# Solved: COMPUTER companies technical support review



## fiatotz (Aug 4, 2009)

Hi All,

I would like to ask your opinion/experience regarding on how computer companies(e.g. Dell, HP and Gateway) support you on your tech. problems in computer. I would like to know if i will buy gateway computers or will go either dell or HP.(I'm from malaysia)

Please follow the format

Computer : e.g. HP + model 
Country :
Experience :


Thanks,


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Personally, I would not buy a Gateway, my experiences with them, and now eMachines which they purchased, has been almost universally bad. Dell and HP have both been far superior, though not perfect.


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## fiatotz (Aug 4, 2009)

thanks dude.. i just saw cnet review regarding gateway(sx-2800) vs dell inspiron 545s. gateway seems better for this model. anyway I saw HP slimline s5189d and it has good specs. however quite expensive than the 2. that's why im doing some research on how is the support of the 3 companies?


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Well, my experience has left Gateway in the *awful *column, and Dell and HP are in the *OK but not great* column.


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## LauraMJ (Mar 18, 2004)

JohnWill said:


> Well, my experience has left Gateway in the *awful *column, and Dell and HP are in the *OK but not great* column.


I would agree with that, based on my experiences, also.


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## win2kpro (Jul 19, 2005)

Gateway is now part of the Acer Group.

Gateway :down:

Dell :up:

HP/Compaq - One step above Gateway, one step below Dell.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

I don't have a lot of good things to say about Acer either, they abandoned their AcerOpen product line and left owners high and dry.


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## win2kpro (Jul 19, 2005)

I don't have anything good to say about any company in the Acer group, although I don't know much about Packard-Bell. 

If I were forced to buy a mass produced machine it would be a Dell. HP/Compaq must have the record for installing junk and trial programs.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Dell is no slouch at installing crapware either, that's why my first stop for any new machine is the current version of the PC Decrapifier, it's the first thing I run after all the Windows updates finish.


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## win2kpro (Jul 19, 2005)

The problem with HP/Compaq and Dell is the darn recovery partitions on the hard drive. 

Both companies return the drive to original configuration crapware and all. This is even true with the HP/Compaq recovery disks, but Dell separates their recovery disks and if you recover with disks you don't have to install any of the old programs.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

That's not really a problem the way I work. I do the following procedure.


Make the recovery disks they recommend for the machine.
Run all the Windows Updates.
Run PC Decrapifier.
Configure the other basic applications and utilities that I put on most any system, AV, PDF reader, other utilities, Office Suite, etc.
Run an Acronis True Image full backup to a network or USB disk.
With Acronis Disk DIrector, nuke the recovery partition (remember, I have the CD/DVD build).
Expand the disk to encompass the wasted space the recovery partition used to occupy.
Enjoy the optimized machine.


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## LauraMJ (Mar 18, 2004)

JohnWill said:


> That's not really a problem the way I work. I do the following procedure.
> 
> 
> Make the recovery disks they recommend for the machine.
> ...


Hey, John,

I have a Dell laptop.....if I have all the installation CDs (driver CD, XP CD, etc), would there be a benefit to making a recover CD, too? I also have Acronis and make a full system image backup.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

I always make the recovery disk as the first step. Then if there's any question about the configuration, you can always knock it flat and start out with the factory configuration again.


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## fiatotz (Aug 4, 2009)

Hi Guys thanks for all the info... i will pick either hp or dell depends on the cost and specs. thanks!


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## RootbeaR (Dec 9, 2006)

win2kpro said:


> Gateway is now part of the Acer Group.
> 
> Gateway :down:
> 
> ...


HP would be my first choice for a pre-configured machine.

I keep reading about little quirks that Dell has that I don't like.

Two disc drives, but will only boot from one. :down:

Can't un-install Norton, according to above post, which is right up there with i-Tunes for crap I remove immediately.

Horror story from my Mothers' friend trying to get hardware under warranty...


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

FWIW, I recently redid a Dell and used PC Decrapifier to remove Norton and a host of other applications, I had no isssues.


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## RootbeaR (Dec 9, 2006)

JohnWill said:


> FWIW, I recently redid a Dell and used PC Decrapifier to remove Norton and a host of other applications, I had no isssues.


I still like my HP printer/monitor/PC.

Compatible with Linux.

Monitors I have bought two of. Not going by brand or price, just getting the best looking one from the wall.

Their tech support is nothing but the help file already installed on PC though.
If you go through the trouble-shooting steps, you will know exactly what the person on the phone is going to say/ask.


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