Has anyone bought a VPR Matrix from Best Buy?

[GomerOfDoom]

Well... i just bought a 220A5 and I'm impressed with it right out of the box. The computer is gorgeous and the screen is a joy to look at.

I am, however, removing WinXP Home and installing Win2000. I want to get the drivers right, so I'm wondering if anyone can tell me for sure what hardware is included (I know it's a P4-M with nVidia graphics). Specifically, I'm trying to find out the details of the following:

Motherboard Chipset model/maker/manufacturer

Integrated Ethernet model/maker/manufacturer

Integrated Modem model/maker/manufacturer

etc...

Can anyone tell me what these are or point me to a site/app that can?

In the meantime, I'll try to keep posting on my experiences with this computer.

Thanks,

Paul

[willpwr]

Actually there is good news. I just got my laptop back from VPR! They replaced the board and it seems to be working fine right now. I am very impressed with the Service. I sent it in last Thursday and got it back today, Monday. Considering it was over a weekend, the turn around is as what they intially estimated.

Only thing that I didnt really like is that it shows a pending "Files Ready to Be Writting to the CD" which contains my "My Pictures" folder =/. Anyone know if there is a log for burned items?

None the less, at least with the laptop warranty and repair service, I am very pleased

Will

[bdskeels]

We bought one about a year ago and love it. No problems at all, just trying to figure out how to open the hard drive case to clean the fan area. We live in a real dusty area. It's the tower type and I don't want to pry it too hard.

[imduffer]

Hello,
I just found this site.
We have a VPR Matrix 2250. We have the 120g HD it came with and an 80g HD we added. We want to add a 3rd HD, another 120g. We purchased a SIIG Ultra ATA controller card from Best Buy, and upon installing the card, the system fails to boot. We tried two different slots, and with and without the HD attached. I took the card to BB, last night, and the tech put it in another VPR, but a new model. The system booted, and he was able to begin configuration of the controller card. He offered another card, the same model, and I took it home. Same results as the first one. The new computer had an extra set of controllers on the motherboard, which mine doesn't have.
Calls to VPR, which is Best Buy tech, and SIIG left me up in the air. The tech from SIIG said to try another brand of card.
Other than the 2nd HD, the system is as I bought it.
I wonder if anyone out there has a solution.

TIA
Mike O.

[JiminElkGrove]

To GomerofDoom:
Here is an ID utility that will tell you all you want to know. A favorite of my buds over at the ViaArena forum. Free download, excellent proggie and just updated on 10-17-03:
http://www.softpedia.com/public/cat/13/5/13-5-46.shtml
Aida32 System ID utility from Softpedia.com
Sorry I took so long to reply. This thread has been running for over a year but I still look in from time to time. Hope this helps you out. Jim

[Kayaker]

vpr matrix 220a4 dual hard disks - 2nd hd for linux

here is what i want to do:
1. keep the original hd which is preloaded with xp home
2. get a new hd for the notebook to install linux (slackware)

why
1.0 widnows xp is already paid for in the purchase price
1.1 widdows xp has its place - although i would rather use linux but:
(a) not all the widnwos software are available in linux
(b) not all the xp "compliant" hardware can be used in linux
most importantly,
(c) i have to do app demos in m$ xp for some clients - it is the fact of life, u do what u get paid for. isn't it?

2. linux is really better - just in case you have any doubts
(a) it is STABLE
(b) you can do virtually anything you like with it - building a new kernel to streamline the os, to customize a business app environment - for intance, getting rid of all the "junks" and load only the os and your app - few things to go wrong <-- to debug and troubel shoot
(c). it is OPEN and FREE - you can give away anything linux without BREAKING THE LAW. how many times u have to tell your friends and clients that u CAN NOT give them the cool windows software you just dazzled them with.

Now, tell me

WHERE can i get the 2nd hard disk to work with 220a5?
and
WHAT do i have have to do to get the 2nd hard disk to inside the vpr matrix 220a5 box?
and
is there a BETTER WAY of swapping OS with 220a5?

is 220a5 capable of booting from external usb harddisk?

THANK YOU.

kayaker

[dean1957]

Hi.
I bought a VPR Matrix over a year ago & have had no problems. It is now an older version Model 1820. I love this computer. It is easy to upgrade. I have loaded all kinds of software in it & every thing works fine. Having owned A hp & worked on compacks & hp's . This is the best computer I have had yet. If you have any Problems, It will be XP problems. Just download a patch

[KUETEE]

VPR Matrix laptop owner

Hello Will,
I to own a VPR Matrix laptop since Dec 02. Around Mar 03 I started having the same problems that you described with your laptop. I took it in in Mar and got it back in June. They could not figure out what the problem was. When I initially got it back, it powered up for a second and then went out again. I was told that it is probably a problem with my power adapter port. I don't know what it is. Unfortunately I was not able to back up my files from the laptop. It will not power up and the battery is dead. Does anyone know a way to get the files off of my hardrive?

[JiminElkGrove]

After running for over a year, looks like the question that started this thread is mute. Best Buy no longer sells the VPR Matrix brand. The name is gone from their stores and their website. Anyone know what happened? They seemed very popular for a long time. Now Best Buy has brought in the Medion brand apparently to replace. So it goes. Jim

[johnzee145]

bought a VPR Matrix laptop 170B4 in Jan 2003. All was well until 2 months ago. Now it will not power on unless the power button is hit multiple times. It does eventually power up but the it is taking more times to hit the power button before it comes on. The techs at Best Buy don't work on laptops. It needs to be sent to Texas. I have yet to send it to repair because they said it takes 3 to 4 weeks during the holiday season.