PDA

View Full Version : $199.86 desktop at walmart



simbawang
12-08-2002, 08:03 PM
Did a search and did not see it posted before. I hope this is not a repost. It is not top of the line computer system. But for $199 it works great if you need a server of any sort. Here are the details. It does not come with any windows system but linux-based one instead. and no floppy either.

http://i.walmart.com/i/p/00/66/04/48/10/0066044810401_215X215.jpg

VIA C3 800 MHz processor offers comparable performance to the 800 MHz Celeron processor
133 MHz frontside bus
128 MB SDRAM PC133, expandable to 1 GB
10 GB Ultra-ATA 100 hard drive, 5400 rpm
52x CD-ROM drive
Up to 8 MB shared video memory
Integrated AC '97 CODEC audio
Integrated 10/100 Ethernet connection
Micro ATX tower case (14"D x 7"W x 14"H)
Available drive bays: 5.25-inch external, 3.5-inch external
2 front and 2 rear USB ports
Game port
104-key keyboard
2-button mouse with wheel
Stereo speakers
1-year warranty, return to manufacturer
And tons of software that I never heard of.
Link (http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=2009643&cat=3951&type=19&dept=3944&path=0%3A3944%3A3951)

glagic
12-08-2002, 08:23 PM
this has been posted beofre i think. its not the greatest computer from what i remember. it runs lindows instead of windows. a cross between linux and windows. good idea, but i heard u have to pay to upgrade it and stuff

mink
12-09-2002, 05:52 AM
i have $200 but it is not worth the upgrade. My rid is still better than that, and that is not saying much.

ducksoup98
12-09-2002, 07:15 AM
price is decent, dont get me wrong, but i dont think that lindows or other cheap linux they put in the system is worth of your time trouble shooting.

it's a good deal if you have an extra copy of windows and do the clean install, use the system as a server or just second/third computer for internet surfing.

i dont even know there's much room for upgrading this hardware.

simbawang
12-09-2002, 07:30 AM
I think the upgrade would be pretty hard with the fact that ""Lindows" is installed. The drivers would probably be very limited. But I think it is an excellent buy if you have a copy of windows around. Once you put Windows system in, there are quite a few upgrade options, actually. Larger/faster hard drive, PIII/celeron CPU (don't know what speed it supports but someone can probably figure it out when they see the MB), more RAM- up to 1G PC133, floppy, CDRW, GeForce PCI (No AGP slot), just to name a few. But if you are looking for a powerful system, it might be cheaper spending a little more and get a on-sale Dell.;)
As to the standard hardware, I think it would work pretty nicely even under windows XP. I installed XP on an Athlon 700MHz computer with 384MB RAM and it runs like a charm.
Interesting, though, if you look at the screen shot they provided. Lindows look a lot like Windows XP. If it uses GUI similar to XP with the stability of Linux, it minght be a OS worth trying.
http://i.walmart.com/i/p/00/66/04/48/10/0066044810401_AV.jpg

WhiskeyPapa
12-09-2002, 07:58 AM
I'm afraid Wal-Mart is going to get a bunch of these returned. Noobs will buy them for Christmas, then won't understand why the PC games they also bought won't work.

BabyJesusDC
12-09-2002, 11:30 AM
Suprised MS let them make that inerface look so much like XP.

Grimm
12-09-2002, 11:54 AM
Well, as Windows stole most of it's look and feel from Mac, they don't have much of a leg to stand on.

Dman33
12-09-2002, 12:20 PM
Originally posted by BabyJesusDC
Suprised MS let them make that inerface look so much like XP.

So let me get this straight... the makers of Teletubbies sue M$FT, then M$FT can embrace and extend that lawsuit to the makers of Lindows? :P

mojo
12-09-2002, 01:19 PM
Originally posted by ducksoup98
price is decent, dont get me wrong, but i dont think that lindows or other cheap linux they put in the system is worth of your time trouble shooting.

it's a good deal if you have an extra copy of windows and do the clean install, use the system as a server or just second/third computer for internet surfing.

i dont even know there's much room for upgrading this hardware. afaik lindows isnt a cheap linux...nor do i really know of a cheap (as in flaky) linux distro.


the negatives i've heard so far had to do with lindows as compared to windows. fine...you know windows and not linux. now that we got that out of the way...

for any doubters out there, consider the box from the standpoint of someone that doesn't know windows, mac, or diddly. if lindows is easy to use and stable, then what's the problem with this as a box for that person?

i haven't seen this box, but i've heard about it. and if it comes with lindows as the base install, it's fair to say that it's already configured and stuff and ready to go for the enduser.

don't let bill and gang brainwash y'all too much :hihi:

Shawn
12-09-2002, 01:26 PM
The switchover wouldn't be hard. Make sure the system is set to boot from floppy and start with a Win98 or newer system disk (CD ROM support included). Fdisk the drive. Do a fresh install of Windows. As far as drivers, Windows will probably automatically detect the hardware, but if it doesn't then look around in the system for any identifiers. Worst case scenario, with an FCC ID you can trace the manufacturer. The only real question is if the VIA C3 processor is worth the time.

Tico
12-09-2002, 02:14 PM
Originally posted by Shawn
The switchover wouldn't be hard. Make sure the system is set to boot from floppy and start with a Win98 or newer system disk (CD ROM support included). Fdisk the drive. Do a fresh install of Windows. As far as drivers, Windows will probably automatically detect the hardware, but if it doesn't then look around in the system for any identifiers. Worst case scenario, with an FCC ID you can trace the manufacturer. The only real question is if the VIA C3 processor is worth the time.


Too bad the damn thing doesn't even come with a Floppy Drive, Hopefully there is a hookup on the MB for one or it can boot from a CD.........

Cantacuzene
12-09-2002, 03:11 PM
Originally posted by simbawang
If it uses GUI similar to XP with the stability of Linux, it minght be a OS worth trying.

Unfortunately thats not the case. Instead of having the best of both worlds it has the worst of both worlds. It has the instability of 9x and the compatability problems of linux. Not to mention that it isnt open source defeats all purpose in using linux in teh first place. Lindows is baaaaaad news.

BabyJesusDC
12-09-2002, 07:26 PM
"Well, as Windows stole most of it's look and feel from Mac, they don't have much of a leg to stand on."

And MAC stole it from XEROX, blah blah blah...

Actually I feel that MAC stole some of thier newer interface tweak from the Amiga, but that just my opnion.