltaco64]

I suggest using Win2000 then.

It really isnt that bad.

Yeah, Windows 2000 ran flawlessly on my old Pentium II 233 (overclocked to 300MHz!) HP Vectra.
But with the specs you listed, XP should run fine!

[the_eternal_dark]

Yeah, Windows 2000 ran flawlessly on my old Pentium II 233 (overclocked to 300MHz!) HP Vectra.
But with the specs you listed, XP should run fine!

Yeah, Win2k or XP, I would have had to laugh at you if you said 95, 98, 98SE, ME, or Vista (WinME2k7) and lose all respect for you. If you really want more speed out of XP though, start learning how to use nLite so you can shrink it down and remove the useless stuff from the OS. Or nLite 2000, which could be retardedly fast.

[Eviltaco64]

Yeah, Win2k or XP, I would have had to laugh at you if you said 95, 98, 98SE, ME, or Vista (WinME2k7) and lose all respect for you. If you really want more speed out of XP though, start learning how to use nLite so you can shrink it down and remove the useless stuff from the OS. Or nLite 2000, which could be retardedly fast.

ME actually ran very well on my 166MHz Cybermax with a 4GB hard drive.
No lie.
But Vista is absolutely pathetic.

[Triv1um]

But Vista is absolutely pathetic.

Indeed, I have it and hate it.

I can't even run low level games on it. (admitedly, it is a laptop with a non-dedicated GFX card, but it cant even run the old games which the specs say it should easily)

Its a damn memory gobbler.

Will downgrade to XP soon.

[the_eternal_dark]

ME actually ran very well on my 166MHz Cybermax with a 4GB hard drive.
No lie.
But Vista is absolutely pathetic.

I was referring to the similarities between the "market dominance" of both ME and Vista. ME was OK at best though, it had too many holes to feel secure.


Will downgrade to XP soon.

Don't you mean "upgrade"? :thumbup:

[Eviltaco64]

Don't you mean "upgrade"? :thumbup:

:thumbup:

[AdamRav]

you lucky B*****d lol

no insult intended

[mike_jmg]

Updates
just formated this little thingy, and installed tinyXP rev06 as suggested haha... it freakin flies man! (well, compared to how it was), even the scroll section on the touchpad works now LOL

Although I'm curious about something, now my procesor shows as AMD Athlon 2000 XP 1.66 Ghz How in hell did this happened, is it overclocked or something?

I installed it without microsoft's programs, so anyone knows about some good media player (one that can read almost every format I throw at it, even dvd movies)

[the_eternal_dark]

Updates
just formated this little thingy, and installed tinyXP rev06 as suggested haha... it freakin flies man! (well, compared to how it was), even the scroll section on the touchpad works now LOL

Although I'm curious about something, now my procesor shows as AMD Athlon 2000 XP 1.66 Ghz How in hell did this happened, is it overclocked or something?

I installed it without microsoft's programs, so anyone knows about some good media player (one that can read almost every format I throw at it, even dvd movies)

VLC Media Player (http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-windows.html). It plays dvd's, multiple video and audio formats, all for free, legally.

If you don't want Windows Media Player or the Real Player on your system, but still need a player to play those formats from a web browser, check out MPlayer for Windows (http://mulder.dummwiedeutsch.de/home/?page=projects#mplayer). This is the default player included in Linux Mint, but has been ported to Windows. Mplayer for Windows works great for everything, but doesn't include dvd playback "out the box". Paired with FireFox (or any browser for that matter), you can view any video embedded within webpages needing those proprietary formats.

[Axelius]

is it overclocked or something?
I don't think it's overclocked... If it was overclocked from 960Mhz to 1.66Ghz your laptop would just be on fire :rofl:

Probably the information you got before were just wrong...

I don't want to be a person that says "I've told you before", but:

Are you sure, it's only 960MHz? Most of the other Laptops I have found have about 1.6-2.2Ghz???

[ICE]

Updates
just formated this little thingy, and installed tinyXP rev06 as suggested haha... it freakin flies man! (well, compared to how it was), even the scroll section on the touchpad works now LOL


Any issues with drivers not bieng installed?

[mike_jmg]

I don't think it's overclocked... If it was overclocked from 960Mhz to 1.66Ghz your laptop would just be on fire :rofl:

Probably the information you got before were just wrong...

I don't want to be a person that says "I've told you before", but:

yeah, I remember, but when I checked back then it really said 961 mhz, maybe was underclocked to save battery life, it belonged to a computers engineer probably that can explain the weird things


Any issues with drivers not bieng installed?

oh, about drivers I found some on the laptop's HDD, and they worked out pretty well, I was a bit freaked out when the display was only on a center square on the screen but then installed the driver and got the full screen :D

Thank you guys
Now all I need is the battery and the wireless card :p

edit: MPlayer looks nice, I'll give it a try

[mike_jmg]

Updates, just bought the PCMCIA wireless card and it works like a charm.

Also I might disapoint some of you, cause I've installed windows media player and windows live messenger. I just wanted the stripped down version of tiny xp to get rid of Internet Explorer and Outlook (the one programs I really hate and never use, but I literaly can't live with the other two, I'm too used to them)

As for the battery, a friend of mine who is living on the US at the moment might bring it to me in May, hope he will come in June as well, so he can bring me a GOW bundle then:p

Thank you for all of your advices, you really helped me out

[Axelius]

Well, actually after your story, I really want to buy some old used laptop too. Just one that has enough power to surf the net and watch some movies etc. (and of course for the show-off effect "Wow, this guy has a laptop! He must be really rich!":rofl:)

But unfortunately I can't find a laptop of that price here where I live. Or probably I'm not searching hard enough...:o