Dell Laptop Brought on Ebay (doesnt seem right)

CoasterCoaster
edited May 2004 in Hardware
Just won an auction (havent paid yet) but something doesnt look right.

Dell P2 - 500mhz, CD-DVD, No Reserve!!!!


The specs are for a P2 500Mhz, thats not possible right? Thought P3 was 500Mhz.

Anyway, I have included a link if anyone can spot what Laptop it is, looks like a Latitude to me. The things that seem odd are.

1) 500Mhz for a P2 (unless its a p3)
2) 15" monitor
3) the DVD part.

The only thing that looks right is the 32MB and small HDD. But would DVDs play on this laptop with specs like that?

Any help would be appreciated, going to ring up the seller in 5/6hrs so if you can arm me with some info I would appreciate it :D

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3476936350?ssPageName=ADME:B:TB7:UK:2

I dont mind pulling away from the auction if all three fears are realised, seems like a case of wrong specs put down. (in 3 places). Yes I should have looked a lot harder but for some reason this got past me. I am an AMD fanboy after all ;)

lastly, is this a good deal for £155? (274.954 USD) - 500Mhz would obviously be a lot better, and what I thought I was getting....

James Collins
(Coaster at Icrontic)

Comments

  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited May 2004
    500MHz has to be a PIII, yes
    A 15" LCD is potentially plausible, depending on the Dell model, as is a DVD
    The HDD is rediculously small, even by the standards of the day when that laptop was NEW. My first laptop is now about that old (my Dad uses it). It's a PIII/600 SpeedStep with a DVD, a 6GB HDD (which was the norm for the time), and a DVD-ROM

    However, with 32MB of RAM, DVDs will not play acceptably, no.

    You should upgrade it to at LEAST 256MB, preferably 512MB, even if you run Windows 98 on it.
  • CoasterCoaster
    edited May 2004
    Geeky, many thanks for your quick reply

    Your right about the HDD for sure, I was trying to find specs that matched and the HDD was the problem, 6 GB looks standard for the time.
  • teflemingtefleming
    edited May 2004
    The discrepencies plus only three feedback points, I'd pass...
  • pseudonympseudonym Michigan Icrontian
    edited May 2004
    Well, I just happen to have a VERY similar laptop, and I believe that you may be right wondering whats up. Mine is a Dell Latitude cpi with 128mb ram, P2 366 and a 4.8 GB HD. Now the CD DVD combo IS possible because I think Dells CD drives can plug into just about any Dell lappy. Now I think that you are right, because I believe the P2 stopped at the 450, and any computer with a P3 or P2 with only 32 mb ram seems VERY off.

    Looking at the stickers, they are exactly the same (Mine are Intel Inside P2, and a Designed for Win98/NT), as are the power input and other things. Has he sent you any other specs on it?
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited May 2004
    I just checked and for sure, all 500 MHz mobile procs are P3 and not P2. If you get in touch with the seller, try to find out all the Dell numbers on the laptop and also what model # it is. I agree that it looks like a Lattitude, looks to thin for an Inspiron of it's era. As far as for the DVD, I don't see why not. The old Inspiron 3200 I used to have was only a 266 P2 but one of the options for it was a DVD drive, albeit one with a hardware decoder built in.

    If you can get the Dell numbers off the tags on the laptop, you can go to their site and input them and see exactly how the laptop was configured when it came from them, at least you could a few years ago.
  • CoasterCoaster
    edited May 2004
    pseudonym - no other specs as yet. I am ringing him up shortly before I send any payment. I am a complete newbie when it comes to lappies and so at first this got past me. On a good look things just started getting more and more strange.

    The only way I could explain it was if he butchered the parts (replaced mem and HDD) but for him to put 500Mhz three times makes me think it wasnt a mistake.

    That only leaves deliberate or a P3
    If you can get the Dell numbers off the tags on the laptop, you can go to their site and input them and see exactly how the laptop was configured when it came from them, at least you could a few years ago.

    Yep, they go back some time, going to get that important product number

    Thanks for all your help :D So many replies in such a short time :D
  • pseudonympseudonym Michigan Icrontian
    edited May 2004
    I'll send you as many specs on mine as I can, just PM me if you want anything. I'd eat my hat if it wasn't a CPi because it looks EXACTLY the same.
  • NecropolisNecropolis Hawarden, Wales Icrontian
    edited May 2004
    Alright mate,

    Once you have the dell sevice tag number go here http://support.euro.dell.com/uk/en/index.asp?segment=DHS&rlevel=5&referrer=%2Fuk%2Fen%2Ffilelib%2Findex%2Easp

    It will give you the model number of the machine. Also get him to go to the above site and after he has put the tag number in to run Dell's configuration tool. This pull all the information off the machine onto a webpage for him to see. Then get him to do a screen grab and mail it to you. Then you will be 100% sure of whats inside the machine.

    Oh and Geeky1 I have delt with tons of Dells this age and older. Trust me, for a business machine this is about standard for this age.
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited May 2004
    Hmm. That's *really* sad. ANYONE who runs Win98 on a system with 32mb of ram, when the system can take more than that, should be shot for sheer stupidity.
  • CoasterCoaster
    edited May 2004
    Exactly, first port of call more mem and larger HDD
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited May 2004
    First thing to check is how much RAM can the machine actually take? I'm not familiar with Dells old lines, but I am with some others and they wouldn't accept more than 96 or 128MB at most. These may be different but it is worth considering.
  • CoasterCoaster
    edited May 2004
    Thanks, and your right, memory upgrade is most important. I think it should take 256MB.
    though there has been an "update"

    Its a 266Mhz laptop. Really dont know where he got 500Mhz from :( From a hat I guess. The actual model is "CPI D266XT" Guess that wasnt obvious enough for him. 266 kinda gives it away not? Guess what infomation wasnt included on the auction...

    problem is EDO DIMMs don't come cheap
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited May 2004
    My mom has a 333MHz K6-2 laptop with 32MB RAM and it runs Windows 2000 so slowly that if I had to use it I would go insane, it takes hours to do anything, it just sits there thrashing the hard-drive.

    But yeah, luckily enough it is 256MB max - http://www.memoryx.net/pc6-2567.html

    But with 266 I may go for Win95 rather than 98, but it's up to you, WinME may be a faster bet than 98 though unless you intend to use DOS...
  • CoasterCoaster
    edited May 2004
    Thanks Enverex

    I have rung the guy up and told him "no thanks"

    Trying for a 650Mhz as we speak :) Only £50 more I hope. With 64MB which will get upgraded.
  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited May 2004
    Hi Coaster.:) :wave:
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited May 2004
    James, it's a good thing you decided to pass on that. My Inspiron 3200, which was a P2 266, could only take a max of 128 megs of ram, with 16 megs soldered permanent to the mobo, for a max memory size of 144 mb of ram. At least it did take 66 MHz sdram though and not edo.
  • CoasterCoaster
    edited May 2004
    mmonnin wrote:
    Hi Coaster.:) :wave:

    Hello mate :)

    Thanks everyone for your help, ended up with a much better laptop, 650MHZ (it will do) it was hidden between those "800GHZ" machines you see so often on ebay. Oh the joys :rant:

    Anyway thanks! :thumbsup:
  • BudBud Chesterfield, Va
    edited May 2004
    i have a older thinkpad 600e its nice, Id recommend them if your looking for a basic system. It takes pc100 and will only do 288mb (2x 128mb and 32nb soldered on) and mines a PII 400MHz. I bought it with with a good wireless card and 2000 pro installed for $200. There still cheap on ebay too.
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited May 2004
    James Collins wrote:
    Hello mate :)

    Thanks everyone for your help, ended up with a much better laptop, 650MHZ (it will do) it was hidden between those "800GHZ" machines you see so often on ebay. Oh the joys :rant:

    Anyway thanks! :thumbsup:
    Nice! How much??! :D
  • NecropolisNecropolis Hawarden, Wales Icrontian
    edited May 2004
    Dan wrote:
    Nice! How much??! :D

    £225 :thumbsup:
  • CoasterCoaster
    edited May 2004
    £225 Dan :)

    edit// beaten to it :)
    (nec helped me loads during the purchase ta nec!)

    Just getting the external CDR and bobs your uncle :)
  • TiribulusTiribulus HOCKEYTOWN USA
    edited May 2004
    For anybody who still cares that machne in the pictures is defintely a lattitude in the cp family. I have supported these professionally for four years though most are off the floor now. They came in cp, cpi, cpa, cpx and another couple of models I can't recall at the moment. The dvd drive was an available option, but requires a cardbus mpeg2 decoder card such as the Margi DVD2GO that came with them. To be honest they were troublesome and only moderately reliable. I'm glad you found something else.
    >>>--Tiribulus-> :bigggrin:
Sign In or Register to comment.