A puzzle..

[Atodini]

Started off as a routine sort of job. The customer dropped her computer off for a routine upgrade. She had purchased a new computer (not from me) and would I please wipe this one and reinstall windows saving all her data first, burning it on to a DVD so she could transfer it onto the new one. She was going to give the old machine to her daughter for homework... If I could speed it up please as it is very slow.

This looked an easy one (as it has turned out to be). The computer was complete with all its original packaging, in the box with all disks, the original receipt, everything. It is a 7 year old Time machine, the "upside down" one with the PSU at the bottom and a big carry handle on the top, in cream with a blue stripe.

Got it on the bench today fired it up, Windows XP Home (COA says Millennium), Celeron 866, 64mb RAM, 30gb HDD, DVD-CD-RW combo, no wonder it's slow! Looking through the box found a genuine Time XP upgrade pack with disk & COA so theres one mystery solved. Otherwise the comp is pristine, like new in all respects. Just a small amount of dust in the case easily blown out so obviously not smokers.

Pulled off all data (it actually easily fitted on to a CD-R), formatted and reinstalled, all going well.

Actually I hadn't even noticed, my missus did. During one of the install reboots, she asked, "if it's a Time machine, why does the boot splash screen say Packard Bell?" Checking again it did too!!!

Called the customer (to find out her daughters name for the reg) and asked about this. Was assured that it's never been repaired and has always done this since new (they had bought it mail order). As it worked fine she had never queried it..... No reason to disbelieve this. Checked out the model number / details etc on their website and all appears as it was meant to be - correct mobo, specs etc.

All done now (updated to 512mb RAM so much faster) but I wonder just how this came to be. I've always believed that (Mitac?) or somebody manufactures most of the mass market stuff - reckon they might have fitted the wrong mobo into this one??

Got me puzzled anyway!

John

[CCT]

You might run Everest and look under Motherboard>Motherboard for the Bios download site and see whose Bios it has.

Maybe it is a PB Bios they used. Or something of that nature.