# Compaq Computers



## Djas00 (Sep 24, 2002)

I have a bunch of experience with Compaq computers. I wouldn't suggest getting them. Everyone I have gotten one of the cd-rom drives have messed up within a year of purchase. After I got one replace it messed up again. This is popular among Compaq. They always seem to mess up one way or another.


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## Djas00 (Sep 24, 2002)

Another thing about them THEY ARE DUST COLLECTORS!!!! All my compaq computers always collect dust. The newest one collects dust in the floppy drive the most and another one (A year old) collects dust in the whole insides. It gets annoying to clean them out.


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## videobruce (Nov 8, 2002)

ANY pre-built box is a shortcut to quality! No name motherboard, intergreated graphics and audio, slow drives, proprietary designs!

What looks like a deal really isn't! Too bad so many get suckered into them! Just like YOL (Yuppies On Line) another scam!


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## angelize56 (Apr 17, 2002)

I didn't get suckered into my Compaq Presario 5000....it was a gift and I appreciate that.  I've had it for almost 2 years and no problems with it yet. Knock on wood!  Take care. angel


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## Rockn (Jul 29, 2001)

Compaq wouldn't be my top choice for a PC and definately not for a business PC. They are great for a while, but once you try a new OS or anything on it you are out of luck. Maybe your house just needs a good cleaning...I am sure any other PC would suck up just as much dust.


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## Rhettman5.1 (Sep 25, 2002)

This old Compaq 7885 and I have been wandering the halls of TSG for a couple years now ! Everything still works, and when I do have a problem..it's usualy a"PEBKAC" error, and the members here have always got me going again ....Rhett


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## angelize56 (Apr 17, 2002)

That reminds me Rhett...my brother installed memory for me last week....my pc has never been cleaned inside....after 18 months there was minimal dust! Even I was surprised! My brother couldn't believe it!  So Compaq has been good for me even with WinMe!  Take care, angel

Rockn: I was going to upgrade to WinXP....are you saying I should just be happy with ME? I don't want to mess up a good working pc!


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## TO Lady (Dec 31, 2002)

My previous puter was a Compaq. Hated the thing! Crashed all the time, I must have rebooted 10 times a day. Their tech support guys had limited knowledge and when they pushed the problem "upstairs", it took forever for them to call me back. It didn't even come with a parrallel port - I had to install my own, and I gotta tell ya, there's not a lot of room inside one of those for getting your fingers to install other stuff. I had to replace both CD-R and CD-RW drives, and that entailed practically taking the whole machine apart, bit by bit. The fans died out within a year. Cheap plastic cover. Hated it! My next PC (this one) was custom built for me. No problems, runs like a dream! Now that HP and Compaq are joined, I wonder how their new PC's will measure up?


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## ComputerFix (May 27, 2002)

I wont even try to compare custom built to Compaq, or any other brand. If you know (or hire someone who knows) what you are doing, building a box is surely the way to go.....

However, I use two different Compaqs, a laptop (1700T) and a desktop (5100C), both of the Presario family.

All of the problems on both have been either M$ or user created. I cannot contribute any of them to Compaq directly (except shoving ME down my throat on the laptop, but I took care of that  )

The laptop going two years strong, the desktop over four.

Maybe I am just lucky with the two.


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## Rhettman5.1 (Sep 25, 2002)

Personaly, I think most of compaq's problems were on the older machines, the newer ones aren't to bad IF...you get rid of all the JUNK Compaq bundles with the PC, most manifactures are sure we users are to stupid to figure out what we need, so they cram stuff down our throats to make life "easier"..no matter that the PC's only boot to 70% when started !

I found that when I went into start-up and disabled 90% of this junk the PC works very well ! One problem with Compaq is it is hard to uograde to a new OS, they have a screwy BIOS that I still haven't figured out...nor want to ! Mine has win 98 se witch is fine with me, the pc is two + years old and everything still works, next time I may build, have one built, or buy retail again, all depends on the bang for the buck I can get 

Compaq 7885 
P3 @ 700 Mhz
256 meg ram
40 gig HD
DVD & CDRW
Compaq mv 920 19" monitor

I paid $1,200 for it new from costco, at that time, I could find no better deal from the large retail stores, nor the small build it shops. So with the help of this site, it has benn a verry good PC ...Rhett( I added 128 megs of pc100 ram after purchase)


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## Djas00 (Sep 24, 2002)

I don't know how well the new Compaq/HP Computers are but the regular old Compaq computers suck. All three of the ones I got either the DVD or the CD-R drive messed up within a year. Also the newest one I have (right before HP and Compaq merged) is alright but it seems to go slower and slower each month. I am probably going to have to replace the floppy drive in it (messes up any disk you put in it) and in about a month or two I bet one of the cd drives are going to mess up.


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## pedroguy (Jan 28, 2001)

I have a Compaq laptop 720US running XP home.So far I am very pleased with it.I have pared down the startup's and added a burner,USB printer and digital camera,all with no gliches.


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## jdemnyan1116 (Mar 18, 2000)

My brother has a compaq about 4 yrs. old and has had nothing but problems with it since he got it. Always calling for support cause it just goes out on its own sometimes. Know a few people who have compaq and they are not to keen on them. Although I know some who have them and swear by them. Maybe its the person running the computer?


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## Djas00 (Sep 24, 2002)

Or maybe its because I have a display model.


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## fastfingeredfool (Jun 22, 2001)

If it wasn't for TSG, this Compaq I'm using (under protest until I can replace it!) would be nothing more than an overpriced paperweight. Thinking we were getting a good deal, my parents, brother, and I all bought the same model: Presario 7470. Within a year, each one of us had them in the shop at least 3 times. Would have thought I just got a lemon if their systems weren't the same way. I personally have replaced the motherboard twice and been through 3 hard disks. Tech support has been anything but. I called on the same problem 5 times and got 5 different answers. They even hung up on me once when baffled! They would probably be better off hiring a few grade school children to handle their support- they certainly know more about computers. Thank God for the Tech Support Guys! Compaq- never again.


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## ComputerFix (May 27, 2002)

ohhh...display model. The one the little kids beat on while mom and dad figure out what they want (or are told what they want  )in a computer 


I suppose it's like cars. Someone could throw a thread up here that says "xyz cars are bad" and depending on the model, the driver, and if they just ended up with a lemon, there would be a whole variety of replies.

After all, most all of us ended up here because of some problem or another that we had with our PC, of a variety of brands/types, right?


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## Djas00 (Sep 24, 2002)

Exactly ComputerFix. Alot of Compaq computers mess up but it all depends on the model, year, etc...


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## buckaroo (Mar 25, 2001)

I agree, I think the model has lots to do with it. I got my Compaq almost three years ago. It's a Presario, "Built For You" where you had options of what went into the box, ordered directly from Compaq. Because of that, I believe it's mobo and BIOS was more "upgradeable" friendly. It's a full tower so that I have plenty of expansion bays and slots. I did lots of reasearch and like Rhett, it was pretty much the best bang for the buck. Also, being my first real pc, I wanted the comfort of a brand name.

Since then, my only problems have been normal everyday software issues, nothing that I can lay at the feet of Compaq. I understood going in there are proprietary isues with Compaq. I have 98SE and won't bother with any OS upgrade or processor upgrades. Nothing that came with the pc has failed (yet). It has so far accomplished every task, ran every program, asked of it. I've upgraded the BIOS, added a CD-RW drive, more memory, a upgraded video card and added another HD, as well as printer and scanner. 

Thanks to this site I've learned to take control of my pc, rather than the other way around. Becuase of what I've learned, my next pc will likely be custom built (with brand name components) as I don't need the comfort of a brand name anymore.

My two cents.


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## Tricky1 (Jan 7, 2003)

mmmm, i got a presario 6195EA in september 02.
Admittedly i was going blind, and the reason i've got into this site and others is cos it kept crashing, seems ok at the mo.

I noticed all these compaq folders with duplicate folders in (including win2000 drivers???) it runs XP home. I was gonna delete them but i wasn't sure if it would mess something else up or compaq had just been sloppy and left them there.

Anyone else got one already cleaned up? who could advise?


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## weskeng (Jan 13, 2003)

When I got my computer I thought it was great then after about 5 months with having to reformat once a month or so i got sick of it. It turns out my harddrive was faulty. IBM gave me the runaround about running a program to fix it (ie. erase it) but that never worked. I ended up getting a new one and have had minimal problems since. 

What a crock...


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## gameman (Mar 15, 2002)

Hello all,
I have had a Compaq since 98 with minmal problems. From what I hear it depens on where the system was built. If it was built in the US, then the machines seem to be ok. If it was built outside then problems usually develop. I guess they have a plant that has a problem in the production line. This was some time back, so I don't know if it is still applicable now or not.

As for upgrading the OS, it is really very easy. There were a few models that had a really werid BIOS that some of it was stored on the HD in a seperate hidden parittion. About 5 megs at the start of the drive if I remember right. Well the problem is that without that partition some systems would not boot. Or if they did you couldn't change the type of HD or other BIOS settings.

There is a work around though. If you go to the compaq site and enter your model and type, you will find a BIOS disk driver. Basically so you can reinstall that small hidden partition (after full formating the drive). Then you can reinstall the OS of your choice. There is even a option to make this parition on bootable floopies so you don't have to install it. Though if the system needs it, might as well install it since it easier than reaching for the boot disk all the time.

I also have a Laptop of about the same age that is still working well and it has windows ME on it, and that model originally came with 98 (I bought the system used and it came with ME, since I have not had any problems other than some DOS games won't run, I have not bothered to reformat it to 98). Of course this laptop has more of a "true" BIOS on it, rather than part of it in a hidden parition.

Now would I get another compaq? Well, yes and no. If I found a great deal on a used one that works great, yes. But I would not purchase one new. I would rather have the ability to upgrade the system more. The BIOS on this tower is a little limited than I like, though I have been able to install a nice 40 gig HD and other enhancements. 

I do admit they have a LOT of stuff that boot up that one does not need. I shut that stuff down early on and of course it helped the system speed imensely. At least it was easy to unstall it, or just disable that junk.

Oh I also wanted to mention I did have one problem with the CD drive. It died in about a year. No problems till then. I replaced it with a good unit and that was that. From what I hear a lot of CD drives in Compaq's die, but with good mechs for under $50, it is not a big problem in my book (as long as you know how to replace a mech that is, if not then I can see how it could be a big problem).

-Gameman


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