School's Recommended Laptop is on Bordline Recommended Specs for CS4

Hahahaha, When my copy of CS4 Master Collection came, I read the requirements and realized that the school's own recommended laptop, The HP 6730b Doesn't even meet them/ On borderline. I'm sure this will not stop it running, but it's funny that the school recommends this laptop.
Proof:

Source 1
Source 2

Long Loading Times? Please Wait?... Temporary Fix

So, Ever since you have had your laptop configured, Have you noticed long load times? Well, Currently it takes 1:14 JUST for the 'Please Wait' Message to go a way. (Not including other times , eg. BIOS loading etc, JUST the Please Wait message.) Well, With James' Temporary Fix, It takes the 'Please Wait' Message down to around 10 seconds!

What Am I Waiting for during the 'Please Wait' Message?

Well, Your waiting for your laptop to find the wgpcollege network and make sure its group policies are up-to-date. It takes so long because Windows Vista's network time out time, Is too long.

How Can I Shorten The Time?

Well, IF your laptop has a button to disable the built in Wi-Fi card, Its simple, Just turn the card off. This brings the time down to a more reasonable time, 10 seconds, Still not perfect, But a LOT better.
I'm not sure IF the school's recommended laptop, the HP 6730b Actually HAS a hard switch to do this, This is why I don't get laptops that don't meet the recommended system requirements for software we are meant to run at school.

So....

I have finally got my laptop back, configured and all ready for the start of the year. 1 Day late, about half a fuel tank less, and very annoyed.

See other posts....

Rants....

First laptop order date was BEFORE info regarding buying our own laptops was confirmed...

First lot of order forms:

• Info was wrong... Ive never herd of a product called "Adobe Production Premier Pro"
• Very Confusing...
• What happens if Ive already got a mouse, laptop bag and insurance....I dont want to have to buy something Ive already got.
• Info changed Regually
• The School's ICT Laptop Programe site and order forms are very confusing...
• $450 For Configuration!!!?!?!?!!?!?!?
• Perswaded people to buy through the school. Made buying your own sound scary, Not-so-tech-savy people will therefore go through the school, PAYING MORE THAN IF YOU PURCHASE THROUGH ANOTHER SUPPLIER.......
  

OPTION 3 – Purchase your own from another supplier – NOT RECOMMENDED

Whys it not recommended!? Because the school/NewEra aint making a profit!? Hahahaha, Its A Joke.


More To Come

Configuration Story...

Day of Config:

$450, 1 Day. 2-3 Hours Work


Tuesday 28th January Story:
I take my laptop into school in the morning (9am) , Leaving my interest in watching the laptop setup process. I was told that the NewEra ICT tech’s will be starting setting up the laptops in around 1 hour. I decide to go home for the hour, leaving my phone number for someone to ring and tell me when they start the Laptop Set-up Configuration process.

About 4 hours after (1pm) I still have received NO phone call, no indication of anything. I wait.

At 4:30PM I decide to go to school, expecting my laptop to be configured and ready to take home, what do I find? No-one to be seen around the ICT Suite! I go to the office, to ask what is happening with the laptops, and find out the NewEra technicians have left for the day! I ask for the key to get my laptop, after about 20 mins, I get access to my laptop for me to take home.
Soon after, in the car, I realise a sticker on my laptop saying “Bluescreen”, I try to boot up but as predicted, I get a bluescreen. This is not NewEra’s fault (I don’t think). But it was a very good job that I DID get my laptop back. I spent that evening fixing it, ready for the following morning.

Problems:
1. No phone call notifying that they have started the laptop configuration.
2. No phone call notifying that they were having problems.
3. NO Phone call notifying that the NewEra technicians had left, and the laptops were to stay OVERNIGHT (No Notification!)
4. No one could tell me what was happening at the office.
5. Yes, the blue screen error WAS my laptops fault, BUT where the hell was my phone call saying that they couldn’t boot it!? They should have phoned me up and told me! So, IF i didn’t go and get MY Laptop and find out that it had an BSOD, what would they have done!? Just handed it back to me, when everyone else’s had been configured, and said, nope, we didn’t do it because we couldn’t get into it...Where’s the communication!?


Wednesday 29th January Story:
9:30 am, Took it into school. Dropped it off, Showed them my fixed laptop. All good. (Yea Right). They say they are doing something before they continue with the laptops (Why bring them in if there doing something else?) And was told they will be configured at around 12, but come and pick up at 2pm just to be sure.
Received an email saying that the laptops would be done and ready....



*******************************************************
3:07pm phone call
At the time of writing, Just got a phone call that its ready, Will continue writing.
********************************************************
By 2pm and pickup is 2-4pm. Luck they finished. The, what, made the 5th deadline!?...

After getting home, I immediately, image the HDD, (Ive not even turned it on!) so Ive always got a backup. Then there's no risk of having to pay another $450 if summat goes wrong....

My New XPS M1530

I just got my new Dell XPS M1530.
Way above the spec for the recommended school one, But I'm a power user....

4 gig RAM
2.5 Intel Centrino Dual Core
Nvidia GeForce 8600GT (Not too bad actually)
500 gig HDD
Vista x32 Ultimate (Need x64)

Pics: