How to solve conflict problems. PLEASE!

[egims]

SCENERIO
I recently purchased a HP Pavilion 5000 laptop, removed XP (you have to be nuts to say yes to the license agreement), and installed Windows 2000.

After sweating blood to get it to install, and getting all the updates on it, the keyboard stops working, or works on and off.

I found conflicts within the device manager -- within some of the "system devices". However even when logging in as the Administrator I am not able to change the settings under the system devices with conflicts because the part which allows you to make changes is dulled (inactive).

How then can I solve the conflicts and have a functional laptop???

I just can't believe that HP would make a laptop which...if you don't accept the XP license agreement renders the laptop worthless because you can't use any other operating system.

HELP!!

 

[pcs800]

I seriously doubt that HP has any control over what OS you put on. If they DO, take a look in the bios settings for anything that has to do with hardware assigments.
Other than that, I would say look around w2k foradmin rights problems.

Eric VanLandingham
The Bargain Monkey

http://www.bargainmonkey.com

 

[fumei]

Sounds like admin rights to me as well. How did you go about getting rid of XP and installing W2K? I hope you deleted the original partition, and really started from scratch.

Gerry

 

[egims]

Gerry,

This was quite an experience. Basically, HP has both configured the laptop mechanically, and installed a bios that allows virtually "none" of the administrative abilities you and I have become accustomed to. The computer bios allows practically nothing useful to be changed. The administrative abilities within Windows 2000 under this laptop allows almost nothing within the system devices area to be changed or tweaked.

I know this sounds incredible, but it is a fact! Microsoft is tightening its fist working now with manufacturers such as HP to insure that if you don't with to accept the Windows XP license agreement you will own a computer that will not function with earlier versions of Windows, and I imagine Linux is their ultimate enemy.

I DID resolve the problem through an undesirable method. The only recourse I had was to disable one of the system devices used for the video card, which seemed to solve the problem without any adverse affects that I have yet discerned. Thank God. Otherwise the laptop would have been useless to me.

My advice to all would be:
1) ALWAYS - take the time to read that long and boring Windows XP license agreement before you sign away your security. If you read it closely enough you will see that you even give MS the right to download any software of their choosing onto your computer at anytime without so much as your knowledge or approval, and then run it. MS is always pushing the box, so it would be very foolish to assume the day will not come when this becomes a big security issue. It will happen a quarter inch at a time.
2) Beware HP now, and always ask specific questions to laptop manufacturers to get a straight assurance that they are not making proprietary hardware that will only run MS Windows XP.
3) Keep an eye on the Linux platform and use when it reaches a maturity that allows a changeover.

Thanks all.