HP Pavilion A6040N Desktop PC (Intel Core 2 Duo Processor E6320, 2 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, SuperMulti DVD Drive, Vista Premium)

I bought this last November & it was trouble free until February. It then began 2 reboot or freeze up once a day during light browsing.

I have spent about 30 hours of my own work on this PC either on the phone with tech support or by reloading the OS & then reloading all other s/w & settings.

I finally was assigned my own Account Manager. They made it so difficult 2 get through 2 someone who could get something done it was unbelievable. I had 2 spend 30 hours on my own before they would fix.

I sent it 2 Texas & just got it back. Another problem. There was no signal on my monitor. I plugged the monitor & it worked. Called tech support & spent another hour with them 2 determine the video card now needs replaced. I called the ever powerful Acct Manager & they are closed at 5 MST.

I can't believe how many times while on hold I heard about their award winning service.

It was horrible. My last HP didn't havce these problems.

After one month I am very satisfied with my purchase of the HP Pavillion Desktop PC. The speed is outstanding.

Great performance & value 4 home office.

My typical use includes simultanious messenger chats, 4 open web sites, log in 2 a web data base, email, spread sheet, & a Skype call.

Amazon order processing & delivery was the best, as usual, & one of the reasons I ordered from Amazon.

I have been an HP fan 4 years. That said, this computer has given me gray hair in a very short period of time. The computer may be great, but the Vista operating system loaded on it is a piece of junk. Any software you already have won't work, some of your hardware may not work 4 lack of Vista supported drivers (including some of HP's own equipment, & all the things you were used 2 with XP now look & work differently. Trying 2 load the software that came with my HP printer caused my cd/dvd drive 2 stop working. Buy the computer, but convert it 2 XP.

I've been using this PC 4 a couple of weeks now & I enjoy it. It's got plenty of storage space & memory & it seems 2 start up pretty fast. I was a little frustrated with Vista because some of my software wouldn't work so I had 2 spend money on upgrades. My Palm software features are limited (a Vista version is do out this summer) & I had 2 replace my HP 5300C scanner because it was incompatable with Vista. Although these are operating system issues I include them here because this PC comes with Vista. One more complaint: I wish HP shipped this computer with a higher quality keyboard. It seems cheap compared 2 my 5 year old Compaq keyboard.

HP Pavilion a6040n PC will make it easy 4 you 2 manage & share photos & organize files. This system will supply you with hours of fun in the form of movies, music, videos, & games. You can even get creative & expertly label your discs with the LightScribe feature. SuperMulti DVD drive with LightScribe Front-access ports - 15-in-1-memory card reader, 2 USB 2.0 ports, 1 FireWire, Microphone/Headphone/Line-in 10/100Base T-network interface High Definition Audio, 8 speakers configurable Operating system - Genuine Windows Vista Ultimate Dimensions - 16.28 x 6.89 x 15.24 inches Monitor is not included

Boasting a sleek & shiny black-and-silver chassis, the HP Pavilion A6040N desktop PC comes loaded with the all tools you need 2 easily create, manage, share, & enjoy your digital photos, home videos, movies, & music. You can easily burn your home video productions 2 DVD 4 friends & family with the dual-layer, multi-format DVD/CD burner, which enables you 2 store up 2 8.5 GB of data on a DL disc & provides a super-fast 16x DVD+R/-R write speed. It also includes LightScribe technology 4 personalized silkscreen-quality, laser-etched CD/DVD labels created right in the drive.

This desktop is powered by the 1.86 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E6320 dual-core processor, which provides an optimized, multithreaded architecture 4 improved gaming & multitasking performance. Store more music, videos, & data on the roomy 320 GB Serial ATA hard drive, which offers fast transfer rates. It also comes loaded with 2 GB of RAM (which can be bumped up 2 4 GB), an integrated GMA 950 video/graphics card with up 2 224 MB of graphics memory from the system, a wide variety of connection ports on both the front & rear of the box, & a 15-in-1 memory card reader that's compatible with today's most popular digital camera formats.

It comes preinstalled with Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium, which includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities 4 turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center. In addition 2 easily playing your DVD movies & managing your digital audio library, you'll be able 2 record & watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV). Vista also integrates new search tools throughout the operating system, includes new parental control features, & offers new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures.

The Basics

• Processor: The Intel Core 2 Duo E6320 processor has a 1.86 GHz processor speed, amazing 1066 MHz front-side bus (FSB), & an extra-large 4 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; & a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU & RAM, & a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)

  The Intel Core 2 Duo processor has two computational execution cores in a single processor, providing greater system response when running multi-threaded applications simultaneously with no significant increase in power consumption. It's optimized 4 multitasking & is ready 2 support the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system. It can simultaneously run multiple demanding applications--such as graphics-intensive games or serious number-crunching business productivity applications--while downloading music or running virus-scanning security programs in the background. Some of the advanced Intel innovations of the Core 2 Duo processor include:

  • Smart Memory Access: Improves system performance by hiding memory latency, thus optimizing the use of available computer data bandwidth 2 provide data 2 the processor when & where it is needed.
  • Advanced Digital Media Boost: Effectively doubles the execution speed 4 instructions used widely in multimedia & graphics applications.
  • Dynamic Power Coordination: Coordinates Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology & idle power-management state (C-states) transitions independently per core 2 help save power.
  • Deeper Sleep with Dynamic Cache Sizing: Saves power by flushing cache data 2 system memory during periods of inactivity 2 lower CPU voltage.

• Hard Drive: The huge 320 GB Serial ATA (SATA) hard drive (7200 RPM) offers a wealth of storage space, perfect 4 storing a vast multimedia collection or 4 editing digital video. This SATA hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin 2 FireWire & USB 2.0.

• Memory: The 2 GB of installed RAM (PC4200, 2 x 1 GB, 533 MHz) is a start, but you'll want 2 add more RAM 2 handle today's demanding multimedia & gaming software. This desktop has a 4 GB maximum RAM capacity (4 x 1 GB), perfect 4 high-def video & 3-D gaming.

• DVD/CD Drive: This multiformat DVD/CD drive is compatible with writing both DVD+ & DVD- disc formats as well as dual-layer (DL) DVD+/-R discs, which can store up 2 8.5 GB of data. It features 4x DVD-R DL Write Once, 8x DVD+R DL Write Once, 16x DVD+R, 8x DVD+RW, 16x DVD-R, 6x DVD-RW, 5x DVD-RAM, 40x CD-R, 32x CD-RW write speeds & 40x CD-ROM, & 16x DVD-ROM read speeds.

  This LightScribe DVD+/-RW drive lets you laser-etch silkscreen quality text & images on 2 CDs & DVDs . Your software, PC & discs work together 4 a no-hassle way 2 burn just the labels you want. After you burn content, just flip the disc over, reinsert & burn your label--anything from a simple title 2 a full-disc work of art.

• Keyboard & Mouse: It comes with an HP multimedia keyboard & scroller mouse (both with PS/2 connections).

Video & Audio
Video is powered by the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950, which uses Intel Dynamic Video Memory Technology (DVMT) & provides 32 MB of dedicated graphics memory. Windows Vista can also allocate up 2 224 MB of total graphics memory from the system memory. It also has an integrated audio card that can produce high definition surround sound configurable 2 8 speakers.

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion
For expansion, this desktop has two PCI slots (two available), one PCI Express x16 slot (available), two 5.25-inch bays (one available), & three 3.5-inch bays (two available). It comes with a built-in floppy drive & the following external connectors:

• 7 USB 2.0 ports 4 connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras 2 MP3 players (3 in front, 4 in rear)
• 2 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) port 4 connecting digital video camcorders & other peripherals (1 in front, 1 in rear)
• 2 PS/2 ports 4 connecting keyboards & mice
• 1 VGA monitor port
• 2 headphone & 2 microphone (front & rear)
• 2 line-in (front & rear)
• Digital coaxial audio output as well as surround sound speaker outputs (rear/side/center)
• 15-in-1 multi-format memory card reader, compatible with CompactFlash I/II, IBM Microdrive, Secure Digital (SD), miniSD, MultiMediaCard (MMC), Reduced Size MultiMediaCard (RS-MMC), MultiMediaCard Plus (MMC plus), MultiMediaCard Mobile (MMC mobile), Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick Pro Duo, SmartMedia, & xD Picture Card

It also has an integrated 56K modem (V.90) & an RJ-45 LAN network port (for a 10/100 Ethernet connection 2 networks & DSL/cable modems).

Operating System
Windows Vista Home Premium is the operating system 4 users with advanced computer needs, & it includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities 4 turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center 4 watching DVD movies & accessing your digital audio library. You can also use Windows Media Center 2 record & watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV) & 2 access new kinds of online entertainment content. Computers that include Windows Vista Home Premium & an auxiliary Windows SideShow display will also allow you 2 access key data even when your computer is off. It is also easier than ever 2 share files between other PCs in your household & 2 manage your laptop computer settings 2 more securely connect via Wi-Fi.

Every edition of Windows Vista provides the essential tools & technologies 2 help protect you whether you are browsing the Internet, connecting 2 a wireless network, or just reading e-mail. All editions of Windows Vista include new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures long before you have lost any important personal data. And, all Windows Vista editions include parental control features that allow you 2 manage & monitor your family's use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, & other activities.

Preloaded Software
Includes Microsoft Works 8, Microsoft Office Home & Student Edition 2007 Trial, Symantec Norton Internet Security 2007 (with 60 days of Live Update), Roxio Creator/MyDVD (with LightScribe technology), Muvee autoProducer (for creating professional-looking home videos & burning 2 DVD), & HP Total Care Advisor.

What's in the Box
This package contains the HP Pavilion A6040N desktop PC, power cable, keyboard, & mouse. It is backed by a limited warranty 4 parts & labor 4 one year from date of purchase as well as technical telephone assistance 4 one year. Software is also covered 4 90 days from date of purchase.