I read the post by "confused one": "Why do people badmouth compaq". This has got me concerned. I have a Compaq Presario 5476, it has 128mb SDRAM, 500mhz celeron, 10gb ultra DMA HD, Intel chipset810 & 8mb 3D AGP graphics thing, 6xDVD/32xCD-ROM and 17" MV720 monitor. It runs on win98se & I've got office 2000 premium installed. It came with an HP 810 printer and mustek scanner. I've had a couple of problems with it, i.e. directdraw.dll failure leading to desktop becoming unusable, so I had to reinstall windows, also the DVD quality is poor (I'm trying to sort that out with compaq at the moment). Other than that (and the expected windows errors) it has worked fine. However reading some of the posts it is evident that many people think compaq machines are of a poor quality. As I said this concerns me as I'm will probably have this machine for quite a long time. If anyone wants to discuss this issue or can think of any particular problems I might get with my Compaq system then it would be good if you could reply to this post. Thanks.

My only complaint about Compaq is that they are notoriosly slow. A different brand computer with that same processor would be noticably faster. I have also noticed this about Gateways too.

personally, i build all my computers. you can find books or help online to do this. it sounds to me though like you have a decent setup for now. if you're happy with your computer, don't worry about what anyone else says. but next time try building it yourself. it's a very rewarding thing and you know everything about it, so if anyting goes wrong, you'll know what it is.

I don't know that Compaq is necessarily "no good" My personal dislike is for most "Brand name machines" because they are limited in being upgradable (some I'm told have the RAM soldered to the mobo) and that they use proprietary parts. That is you have to buy your parts from the maker of your system. And make no mistake about it this is by design. The parts are exorbitantly priced. I had a Packard Bell for several years and you won't find much good said about them either. It was my introduction to proprietary computer parts. I thought I'd buy a spare mobo for it just in case! guess what in 1998 PB wanted $1074.00 for a 75mhz Pentium mobo. I found a better use for the computer as a boat anchor!!

For service or upgrading, Compaqs have long been the absolute WORST. Proprietary integration of video, sound and/or modem onto the motherboard lowers their initial cost...but causes nightmares and/or complete gutting of the sys to replace what SHOULD have only been a $60 componnent and 10 minutes worth of work. They also play games w/ requiring special (and very expensive) ram....and Lord knows where/what is going on w/ their BIOS from model to model. Compaq gets away with this nonsense because many folx just "granny browse" and never open the "box". Under similar price pressures, other major brands are following suit. If "rolling your own" sounds a bit daunting, at the VERY LEAST consider a more standard/open design. Look at the back of the "box". Make sure that video, sound, and modem are all replacable expansion cards and not connected on the same plane as the parallel/serial connectors in back...directly to maboard. Quit buying "namebrand" computers of no-name componnents. The often "lowlier" brand is a more open design...servicable and upgradable cheaply and as needed w/o some silly model-specific gotcha. Your local mom 'n pop store is usually the best place to buy a "complete" computer. And they're more knowledgable and service oriented than the glorified warehouse personnel at Best Buy.

I own a Compaq and they are good computers until you want to upgrade. Proprietary hardware is a problem. Even the bays in a Compaq is propritary and Customer Service and tech support isn't all that great at all. I would say personally if you don't crack open your compaq, its a fine piece of machinery. However, once you want to upgrade a Compaq, Watch out!!!! I was helping a friend who had a Compaq Presario I think is was the 8700 series. It was a great computer. But when he wanted to add more RAM and we crack it open it was so difficult to get to the RAM or the PCI slots. They had it do badly configured that if you took it to a local computer store, they would probably charge you 100 dollars just to open the sucker. My opinion is to build your own from scratch. You won't have any surprises when you need to upgrade. But if you don't want to, I recommend going to a reputable local computer dealership versus the conglomerate "name brand" computer companies. Rod

I have found that Compaq, Dell, HP, etc. may be good computers but I don't like the upgrade or manufacturer specific items that you have to use. In other words you will find out that to upgrade or add other devices to your computer you will have to get these items from Compaq, etc. These items will be more expensive than a generic name brand item. I have personally built three seperate computer systems and have learned a lot doing it as well as I can upgrade or add other devices without any problems or complications. I also know what is on my system and a pretty good idea of what has gone wrong when it does.