Help and Opinions for Used HP Laptop

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VicariousToast

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May 21, 2012
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For the past two years or so, I have been using a Toshiba Satellite M45-S331. It has a 1.6 GHz Pentium M Processor, only 512 MB of RAM, and it runs Windows XP Home Edition. I can't remember the name of the chipset at the moment, when I get a chance I will edit this and get more specific specs on it.

EDIT: I don't know what the hell I was thinking, I don't need to give specs for that. Probably shouldn't have made this post at midnight.

Anyway, as you can imagine, that laptop is slow. I used various methods to get it's speed up, so it runs decently (sort of). Anyway, I had decided that it was time to get myself a better laptop. The problem is, I'm only 15, and I live out in the country; I don't have a job. I have $300 saved up, so I decided to wait until I was able to save up the money once I had a driver's license and a job. But then I found out that my mother was looking at buying a Windows 8 laptop/tablet hybrid late this year or early next year, so she was planning on giving me her current laptop.

The one she has now is an HP Pavilion dv6747cl Entertainment Notebook PC. It's 4 or 5 years old now, and she payed around $800 for it. Here are the specs:

OS:Windows Vista Home Premium 32-bit SP2

CPU: AMD Turion 64 X2 Mobile TL-60
Cores: 2
Threads: 2
Name : AMD Turion 64 X2 Mobile TL-60
Code Name: Tyler
Package: Socket S1 (638)
Technology: 65nm
Specification: AMD Turion 64 X2 Mobile Technology TL-60
Family: F
Extended Family: F
Model: 8
Extended Model: 68
Stepping: 2
Instructions: MMX (+), 3DNow! (+), SSE, SSE2, SSE3, AMD 64, NX, VMX
Virtualization: Supported, Enabled
Hyperthreading: Not supported
Bus Speed: 200.0 MHz
Rated Bus Speed: 800.1 MHz
Stock Core Speed: 2000 MHz
Stock Bus Speed: 200 MHz
Average Temperature: 143 °F

Caches
L1 Data Cache Size: 2 x 64 KBytes
L1 Instructions Cache Size: 2 x 64 KBytes
L2 Unified Cache Size: 2 x 512 KBytes
Core 0
Core Speed: 2000.2 MHz
Multiplier: x 10.0
Bus Speed: 200.0 MHz
Rated Bus Speed: 800.1 MHz
Temperature: 145 °F
Thread 1:
APIC ID: 0
Core 1
Core Speed: 2000.2 MHz
Multiplier: x 10.0
Bus Speed: 200.0 MHz
Rated Bus Speed: 800.1 MHz
Temperature: 141 °F
Thread 1
APIC ID: 1


RAM: Memory slots
Total memory slots: 2
Used memory slots: 2
Free memory slots: 0

Memory
Type: DDR2
Size: 2048 MBytes
Channels #: Dual
DRAM Frequency: 333.4 MHz
CAS# Latency (CL): 5 clocks
RAS# to CAS# Delay (tRCD): 5 clocks
RAS# Precharge (tRP): 5 clocks
Cycle Time (tRAS): 15 clocks
Bank Cycle Time (tRC): 21 clocks
Command Rate (CR): 1T

Physical Memory
Memory Usage: 50 %
Total Physical: 1.94 GB
Available Physical: 980 MB
Total Virtual: 4.11 GB
Available Virtual: 2.81 GB

SPD
Number Of SPD Modules: 2
Slot #1
Type DDR2
Size 1024 MBytes
Manufacturer Hyundai Electronics
Max Bandwidth PC2-5300 (333 MHz)
Part Number HYMP112S64CP6-Y5
Serial Number 00006260
Week/year 52 / 07
SPD Ext. EPP
JEDEC #3
Frequency 333.3 MHz
CAS# Latency 5.0
RAS# To CAS# 6
RAS# Precharge 6
tRAS 16
tRC 21
Voltage 1.800 V
JEDEC #2
Frequency 266.7 MHz
CAS# Latency 4.0
RAS# To CAS# 4
RAS# Precharge 4
tRAS 12
tRC 16
Voltage 1.800 V
JEDEC #1
Frequency 200.0 MHz
CAS# Latency 3.0
RAS# To CAS# 3
RAS# Precharge 3
tRAS 9
tRC 12
Voltage 1.800 V
Slot #2
Type DDR2
Size 1024 MBytes
Manufacturer Hyundai Electronics
Max Bandwidth PC2-5300 (333 MHz)
Part Number HYMP112S64CP6-Y5
Serial Number 04004156
Week/year 52 / 07
SPD Ext. EPP
JEDEC #3
Frequency 333.3 MHz
CAS# Latency 5.0
RAS# To CAS# 6
RAS# Precharge 6
tRAS 16
tRC 21
Voltage 1.800 V
JEDEC #2
Frequency 266.7 MHz
CAS# Latency 4.0
RAS# To CAS# 4
RAS# Precharge 4
tRAS 12
tRC 16
Voltage 1.800 V
JEDEC #1
Frequency 200.0 MHz
CAS# Latency 3.0
RAS# To CAS# 3
RAS# Precharge 3
tRAS 9
tRC 12
Voltage 1.800 V


Motherboard: Manufacturer: Quanta
Model: 30CF (Socket S1)
Version: Rev 1
Chipset Vendor: NVIDIA
Chipset Model: nForce 560
Chipset Revision: A2
Southbridge Vendor: NVIDIA
Southbridge Model: nForce 560
Southbridge Revision: A2
System Temperature: 141 °F

BIOS
Brand: Hewlett-Packard
Version: F.32
Date: 3/3/2009

PCI Data
Slot: PCI
Slot Type: PCI
Slot Usage: Available
Bus Width: 64 bit
Slot Designation: PCI Express Slot 1
Slot Number: 0
Slot: PCI
Slot Type: PCI
Slot Usage: Available
Bus Width: 64 bit
Slot Designation: PCI Express Slot 2
Slot Number: 1


Graphics:
Monitor
Name : Generic PnP Monitor on NVIDIA GeForce 7150M / nForce 630M
Current Resolution: 1280x800 pixels
Work Resolution: 1280x770 pixels
State: Enabled, Primary
Monitor Width: 1280
Monitor Height: 800
Monitor BPP: 32 bits per pixel
Monitor Frequency: 60 Hz
Device: \\.\DISPLAY1\Monitor0

NVIDIA GeForce 7150M / nForce 630M
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Model: GeForce 7150M / nForce 630M
GPU: MCP67M
Device ID: 10DE-0531
Revision: A3
Subvendor: HP (103C)
Current Performance Level: Level 1
Current GPU Clock: 100 MHz
Current Memory Clock: 0 MHz
DirectX Support: 9.0c
DirectX Shader Model: 3.0
OpenGL Support 2.0
Bus Interface: FPCI
Driver version: 7.15.11.7991
BIOS Version: 5.67.32.16.17
ROPs: 2
Shaders: Vertex 2/Pixel 21
Memory Type: System
Physical Memory: 64 MB
Virtual Memory: 800 MB

Count of performance levels: 3
Level 1 - "Default"
GPU Clock 100 MHz
Memory Clock 0 MHz
Level 2 - "2D Desktop"
GPU Clock 250 MHz
Memory Clock 0 MHz
Level 3 - "3D Applications"
GPU Clock 425 MHz
Memory Clock 0 MHz


Hard Drive:SAMSUNG HM250JI ATA Device
Manufacturer: SAMSUNG
Business Unit/Brand: Mobile
Model Capacity For This Specific Drive: 250GB
Heads: 16
Cylinders: 16,383
SATA type: SATA-I 1.5Gb/s
Device type: Fixed
ATA Standard: ATA8-ACS
Serial Number: S15YJD0PC06043
LBA Size: 48-bit LBA
Power On Count: 4023 times
Power On Time: 1283.6 days
Features: S.M.A.R.T., APM
Transfer Mode: SATA I
Interface: SATA
Capacity: 233 GB
Real size: 250,059,350,016 bytes
RAID Type: None

S.M.A.R.T
Status: Good
Temperature: 114 °F
Temperature Range: OK (less than 122 °F)
01 Read Error Rate: 100 (100) Data 00000001DA
03 Spin-Up Time: 252 (252) Data 0000000A41
04 Start/Stop Count: 093 (093) Data 0000001E85
05 Reallocated Sectors Count: 100 (100) Data 0000000002
07 Seek Error Rate: 252 (252) Data 0000000000
08 Seek Time Performance: 252 (252) Data 0000000000
09 Power-On Hours (POH): 040 (040) Data 0000007857
0A Spin Retry Count: 100 (100) Data 0000000002
0B Recalibration Retries: 002 (002) Data 000001869F
0C Device Power Cycle Count: 097 (097) Data 0000000FB7
B8 End-to-End error / IOEDC: 252 (252) Data 0000000000
BB Reported Uncorrectable Errors: 098 (098) Data 0000000A0F
BC Command Timeout: 100 (100) Data 0000000003
BE Temperature Difference from 100: 052 (042) Data 0000070030
BF G-sense error rate: 094 (094) Data 000000F590
C0 Power-off Retract Count: 100 (100) Data 0000000117
C1 Load/Unload Cycle Count: 002 (002) Data 00000F423F
C2 Temperature: 052 (042) Data 0000070030
C3 Hardware ECC Recovered: 100 (100) Data 00000022ED
C4 Reallocation Event Count: 252 (252) Data 0000000000
C5 Current Pending Sector Count: 100 (099) Data 0000000005
C6 Uncorrectable Sector Count: 252 (252) Data 0000000000
C7 UltraDMA CRC Error Count: 200 (200) Data 0000000000
C8 Write Error Rate / Multi-Zone Error Rate: 100 (100) Data 0000000000
C9 Soft Read Error Rate: 252 (252) Data 0000000000

Partition 0
Partition ID: Disk #0, Partition #0
Disk Letter: C:
File System: NTFS
Volume Serial Number: 2C47654D
Size: 221 GB
Used Space: 82 GB (38%)
Free Space: 139 GB (62%)

Partition 1
Partition ID: Disk #0, Partition #1
Disk Letter: D:
File System: NTFS
Volume Serial Number: 8874071C
Size: 11.9 GB
Used Space: 10.6 GB (90%)
Free Space: 1.31 GB (10%)


Audio: Sound Card
Conexant High Definition SmartAudio 221

Playback Devices
Speakers: (Conexant High Definition SmartAudio 221) (default)
SPDIF Interface: (Conexant High Definition SmartAudio 221)

Recording Device
Microphone: (Conexant High Definition SmartAudio 221)
Sorry if most/any of that is unnecessary, but I wasn't sure what was and wasn't important, so I just copied and pasted from Speccy xD I will edit to include the specs for my Toshiba laptop.

EDIT 2: Fixed the spoiler issue. Should also be somewhat easier to read.

So now for my questions:

Would I be better off getting a new Windows 7/8 laptop? I plan to use this for web surfing, maybe watch some movies, some gaming (I don't expect to play Battlefield 3 or anything. I like having some older games or newer stuff with low requirements for when I don't have access to a desktop.), and do some programming.

Would it be worth it to upgrade this computer? I would like to replace Vista with Windows 7, get a better battery (The battery it has lasts for maybe a couple of hours on the power saver setting with the brightness all the way down.), and maybe upgrade the RAM to 4 GB (would it be a good idea to upgrade the RAM? If so, could I get some links/suggestions for some laptop RAM?).

What kinds of games would I be able to play on this? I remember being able to run League of Legends, and I'm pretty sure I had Morrowind installed on this laptop and my Toshiba at one point, but I don't remember what kind of performance I got. (Examples or time periods for games both work.)

Also, I'm curious about Windows Media Center. When I use the HP laptop I tend to see a notification that it has detected our DirecTV receiver. I'm assuming that I can stream TV shows and movies to this laptop, but how does the streaming work? Does the speed of my internet connection matter? And if I upgrade to Windows 7, would I still be able to access Windows Media Center?

Well, those are all of my questions for now. Sorry my post is so long, and thank you if you actually took the time to read through it. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
 

VicariousToast

Honorable
May 21, 2012
46
0
10,530
I think the length of my specs might be scaring people off xD

Just in case, I'll provide basic specs:

Model: HP Pavilion 6747cl
OS: Windows Vista Home Premium 32-Bit SP2
CPU: AMD Turion 64 X2 Mobile TL-60 (Tyler 65nm Technology)(2 CPUs), ~2.0GHz
RAM: 2.00GB Dual-Channel DDR2 @160 MHz (5-5-5-15)(No idea what those numbers in the parenthesis are for.)(Both slots used.)
Motherboard: Quanta 30CF (Socket S1)
Graphics: 64 MB NVIDIA GeForce 7150M / nForce 630M (Sticker on the front of the laptop says it has 799MB of shared video memory)
Hard Drive: 233GB Samsung HM250JI ATA Device (SATA)(Not sure about RPM, I'll see if I can find it)
 
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