RE: laptop computer

FROM:

Steve Sevits

Box 463

East Greenbush,NY 12061

tel: 518/766-2059

Subject: Laptop computers

In March of 2003 I purchased an AVERATEC model 3700 laptop computer which

was advertised to have an 80 gig hard drive. The computer did not

include any restore discs to be used in case the XP operating system

needed to be reinstalled. Instead, the operating system was included in

a hard drive partition known as "Phoenix Technologies" for which Phoenix

wanted to be paid an additional outside subscription fee.

The flaw is that some viruses appear to be capable of jumping the

partition wall and corrupting the operating system so it cannot be

restored. AVERATEC personnel have confided to me that "there are a lot

of angry people" because of the Phoenix system. Additionally I have

discovered the Phoenix recovery partition consumes about 1/4 of the hard

drive, in effect leaving an 80 gig hard drive as an effective 60 gig hard

drive.

AVERATEC has had so many customer complaints that they are promising to

bring out a set of recovery discs for sale to model 3700 laptop users

because of chronic complaints. The availability date is unknown,

although AVERATEC offers to do a factory operating system reinstall for

$110.

I would recommend avoiding any computer with a "built-in" recovery

partition, in particular the "Phoenix Technologies" system as it consumes

valuable hard drive space and denies the consumer the ability to restore

the computer to factory settings if it is corrupted.

The Phoenix recover partition is not the normal Restore function common

to XP computers, but a separate distinct and identifiable add on, the

presence of which should be a red flag to any consumer during computer

purchase because of the many problems admitted by AVERATEC factory

personnel.

Steve Sevits