Originally posted by: NitroTurtle
I'm considering purchasing a 700m, but had a few questions I was hoping someone could answer. I'm getting the laptop for school, and plan on installing MS Visual Studio .NET which I use for some classes. The ASP stuff requires that I run XP Pro, so I was planning to spend the $79 on this upgrade. However, I would like to format the machine and do a clean install to get rid of all the Dell crap. Is the software packaged such that I'll be able to do this? Would it be possilble to install XP Pro using the discs from my home computer (Retail XP Pro) and use the registration key from the Dell XP Pro (OEM version?). Or am I better off getting it with XP Home and then purchasing another copy of XP Pro retail and just installing that?
Current plan looks like this:
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 725 (1.60 GHz/400MHz FSB)12.1-in WXGA
Microsoft Windows XP Professional
256MB DDR SDRAM 1 Dimm (+$56 later for a 512)
60 GB Hard Drive
24X CD Burner/DVD Combo Drive
65 WHr 8-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
$1505 Total
If it turns out that I cannot do as mentioned above and workout a clean Win XP Pro install, I'll just get it with XP Home and spend the money elsewhere to meet the $1499 price. Either bump up to the 1.8 GHz processor (will this even matter much?) or possibly either the docking station or more likely the wireless router to easily connect to my desktop.
Any comments or tips would be appreciated. I really hadn't planned on spending this much on a laptop for school, but this deal seems too good to pass up.
I do believe you can do what you mentioned in the first paragraph; that is, installing XP using the discs you have and using the Reg key from Dell. Dell always has its Win reg key on the bottom of their laptops, and you should be able to wipe out everything on the prepackaged software that Dell gives you during XP's installation.
FYI, in the most recent laptop packages I've received from Dell, I haven't received any hard copies of the OS's, so you'll probably have to your own discs to install.
Despite all of above, you should check with your school's IT/IS dept and see if you get academic discounts on software products, e.g. WinXP Pro or OS X. $79 is a lot for me when I can spend $10 at school to get WinXP Pro through our Microsoft software program. If your school doesn't have a program like that, then yes, it'll probably be worth the $79. Otherwise, I would put the $79 to something that's not easy to upgrade, e.g. 1.6 -> 1.8 MHz.
I will also get the 700m (assuming I make it in before the coupon dies), but I plan on getting the 8x DVD writer and a 1.8 GHz upgrade. Everything else I plan on getting is the same as your list, but bottom line is you need to get what suits you.
The only thing I worry about is not putting more money into Warranty... I hope that doesn't come back to bite me in the ass next year!