Received HP9500 Loaded Out

I got my new laptop yesterday. So far I am pretty pleased. I had an HP ZV5348RS Model before the new 9500t. I bought it three years ago and had zero problems until the hard drive crashed a few weeks back I decided to get a new updated model. I waited for the new Santa Rosa Intel release and the Nvidia graphics update. Then I ordered. Heres what I got.

9500 with Windows Vista Ulitimate 64 bit.
200 GB Hard Drive 7200 rpm.
17inch Ultra Bright 1440x900
Nvidia 8600
HD-DVD Drive
Tv Tuner
Webcam Finger print reader

Its doing good so far I transfered some old stuff from an external hard drive that I made of my old laptop for a back up. Good thing I did after the crash. So I am trying to get all my software back the way it was.

So far my main dislikes have been some problems that stem from the 64 bit opreating system. First all mother had a new desktop with Vista Home. System Mechanic 7 worked fine for her. Not for me. Won't work with 64 bit. Also bought the new Mcafee Virus scan 2007 which claims is Vista compatible. Well maybe for the 32bit versions but they forget to mention that it won't work with the 64bit version either. I don't like nortons but took a 60 trtial anyway that came with it.

Also Firefox will stop responding from time to time also. I am also thinking this could be due to a problem with the 64 bit version.

Now on to the DVD. I bought 3 new HD-DVDs to try out which I had never even seen Hd before this until now. Casino, Enter The Dragon and BatMan Begins. The quality is good but not alot of difference between the standard DVDs which I have also had problems with. First off you have to play the HD with the Quick Play Software. I like the Windows Media player for all my stuff but it does not play the HDs. Don't know why but I thought that it should but I haven't fooled with it alot yet anyone knows anything pass it along. While viewing a standard DVD with Media player the screen went black for about a minute and the it came up and said there was a video driver faliure or something of that sort and Windows rebooted and I selected the start in normal mode and have not had this problem again.

Also the finger print reader software seems fine. I scanned my finger and now you can log and off of Windows just by swiping your finger instead entering all the passwords. It also has the option of remembering the passwords for you so you can swipe your finger again.

Also I like the Ultra bright screen. It is very nice and I preferred it over the extra bit resolution. Plus the fonts are not tiny.

I tried the tv-tuner stuff and could only pick up one snowy channel here in the boonies with the antenna.

So far pretty good I am still messing around with it. I think the only thing I would have done different would be the 32 bit version but they had a special on the 64 bit so why not. I thought this was the way everything was going anyway. Hope we start seeing some more new stuff that will work with this.

I was also hesitate about the HD but glad I went ahead and got it. I thought that Blu Ray may win out ion the end but looks like they are both going to around for along time to come. Also I was told the lightscribe does not work with the HD so thats another draw back.

 

thats too bad with the 64 bit problems. Microsoft and the software developers have really fumbled on support of that. I stayed away with it and picked the 32bit home. Figured it would have better support for now.

 

I have had more problems with the quick play. Once while playing Batman begins it just stopped and ejected the disc. Then it wouldn't play anymore discs. I tried but had to close it and then re-insert another disc to get it to load.

Also the Enter the Dragon main menu can be brought up but it appears at the bottom of the screen while the movie is still actually playing. A very nice feature I have not seen before but the problem is you can't click any of the options like special features. Also the Main Menu to Casino I could not get to work either. Is there something better than this Quick playy for viewing the HD-dvds? I am still trying to figure it with Media Player. I thought Media Player/ Microsoft were big behind the HD-DVD format.

Also this thing seems to get really hot on the left side. Also the sound is kinda disapointing. I felt my old zv5000 speakers sounded way better than this. I have tried all the volume options and can't get it any louder. It is too low and the bass is nothing. I have tried increasing but there are no settings for this as in XP or that I can find anyway.

 

Card Shark I didn't even know the Santa Rosa dvx500t's even HAD QuickPlay. Is it on a seperate partition, do you know? Or is it somehow integrated into BIOS? I remember someone here told me that the new dvx500t's do NOT have QuickPlay at all.

 

They were wrong it still has it. I finally got to access the special features on the Enter the Dragon disc. The volume is so low I can barely hear the voices on the documentary. Also I have now noticed that the laptop is not going into sleep mode.

 

Why would you want to put Norton anything onto a Vista system, let alone a 64-bit version? Vista has rendered most traditional security packages obsolete, one good thing that was done with it.

 

It already had it. I wanted to use Mcafee but it won't work with the 64 bit version of Vista. Are you saying Vista doesn't require s third party virus protection? Also nothing out now but a few programs will play the HD video yet. Media player won't do it either. I guess the Notebook like this is a little ahead of of everything and the software has to catch up.

 

He IS NOT saying you don't need anti-virus. He is saying (and most will agree) that Norton IS NOT the anti-virus you want. Norton has a history of installing itself into every nook and cranny of your computer. Much of this is completely unneeded and even after uninstallation it leaves thousands of traces on your computer. Norton also has a history of very poor system performance: slowing your computer, slow scans, etc. Norton also has a history of poor protection. The most current version isn't bad, but the history is important as past performance is usually a good indication of future performance!

 

Well which one do you need for Vista. I haven't found another that will work eeith the 64bit version. I even tried taking the Mcafee back and they said it was federal law the couldn't exchange it or give my money back. All they could do was give me anther one. It is very misleading on the package as it doesn't say anything but will work with Vista. Very misleading.

I have got alot of error messages with this thing also. And programs stop responding alot. I may remove the Nortons I din't want it in the first place.

Which junk programs can you remove? Someone said removing vongo or some of them messed up something?

 

I would recommend nod32 for anti-virus software.
http://www.eset.com

Sorry that I cannot help with your other questions, however.

 

I'll second that recommendation!

 

I uninstalled the Nortons and am now using the nod32 you recommended. Now if they would release a patch or something so System Mechanic 7 would work with the Vista 64 bit it would be great. I love that program. I will report on the differences. I would liek to uninstall some of this junkware but I don't know if it will hurt anything.

 

One question:

Which graphics card did you get? The 8600? How does its performance compare with the previous generation 7400/7600?

As for TV tuner, try to scroll down till the channels become 4-digit, these are the digital ones, 100% HD Looks good!

 

I have the 8600. Don't know how it compared.

 

I recommend Kaspersky over NOD32.

 

I HAD Kaspersky once before on my old laptop and it slowed it down so much was horrible. Nortons I didn't like either. Mcafee was the best on useing resources or I had best results with it myself. This new NOD32 Seems to be alot better also. I am still messing with everything guys.

Also guys I was told not to leave the battery inside the laptop while its being used on the AC power. I did with my old one and had to buy a new battery after a year. They said to run it down to about half charge and then leave it out if you weren't gonna be useing it.

I just ran Registry Mechanic on it last night it found like 2,000 problems! I am running all my old maintance programs since I can't use the System Mechanic.

 

Programs such as Registry Mechanic does not help as much as you think..

As for Kaspersky, they are one of the few AV programs to have use a low amount of resources. Perhaps it was just your computer and problems with Kaspersky. And you said McAfee is not a resource hog? You got to be kidding me...It's also a mediocre AV program, not including their horrible firewall/anti-spyware mechanisms.

 

All I can tell ya is it ran the best with Mcafee and was very slow with Kaspersky. As for how effective Mechanic is I have no clue. How effective are any of these programs? I had good results useing System Mechanic with Ad Aware, Spybot and Mcafee.

If you know of other programs I should try instead give me a holler.