HP Pavilion 6540C

[Wildbill]

5 years ago, I had a Hewlett Packard 386 machine. Everyone talked
about what a piece of crap it was. I bought it new, and had nrver had
the slightest problem with it, at that time it was 5 to 6 years old. I
finally got ashamed of it, It was so slow!!
I purchased an HP Pavilion 6540C new. I returned it to staples the
same day. I can say in hindsight that I wish I had gottten my money
back! It has been a constant source of problems ever since, and HP
Support has been non existant. I pretty much fix all of my pc's, can't
afford to pay someone else.
Finally, I have saved enough to buy another system! It will be
delivered the end of next week!

* AMD Athlon XP Barton 2800+ 2.083 GHz 333Mhz BUS 512k
* Spire WhisperRock IV ultra quite Copper Base AMD approved socket A
fan
* ASUS A7N8XDX NFORCE2 DDR400, 8XAGP, Sound, Lan, SATA, IEEE, USB2.0
* 2 X 512Mb PC 3200 DDR400
* 40.0GB Maxtor DiamondMax 7200rpm UDMA 133
* CD/CD-RW/DVD COMBO 52x24x52x16
* Mitsumi 3.5" floppy disk 1.44 Mb
* 256 Bit AGP 3D Graphics card (up to 64 mb shared onboard-only if
listed with board)
* AC 97 32 BIT Full Duplex sound card (onboard)
* 56K V.90 AMR/CNR Modem riser card (onboard-ONLY IF LISTED WITH
BOARD)
* 10/100 Network card adapter (onboard)
* PowMax Mid Tower ATX Case 300W w/ Front USB
* Multimedia amplified stereo speakers

I can't wait to use the axe on this HP Pavilion!!!!!!!!!!

Did I mention that the Hewlett Packard 386 machine is still running,
and is used daily?? Same componets!

[Frank Slootweg]

Wildbill <wildbillnwv@charter.net> wrote: 5 years ago, I had a Hewlett Packard 386 machine. Everyone talked about what a piece of crap it was. I bought it new, and had nrver had the slightest problem with it, at that time it was 5 to 6 years old. I finally got ashamed of it, It was so slow!!
[Pavilion story deleted] Did I mention that the Hewlett Packard 386 machine is still running, and is used daily?? Same componets!

You *do* realize that at the time that HP 386 machine (a QS/16?)
probably cost some US$ 10,000! (Mine was US$ 13,000 including an extra
1MB, an extra floppy drive, some software and a DeskJet)

What did the Pavilion cost?

Moral: Apples, oranges.

[Annie Woughman]

Are you sure that wasn't more like 15 years ago? We bought our first
computer in 1992 and it was a Packard Bell 486 and paid over $2,000 for it.
The 286's and 386's would have been before that, so I have no idea about
them. Five years ago it was quite easy to buy at least a Pentium 400 for
under $1,000.
"Wildbill" <wildbillnwv@charter.net> wrote in message
news:ql2r10hilc1dfoif2jokc306r9p0674f05@4ax.com... 5 years ago, I had a Hewlett Packard 386 machine. Everyone talked about what a piece of crap it was. I bought it new, and had nrver had the slightest problem with it, at that time it was 5 to 6 years old. I finally got ashamed of it, It was so slow!! I purchased an HP Pavilion 6540C new. I returned it to staples the same day. I can say in hindsight that I wish I had gottten my money back! It has been a constant source of problems ever since, and HP Support has been non existant. I pretty much fix all of my pc's, can't afford to pay someone else. Finally, I have saved enough to buy another system! It will be delivered the end of next week! * AMD Athlon XP Barton 2800+ 2.083 GHz 333Mhz BUS 512k * Spire WhisperRock IV ultra quite Copper Base AMD approved socket A fan * ASUS A7N8XDX NFORCE2 DDR400, 8XAGP, Sound, Lan, SATA, IEEE, USB2.0 * 2 X 512Mb PC 3200 DDR400 * 40.0GB Maxtor DiamondMax 7200rpm UDMA 133 * CD/CD-RW/DVD COMBO 52x24x52x16 * Mitsumi 3.5" floppy disk 1.44 Mb * 256 Bit AGP 3D Graphics card (up to 64 mb shared onboard-only if listed with board) * AC 97 32 BIT Full Duplex sound card (onboard) * 56K V.90 AMR/CNR Modem riser card (onboard-ONLY IF LISTED WITH BOARD) * 10/100 Network card adapter (onboard) * PowMax Mid Tower ATX Case 300W w/ Front USB * Multimedia amplified stereo speakers I can't wait to use the axe on this HP Pavilion!!!!!!!!!! Did I mention that the Hewlett Packard 386 machine is still running, and is used daily?? Same componets!

[Ben Myers]

Yes, the first 386s were introduced in the 1986-1987 timeframe, about the same
time IBM tried to set a standard with its PS/2 MicroChannel computers.

I paid $4200 for my first 286 clone in a box and the first NEC Multisync
monitor. I had to assemble the computer before using it. That was in the same
'86-'87 timeframe... Ben Myers

On Tue, 3 Feb 2004 12:41:59 -0800, "Annie Woughman" <anniewoughman@hotmail.com>
wrote:
Are you sure that wasn't more like 15 years ago? We bought our firstcomputer in 1992 and it was a Packard Bell 486 and paid over $2,000 for it.The 286's and 386's would have been before that, so I have no idea aboutthem. Five years ago it was quite easy to buy at least a Pentium 400 forunder $1,000."Wildbill" <wildbillnwv@charter.net> wrote in messagenews:ql2r10hilc1dfoif2jokc306r9p0674f05@4ax.com... 5 years ago, I had a Hewlett Packard 386 machine. Everyone talked about what a piece of crap it was. I bought it new, and had nrver had the slightest problem with it, at that time it was 5 to 6 years old. I finally got ashamed of it, It was so slow!! I purchased an HP Pavilion 6540C new. I returned it to staples the same day. I can say in hindsight that I wish I had gottten my money back! It has been a constant source of problems ever since, and HP Support has been non existant. I pretty much fix all of my pc's, can't afford to pay someone else. Finally, I have saved enough to buy another system! It will be delivered the end of next week! * AMD Athlon XP Barton 2800+ 2.083 GHz 333Mhz BUS 512k * Spire WhisperRock IV ultra quite Copper Base AMD approved socket A fan * ASUS A7N8XDX NFORCE2 DDR400, 8XAGP, Sound, Lan, SATA, IEEE, USB2.0 * 2 X 512Mb PC 3200 DDR400 * 40.0GB Maxtor DiamondMax 7200rpm UDMA 133 * CD/CD-RW/DVD COMBO 52x24x52x16 * Mitsumi 3.5" floppy disk 1.44 Mb * 256 Bit AGP 3D Graphics card (up to 64 mb shared onboard-only if listed with board) * AC 97 32 BIT Full Duplex sound card (onboard) * 56K V.90 AMR/CNR Modem riser card (onboard-ONLY IF LISTED WITH BOARD) * 10/100 Network card adapter (onboard) * PowMax Mid Tower ATX Case 300W w/ Front USB * Multimedia amplified stereo speakers I can't wait to use the axe on this HP Pavilion!!!!!!!!!! Did I mention that the Hewlett Packard 386 machine is still running, and is used daily?? Same componets!

[Wildbill]

I think that I bought the Packard Bell about 1989.......you are
right..closer to 15 years ago. Time sure flies when you really have
junk like HP. Don't recall what I paid for the PB though

On Tue, 3 Feb 2004 12:41:59 -0800, "Annie Woughman"
<anniewoughman@hotmail.com> wrote:
Are you sure that wasn't more like 15 years ago? We bought our firstcomputer in 1992 and it was a Packard Bell 486 and paid over $2,000 for it.The 286's and 386's would have been before that, so I have no idea aboutthem. Five years ago it was quite easy to buy at least a Pentium 400 forunder $1,000."Wildbill" <wildbillnwv@charter.net> wrote in messagenews:ql2r10hilc1dfoif2jokc306r9p0674f05@4ax.com... 5 years ago, I had a Hewlett Packard 386 machine. Everyone talked about what a piece of crap it was. I bought it new, and had nrver had the slightest problem with it, at that time it was 5 to 6 years old. I finally got ashamed of it, It was so slow!! I purchased an HP Pavilion 6540C new. I returned it to staples the same day. I can say in hindsight that I wish I had gottten my money back! It has been a constant source of problems ever since, and HP Support has been non existant. I pretty much fix all of my pc's, can't afford to pay someone else. Finally, I have saved enough to buy another system! It will be delivered the end of next week! * AMD Athlon XP Barton 2800+ 2.083 GHz 333Mhz BUS 512k * Spire WhisperRock IV ultra quite Copper Base AMD approved socket A fan * ASUS A7N8XDX NFORCE2 DDR400, 8XAGP, Sound, Lan, SATA, IEEE, USB2.0 * 2 X 512Mb PC 3200 DDR400 * 40.0GB Maxtor DiamondMax 7200rpm UDMA 133 * CD/CD-RW/DVD COMBO 52x24x52x16 * Mitsumi 3.5" floppy disk 1.44 Mb * 256 Bit AGP 3D Graphics card (up to 64 mb shared onboard-only if listed with board) * AC 97 32 BIT Full Duplex sound card (onboard) * 56K V.90 AMR/CNR Modem riser card (onboard-ONLY IF LISTED WITH BOARD) * 10/100 Network card adapter (onboard) * PowMax Mid Tower ATX Case 300W w/ Front USB * Multimedia amplified stereo speakers I can't wait to use the axe on this HP Pavilion!!!!!!!!!! Did I mention that the Hewlett Packard 386 machine is still running, and is used daily?? Same componets!

[Wildbill]

However, I did have the PB five years ago


On Tue, 3 Feb 2004 12:41:59 -0800, "Annie Woughman"
<anniewoughman@hotmail.com> wrote:
Are you sure that wasn't more like 15 years ago? We bought our firstcomputer in 1992 and it was a Packard Bell 486 and paid over $2,000 for it.The 286's and 386's would have been before that, so I have no idea aboutthem. Five years ago it was quite easy to buy at least a Pentium 400 forunder $1,000."Wildbill" <wildbillnwv@charter.net> wrote in messagenews:ql2r10hilc1dfoif2jokc306r9p0674f05@4ax.com... 5 years ago, I had a Hewlett Packard 386 machine. Everyone talked about what a piece of crap it was. I bought it new, and had nrver had the slightest problem with it, at that time it was 5 to 6 years old. I finally got ashamed of it, It was so slow!! I purchased an HP Pavilion 6540C new. I returned it to staples the same day. I can say in hindsight that I wish I had gottten my money back! It has been a constant source of problems ever since, and HP Support has been non existant. I pretty much fix all of my pc's, can't afford to pay someone else. Finally, I have saved enough to buy another system! It will be delivered the end of next week! * AMD Athlon XP Barton 2800+ 2.083 GHz 333Mhz BUS 512k * Spire WhisperRock IV ultra quite Copper Base AMD approved socket A fan * ASUS A7N8XDX NFORCE2 DDR400, 8XAGP, Sound, Lan, SATA, IEEE, USB2.0 * 2 X 512Mb PC 3200 DDR400 * 40.0GB Maxtor DiamondMax 7200rpm UDMA 133 * CD/CD-RW/DVD COMBO 52x24x52x16 * Mitsumi 3.5" floppy disk 1.44 Mb * 256 Bit AGP 3D Graphics card (up to 64 mb shared onboard-only if listed with board) * AC 97 32 BIT Full Duplex sound card (onboard) * 56K V.90 AMR/CNR Modem riser card (onboard-ONLY IF LISTED WITH BOARD) * 10/100 Network card adapter (onboard) * PowMax Mid Tower ATX Case 300W w/ Front USB * Multimedia amplified stereo speakers I can't wait to use the axe on this HP Pavilion!!!!!!!!!! Did I mention that the Hewlett Packard 386 machine is still running, and is used daily?? Same componets!

[Annie Woughman]

"Wildbill" <wildbillnwv@charter.net> wrote in message
news:ktr020pq92ccachm1v7v5o2c0s3fep0us3@4ax.com... However, I did have the PB five years ago
We never did have a Packard Bell we didn't like. I think we had five in
all, starting with that 486 and about six months ago we donated our last one
(a Pentium 200) to a school. They were all still running when we gave them
away. I don't know why they got bad-mouthed so bad. We would probably
still be buying PB if they still made them.

[Just mee]

Packard Bell does still make computers, but does not sell them in the
USA..
Long story, but there was a legitimate lawsuit against them in the US
for using *used* parts in computers and selling them as *new*
computers (very much against the law, PB got caught, and did not like
it)...

Personally, I always found their computers to be very marginal... and
their OS overlay software was generally very buggy..

JM

On Wed, 4 Feb 2004 07:47:56 -0800, "Annie Woughman"
<anniewoughman@hotmail.com> wrote:
However, I did have the PB five years agoWe never did have a Packard Bell we didn't like. I think we had five inall, starting with that 486 and about six months ago we donated our last one(a Pentium 200) to a school. They were all still running when we gave themaway. I don't know why they got bad-mouthed so bad. We would probablystill be buying PB if they still made them.