Eee PC 900 12G - Windows XP Home - Pearl White

...

a flight attendant, returned from her first trip using the ASUS 900, I had to try again to resolve the wireless issue since she was unable to connect with the internet at hotels where she has always been able to connect with her Sharp. This time when I contacted Tech support, I got a better representative, we deleted the wireless adapter from device manager and reinstalled it. That seems to have fixed the problem, since yesterday we went to a public WiFi location and were able to establish an internet connection.

Now for the more serious drawbacks. I have Network Magic installed on the unit so downloaded files, some of which can be large, can be transfered to a server on our home network. This is to preserve precious disk space on the PC900. Unfortunately, I keep getting warnings that an important update for XP is available and needs to be installed. That update is XP SP3. That is where things got messy. The hard drive is partitioned with 3.75 GB devoted to C: and the remaining 8.25 GB assigned as D: Trying to install SP3 failed due to insufficient space on C:. I began looking for items to delete or remove from C: to try making room. After several hours of trying I called tech support seeking suggestions; they offered none. Only telling me I needed to remove stuff from C: to make room. So into Control Panel Add/Remove Software I went - looking for stuff to remove.

The machine comes with OEM software installed, some on C: some on D:, however, from Add Remove Software, I could not determine on which drive the software was installed, and regardless, shared files are on C: even if the program is installed on D:. Hours later, after removing software and trying to move files and directories on C: I still encountered the insufficient disk space message. I decided to forget about SP3 and return to my prior configuration. That is when I discovered that the Restore function is turned off and cannot be activated. I had now messed up my configuration and removed programs and moved files, which would not work properly and in some cases would not reinstall. Without Restore the only alternative was to hook up an external DVD Drive and return the machine to original configuration. Good bye hours of work installing and configuring other software.

Conclusion: Things work as advertised. The installed software is questionable. There is a DVD player without a DVD drive. Who in their right mind buys a miniature computer for convenience, then carries an external DVD player. Star Suite 8 is installed, taking 866mb of disc space and seems to be identical to Open Office that uses less than 375mb, Huh!!. In addition to the DVD player and Star Suite 8, the PC900 comes with Skype and MS Works. With disc space severely constrained, why are two office type programs installed? ASUS makes a 20GB hard drive version that has Linux installed, why they don't make that drive available with XP, I cannot understand. The larger drive would allow larger partitions and solve a host of problems. Another review talks about buying that model and installing XP, if you have the XP program and the know how, that certainly seems a better option. Would I buy this unit knowing what I know now, probably not.

I hope you find this review informative.

Eee PC 900 12G - Windows XP Home - Pearl White

...

a flight attendant, returned from her first trip using the ASUS 900, I had to try again to resolve the wireless issue since she was unable to connect with the internet at hotels where she has always been able to connect with her Sharp. This time when I contacted Tech support, I got a better representative, we deleted the wireless adapter from device manager and reinstalled it. That seems to have fixed the problem, since yesterday we went to a public WiFi location and were able to establish an internet connection.



Now for the more serious drawbacks. I have Network Magic installed on the unit so downloaded files, some of which can be large, can be transfered to a server on our home network. This is to preserve precious disk space on the PC900. Unfortunately, I keep getting warnings that an important update for XP is available and needs to be installed. That update is XP SP3. That is where things got messy. The hard drive is partitioned with 3.75 GB devoted to C: and the remaining 8.25 GB assigned as D: Trying to install SP3 failed due to insufficient space on C:. I began looking for items to delete or remove from C: to try making room. After several hours of trying I called tech support seeking suggestions; they offered none. Only telling me I needed to remove stuff from C: to make room. So into Control Panel Add/Remove Software I went - looking for stuff to remove.



The machine comes with OEM software installed, some on C: some on D:, however, from Add Remove Software, I could not determine on which drive the software was installed, and regardless, shared files are on C: even if the program is installed on D:. Hours later, after removing software and trying to move files and directories on C: I still encountered the insufficient disk space message. I decided to forget about SP3 and return to my prior configuration. That is when I discovered that the Restore function is turned off and cannot be activated. I had now messed up my configuration and removed programs and moved files, which would not work properly and in some cases would not reinstall. Without Restore the only alternative was to hook up an external DVD Drive and return the machine to original configuration. Good bye hours of work installing and configuring other software.



Conclusion: Things work as advertised. The installed software is questionable. There is a DVD player without a DVD drive. Who in their right mind buys a miniature computer for convenience, then carries an external DVD player. Star Suite 8 is installed, taking 866mb of disc space and seems to be identical to Open Office that uses less than 375mb, Huh!!. In addition to the DVD player and Star Suite 8, the PC900 comes with Skype and MS Works. With disc space severely constrained, why are two office type programs installed? ASUS makes a 20GB hard drive version that has Linux installed, why they don't make that drive available with XP, I cannot understand. The larger drive would allow larger partitions and solve a host of problems. Another review talks about buying that model and installing XP, if you have the XP program and the know how, that certainly seems a better option. Would I buy this unit knowing what I know now, probably not.



I hope you find this review informative.

Eee PC 900 12G - Windows XP Home - Pearl White

...

a flight attendant, returned from her first trip using the ASUS 900, I had to try again to resolve the wireless issue since she was unable to connect with the internet at hotels where she has always been able to connect with her Sharp. This time when I contacted Tech support, I got a better representative, we deleted the wireless adapter from device manager and reinstalled it. That seems to have fixed the problem, since yesterday we went to a public WiFi location and were able to establish an internet connection.





Now for the more serious drawbacks. I have Network Magic installed on the unit so downloaded files, some of which can be large, can be transfered to a server on our home network. This is to preserve precious disk space on the PC900. Unfortunately, I keep getting warnings that an important update for XP is available and needs to be installed. That update is XP SP3. That is where things got messy. The hard drive is partitioned with 3.75 GB devoted to C: and the remaining 8.25 GB assigned as D: Trying to install SP3 failed due to insufficient space on C:. I began looking for items to delete or remove from C: to try making room. After several hours of trying I called tech support seeking suggestions; they offered none. Only telling me I needed to remove stuff from C: to make room. So into Control Panel Add/Remove Software I went - looking for stuff to remove.





The machine comes with OEM software installed, some on C: some on D:, however, from Add Remove Software, I could not determine on which drive the software was installed, and regardless, shared files are on C: even if the program is installed on D:. Hours later, after removing software and trying to move files and directories on C: I still encountered the insufficient disk space message. I decided to forget about SP3 and return to my prior configuration. That is when I discovered that the Restore function is turned off and cannot be activated. I had now messed up my configuration and removed programs and moved files, which would not work properly and in some cases would not reinstall. Without Restore the only alternative was to hook up an external DVD Drive and return the machine to original configuration. Good bye hours of work installing and configuring other software.





Conclusion: Things work as advertised. The installed software is questionable. There is a DVD player without a DVD drive. Who in their right mind buys a miniature computer for convenience, then carries an external DVD player. Star Suite 8 is installed, taking 866mb of disc space and seems to be identical to Open Office that uses less than 375mb, Huh!!. In addition to the DVD player and Star Suite 8, the PC900 comes with Skype and MS Works. With disc space severely constrained, why are two office type programs installed? ASUS makes a 20GB hard drive version that has Linux installed, why they don't make that drive available with XP, I cannot understand. The larger drive would allow larger partitions and solve a host of problems. Another review talks about buying that model and installing XP, if you have the XP program and the know how, that certainly seems a better option. Would I buy this unit knowing what I know now, probably not.





I hope you find this review informative.