Dell no longer sells XP machines

Started by Bubbaspanky · 10 posts · 1,363 views

  1. #1
    In the past when a new OS came out, Dell and other retailers would offer the new OS and the Old OS for a period of time. They offered 2000 and XP together for a long time before they went only XP.

    Today while trying to configure a machine for a client I found Dell offers no XP machines. I went to their sales chat and the chat person confirmed my fear.

    I guess my office which is XP based will be switching to HP for future purchases.


    FYI if you goto HP you can still configure XP machines, I am just not a fan of HP or any other manufacturer. I don't even like Dell too much but they have been the best out there for our business circumstances.

  2. #2
    I heard this is because Microsoft is charging them too much to offer OEM xp upgradable to Vista. Sounds like MS wants to cram vista down everyone's throats.

    On the Vista front, I've not seen alot of happy people touting it yet. Hours of installing and reinstalling and BSOD's and worthless chats with Indian tech reps is more like it at the moment.

    I've also read you must buy the 64bit version which needs different auth coding? wtf is up with that?
  3. #3
    I tested the Beta and wasn't impressed enough to want to buy it. The only chance I will is the need to support it for my clients/
  4. #4
    lexx wrote:
    I've also read you must buy the 64bit version which needs different auth coding? wtf is up with that?


    I think I read that when you buy it, it comes with both the 32 and 64 bit versions.
  5. #5
    I also heard that no matter which version you buy, it will install all of the versions so they can upsell you with a new upgrade key. Talk about Bloat.....

  6. #6
    Bubbaspanky wrote:
    In the past when a new OS came out, Dell and other retailers would offer the new OS and the Old OS for a period of time. They offered 2000 and XP together for a long time before they went only XP.

    Today while trying to configure a machine for a client I found Dell offers no XP machines. I went to their sales chat and the chat person confirmed my fear.

    I guess my office which is XP based will be switching to HP for future purchases.
    FYI if you goto HP you can still configure XP machines, I am just not a fan of HP or any other manufacturer. I don't even like Dell too much but they have been the best out there for our business circumstances.



    I have now already ran into two HP computers that only ship with Vista on them. I think HP is only doing this as well, at least in stores like CompUSA and Best Buy.

    My problem is I want XP pro on these and have to really fight to get XP installed. HP offers NO XP driver support om these. So I have to go hunt down the drivers etc..
    Just to get XP installed has been a real chore as I have to find the I/O MB drivers to slap on a floppy just get it going. That has been hard and I barley found them.

    I had to just buy a PCI NIC cards for these as I cannot find the drivers for the built in one. No info just "Integrated network card", F that, what does that tell me???

    This sucks and is already making me have a lot of headaches as of late. I at least tracked down some sound drivers but on the one I am working on I may have to slap on a PCI Audgy card to get sound on it.

    <SIGH>
  7. #7
    Paladin wrote:
    I have now already ran into two HP computers that only ship with Vista on them. I think HP is only doing this as well, at least in stores like CompUSA and Best Buy.

    My problem is I want XP pro on these and have to really fight to get XP installed. HP offers NO XP driver support om these. So I have to go hunt down the drivers etc..
    Just to get XP installed has been a real chore as I have to find the I/O MB drivers to slap on a floppy just get it going. That has been hard and I barley found them.

    I had to just buy a PCI NIC cards for these as I cannot find the drivers for the built in one. No info just "Integrated network card", F that, what does that tell me???

    This sucks and is already making me have a lot of headaches as of late. I at least tracked down some sound drivers but on the one I am working on I may have to slap on a PCI Audgy card to get sound on it.

    <SIGH>


    If you goto the HP website you can still configure machines for xp. As for drivers on built on cards, find the chipset for the lan and normally you can get a generic driver for that chipset that works. Used to do that all the time.
  8. #8
    Bubbaspanky wrote:
    If you goto the HP website you can still configure machines for xp. As for drivers on built on cards, find the chipset for the lan and normally you can get a generic driver for that chipset that works. Used to do that all the time.



    Oh I agree but as I said I could not find out what chip set it used. The specs only said "Integrated NIC card"
  9. #9
    If you look on the Mobo, there is a chip that is for your integrated NIC, they aalmost always have the NIC chipset name and number on them, ie Braodcom 800