Time for a new laptop?

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Framar

Framar

WOW Framer
Joined
Jul 24, 2001
Posts
26,420
Loc
Buffalo, New York, USA/Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada
My Gateway Windows 7 laptop came to me as a reconditioned and souped up unit. I recently bought a new battery for it but 99% of the time I use it plugged in.

In the last day or so it has been suddenly turning itself off for no apparent reason. Black screen. Not a power surge because my clocks and microwave would be flashing. I turn on Firefox and get the "Well, this is embarrassing" screen but my windows open with no trouble. Sometimes my email won't show me the last email because it says "Windows did not shut down correctly."

Any ideas what to troubleshoot for?

And, barring that option, any recommendations on a new laptop? I would like to stick with Windows 7, maybe with the option to upgrade to 8 once they fix it (8.1). Brands, prices, places to look? I like the size of a laptop (for Photoshop work) - but a keyboard with keys that did not hoard cat hair would be a plus.

:popc:
 
Thanks, Jeff. That looks to be in my price range. Gonna have to wait for a check, though - should be receiving it soon (I hope).
 
If you leave the HP Advisor turned on it will always run well. You can also do online scans at HP's website that keep the laptop in like new condition. The monitor can be calibrated online as well anytime you wish.
 
I have 2 HP printers. One is a 3-in-one and the other is just a printer and, aside from the non-existent paper jam that the printer thinks it has, I have been very pleased with HP.

I never heard of an HP computer, but it sure sounds excellent.
 
Framar said:
I never heard of an HP computer, but it sure sounds excellent.
Click to expand...

You don't get out much there Lucy. HP has been the top manufacturer as far as market share nearly every year since the turn of the century.
 
Sam's Club is WalMart. So any computer from there will be obsolete. Go to Dell and get one through the small business section. Apply for the credit then it's only $15-20 a month. Usually if paid off within 6 months there isn't any interest. If they don't offer that deal you can still pay it off quickly....

Better to get new technology than obsolete carp from a place that can't offer support. Dell includes on site service for the first year, and it's great to have that support. HP's tech support is a 'goback' utility that reformats your drive and erases everything. Don't do it... You'll be very sorry.
 
I have been quite happy with my Dell desktop, although I did have a good encounter with HP service people when I had a problem with one of the printers. Although they tried to tell me that the warranty was expired and I told them I had only bought it a month ago so then they helped me. :shutup:
 
I've used HP support a few times in the last decade since I have about a dozen being purchased every year or two. Call and let support take control of the computer til it's fixed. No real problems along the lines other than the wife and kid beat theirs like red headed step children. Last year's $800 are falling below $400 now and most people aren't using all of their compute'rs capabilities anyway.

Chromebooks will serve most home use but Mar won't allow Google in her home.
 
Similar to Jeff, we've used HP and Dell almost interchangeably purchased from Costco and don't consider them to be obsolete or DQ'd models. Doesn't matter to me since Costco doubles the factory warranty. I've used Costco support on several occasions and it has been lightyears ahead of the factory support.... and not outsourced offshore.

Both have a partition on the HD to restore to the original, out-of-the-box condition which works well unless you upgrade to Win8 which overwrites the original, factory 'go-back'.
 
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