Best Laptop with OS for under £300

[Doug Stormforce]

I’ve got vista on my lap top and XP Pro on all of the PCs at the office/centre. Vista does wind me up as so many things (particularly IE) seem to fail.

I was talking to a South African guy at the Southampton Boat Show about operating systems, (we were a bit off topic as I was selling RYA courses and he was importing RIBs), however he said that within Vista there is an option/facility to "Roll Back" to XP or XP Pro. While retaining all of you setting, documents etc.

As anyone ever heard of this or done it? If so was it worth doing? And how do you do it?

[nik]

Andy, I got a 12 inch screen laptop from these guys.
The beauty is you can specify the size of hard drive you want, how much memory and which operating system, even no operating system.
The chassis for my one is made by compal and the quality seems ok.

Nick.

Just realised these prices are ex VAT, so that pushes the price somewhat above your limit.

[Richard B]

Originally Posted by Doug Stormforce

...he said that within Vista there is an option/facility to "Roll Back" to XP or XP Pro...

You can't... that's compete horsesh1t!

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by Doug Stormforce

Vista does wind me up as so many things (particualrly IE) seem to fail

Yes, Id agree with the IE statement even though my own (domestic) experience does not incline me to support the 'vista-is-crap' bandwagon. In fact, my own experience would be that XP (over it's lifetime) had more issues than I've had with Vista. Just a personal observation - I'm sure others could justifiably argue otherwise.

However, at the moment I'm using IE8 beta which appears more stable and seems to avoid the IE7 instabilities I came across frequently. A word of caution though...some web sites - Nat West internet banking, for instance - do not appear compatible with IE8 beta (or vica versa).

[codprawn]

Simple solution - use Firefox!!!

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by codprawn

Simple solution - use Firefox!!!

My 'strategy' won't work for everyone, either from a practical point of view or a perceived quality standpoint but...I tend to use all things Microsoft () and all things BT ( ) on the simple basis that, in this way, there's possibly (probably?) the best chance of the stuff working together. So...MS Vista, MS Live One Care (a firewall, anti-virus, tune-up package), MS Money, MSN, MS Office...BT landine, BT Fusion, BT Vision, BT broadband, BT Auto Back Up. Then, if anything goes tits up I know who to complain to.

It's a bit like the strategy I've had for buying a RIB...go to an experienced, established, custom build supplier who can supply, fit, and be responsible for, everything.

[codprawn]

I wonder how many people out there are running multiple firewalls for no reason at all? Most routers have good firewalls built in - nothing else is needed.

More is NOT better!!!

As to using only Microsoft products - mmmmmmmm

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by codprawn

I wonder how many people out there are running multiple firewalls for no reason at all? Most routers have good firewalls built in - nothing else is needed.

More is NOT better!!!

As to using only Microsoft products - mmmmmmmm

Understood. Other firewalls are turned off It means I use MS Live One Care as an all-in-one protection package. It suits me...it might not suit others.

Microsoft - I only call it as I see it and comment as a PC 'amateur' who has evolved something that works for him

[Hightower]

I've been having a touchy feely session today and trying not to get too seduced by all the "gadgets". I'm now as confused as ever . As usual, to get all the features I want, my budget would have to increase by quite a bit.

However, one thing I'm clear about is that Vista has to go. I will replace this as soon as I get the new computer home, the only thing I'm angry about is that I'm paying for an operating system I don't want.

As most branded laptops come with a pre-loaded OS, if I do replace the Vista OS is there a way of saving it, just in case I want to use it in the future?

[Doug Stormforce]

Originally Posted by Hightower

As most branded laptops come with a pre-loaded OS, if I do replace the Vista OS is there a way of saving it, just in case I want to use it in the future?

I suspect you will get a recovery disc with it and the pass code will be on a sticker on the undersise of the laptop.

I may be wrong but proabally worthregsiering it when you firts but it if you want the option of re installing in 2 yrs time.

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by Hightower

However, one thing I'm clear about is that Vista has to go.

Bit like buying a new car, removing the fuel injection and fitting carbs Why not buy an 'old' laptop with XP for peanuts and dosing it with RAM and a decent hard drive?

[Hightower]

I'm not really bothered about the Vista in all reality, but, yes I will register it as soon as

[Hightower]

Originally Posted by Leapy

Bit like buying a new car, removing the fuel injection and fitting carbs Why not buy an 'old' laptop with XP for peanuts and dosing it with RAM and a decent hard drive?

Funny I got the impression from most that it was a very power hungery and IE unstable product.

The only thing I'd like to add is that I'm happy with XP SP3 as an environment, so why change something that works?

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by Hightower

Funny I got the inpression from most that it was a very power hungery and IE unstable product.

The only thing I'd like to add is that I'm happy with XP SP3 as an environment, so why change something that works?

All these power and instability things are relative...Vista works for me, but if XP is your comfort zone then go for it. Just don't buy Vista and then junk it. Kind of negates your original request for help in acquiring a budget machine.

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by Leapy

Bit like buying a new car, removing the fuel injection and fitting carbs Why not buy an 'old' laptop with XP for peanuts and dosing it with RAM and a decent hard drive?

Not quite - I have "downgraded" loads of computers back to XP from Vista as requested by customers. The extra performance is an eye opener. Renders etc take far less time now as does almost everything else.

And don't knock carbs either - fuel injection may be more efficient but for sheer power many people still use carbs - dragsters are a classic example.

[Bigmuz7]

Originally Posted by Leapy

All these power and instability things are relative...Kind of negates your original request for help in acquiring a budget machine.

No it doesnt .. he's had the advice .. we all say the same thing .. vista yes ... fine if your buying a good fast lappy with loads of ram, but he isn't,.. he wants a decent cheapo, so get one with XP,.. it'll run all the apps faster with less oomph .. end of story

[Andy JC]

Originally Posted by Bigmuz7

so get one with XP

From where?

If buying new, although possible, that really restricts his options. If buying used I'd personally recommend against it.

Originally Posted by Hightower

is there a way of saving it, just in case I want to use it in the future?

As suggested by Doug, the recovery disc might be an option. Alternatively with hardrives being so cheap these days and fitting them being a 2 minute job you could fit another HDD in there and install XP on that. Another option could be to buy an external HDD and swap the drives over so that you can use the drive with vista installed as extra storage (preferably with a partition between the OS and you extra data). Would also have to make sure it had 8MB cache as some external drives only have 2MB cache.

[codprawn]

PC world's business section will supply almost all their laptops with Vista installed AND with an XP Pro setup disk.

I bought one for a customer last week - she is in Thailand for a month and the thought of talking her through Vista over the phone doesn't bear thinking about - especially as she's not the most PC literate.

[Doug Stormforce]

Originally Posted by codprawn

PC world's business section will supply almost all their laptops with Vista installed AND with an XP Pro setup disk.

Souns like a solution. Is that as standard or on request?

[Hightower]

I was thinking of adding an external drive so that all my important files could be installed on there for safe keeping. This way I can use it to connect to both computers.

Could I not just copy the entire hard disk content of the Laptop and paste it in the external HD?