Refurbished pc - any good?

LittleMissInDebt

Hi
I bought a refurbished from Amazon, it's supposed to be the following -

Dell Optiplex GX270 Tower Desktop PC, Pentium 4 HT 3.0GHz, 1024MB Memory, 1TB (1000GB) Hard Drive, DVD-Rewriter, Genuine Windows XP Professional SP3 pre-installed,64MB Integrated video(free AGP slot available), Integrated ethernet controller, Integrated sound card OS preinstalled and COA sticker: Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP3, Other preinstalled software: AVG Free Antivirus, OpenOffice, PowerDVD

I have set it up and noticed straight away there is no PowerDVD or AVG Free Antivirus and no COA sticker so I checked the system listing and it says Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.80 GHz 2.79 GHz 0.99 GB of RAM Physical Address Extension - before I ask about the other things should I be worried?

Sorry if it sounds stupid but athough I can use computers well my know how stops there!

Any advice appreciated

closed

do a windows validation check, and download avast 6 free and vlc

macman

Amazon or Amazon Marketplace?
Technically the PC is not as described, so you could return it for a full refund. But bearing in mind that the missing software is free and easily replaced, it hardly seems worth the effort. I'd only be concerned about the licence key myself, as closed pointed out.

SteveJH200

Just had a look at these on Amazon. Good basic computer - wish I could command that sort of money for my used machines!! Anyhow, on occasions the COA sticker can come off but as long as it has been validated then there is little to worry about. You can go to Microsoft updates and look at installed updates and check the one that validates Windows. If you click on 'essential updates' after running a scan and it shows a few updates to install and it's on SP3 then XP Pro has been validated. If it's on SP2 and it won't let you go any further then that's the time to consider a refund.

Wannie_2

This one? First things first...how much did you pay?

Since it is 'not as described', you have valid reason to return it.

Unless the price was low, get rid and get something newer with a full warranty.

At least then you will have a machine with a Recovery Partition and probably discs as well. Plus an easy and inexpensive upgrade path. Every part is just streets ahead. The 12 month warranty is also not to be sniffed at.

Has the Amazon seller even supplied you with with a DELL XP Recovery disc and a Drivers disc?

macman

Yikes! At £122 + delivery, that's about twice what it's worth.

robmar0se

Won't comment on what its worth, at the time you were obvuously happy with the offer.

You won't notice much difference between the 2.8 & 3ghz processors.although this is grounds for a dispute, not as described Uou might get a rebate for this!)

if the other posters' suggestions regrading whether XP is a bone fide activated copy, if you can confirm this, I would download the free version of Jelly Bean, install it (just s couple of mins) and run it, this will give you your XP COA license code, which I would record in a safe place if you need it,

http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

I would also call Amazon customer support about it, including the missing software ( AVG free is a download, so you won't have a disk for this). I have found Amazon very helpful in the past, one of the best.

Wannie_2

robmar0se wrote: »

Won't comment on what its worth, at the time you were obvuously happy with the offer.

You won't notice much difference between the 2.8 & 3ghz processors.although this is grounds for a dispute, not as described Uou might get a rebate for this!)

if the other posters' suggestions regrading whether XP is a bone fide activated copy, if you can confirm this, I would download the free version of Jelly Bean, install it (just s couple of mins) and run it, this will give you your XP COA license code, which I would record in a safe place if you need it,

http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

I would also call Amazon customer support about it, including the missing software ( AVG free is a download, so you won't have a disk for this). I have found Amazon very helpful in the past, one of the best.

This is not the issue. It is easy to activate Windows XP in this scenario.
But where is the DELL OS disc and the Driver disc? Not a good situation for a novice.
There is no guarantee that the Product Key used(and subsequently to be found by the Keyfinder) has any relation to the key on the original COA.
AGP? Not so good for watching high quality films.

LittleMissInDebt

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply, have contacted seller and am waiting for a phonecall, am definitely going to bring up all points raised and if I'm not happy will return it, for something with a warranty and back-up disk . I realise I probably paid over the odds, but was in a bit of a hurry - my own fault, I just don't seem to find any time these days Next time will ask on here first - really must learn to ask for help when I don't know something!

Thanks again!