HP Pavilion 300-240 Desktop (Intel Celeron, 2 GB RAM, 32 GB SSD)
I use Linux at home. At the time of purchase, Amazon and Netflix were unsupported. So I purchased this minimalist Windows PC to stream to my TV.
It was always slow and buggy to the point that sometimes you just surrendered and stuck with some cable fare. But when I was in a patient mood, it could eventually) stream to the big flat screen.
About a month ago, Windows messaged that an update was not just available, but would be installed.
And with that, Windows would never again boot up. The error message ("0xc0000185")
indicated Windows was corrupted. A recovery disk and Windows key was required as a fix.
But neither was bundled by HP with the purchase.
So I go to the HP site for support.
1) Enter "HP Pavillion 300-240" in the search bar. You get 17 hits, but no matching results.
2) You also get this message: "Typically, HP stops supporting most products after 10 years"
3) Well, its not a ten year old product, so I entered the model number.
4) Result? "Sorry, no results match your search for "3CR54403FJ."
5) I next try its Virtual Assistant - it too yields no result.
6) I next try "contact an HP agent" First I enter the serial number, then the model number.
7) Result? At each turn: "Sorry, no results match your search..."
Summary:
1) Windows does an update that renders Windows unbootable;
2) what Windows effed up can be remedied only with recovery media and windows key that HP did not provide with the purchase;
3) HP released this product in 2015, and I purchased it in 2016. But HP couldn't wait the usual ten years to end support of this product.
4) So to outdo itself, HP not only scrubbed out existence of this product from its website - it didn't even include it in its list of unsupported products.
To HP: here's hoping another Carly Fiorini awaits you. And for Windows, look forward to the next Windows ME, Vista, Windows 8 and Windows phone calamity.
UPDATE - 10/2018:
I took it to a local PC repair shop. Sure enough, the Windows update needed more space than available on the HD.
They cleaned out unnecessary apps, and I also doubled the RAM.
Sixty dollars later, It now functions well as a Windows streaming device to my Flat Screen TV.
So I've modified the rating to 3 stars.
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Sustainability features
This product has sustainability features recognized by trusted certifications.Products are inspected, cleaned and (if applicable) repaired to excellent functional standards. Buying pre-owned instead of new can extend a product's life, reduce e-waste and raw material extraction.As certified by
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From the manufacturer
Key specs
- Windows 10 Home
- 4GB memory
- 500GB hard drive
- Intel Pentium processor
- Wireless 802.11b/g/n and integrated Bluetooth
HP Pavilion 300-220 Mini
Mighty power. Tiny size.
Get big power without the large tower with the next generation HP Pavilion Mini. Powerful features in a small, attractive package means you can have all you need in a PC and at an affordable price.
- Primed for productivity with the features you need
- Small enough to be kept in a cabinet, yet cute enough to show off
- Get all the features you expect in a tower, using only 45 watts of power
- Immerse yourself in a truly authentic audio experience. Don’t just listen, let HP with B&O PLAY move you.
This product has
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Wireless: Surf the web without cables; connect to wireless printers and other devices. Bluetooth: Wirelessly connect to Bluetooth-enabled devices. Multi-display capable: Work on more than one monitor at the same time. 3-in-1 digital media reader: Easily transfer photos, music and other files. |
HP Support Assistant: Enjoy immediate, always-on, self-help support built right into your PC, for the life of your PC. ENERGY STAR certified: Do the environment—and your wallet—a favor with an ENERGY STAR certified PC. |
HP with Audio by B&O PLAY delivers the rich, authentic audio experience that immerses you so deeply in your music and entertainment that you can feel it. |
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| Price | — | — | — |
| Space-saving design: Free up office space with a slim tower PC | ✓ | ||
| Snapfish: Sync photos across your PC, smartphone and tablet | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wireless networking: Connect and share via an existing wireless network | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth connectivity: Sync to mobile devices and print wirelessly | ✓ | ||
| DTS Studio Sound: Enjoy dynamic audio nuances and rich sounds | ✓ | ✓ | |
| B&O PLAY audio: Immerse yourself in a truly authentic audio experience | ✓ |
HP Pavilion 300-240 Desktop
This is the second one I bought and it outperforms regular desktops. The price was, of course, excellent compared to what they want now for the same model and also newer ones. I received it packed in the original boxes and appeared to be unused. The only complaint I have is the Keyboard wouldn't work but I really didn't care about that. If you get the opportunity to find one it is a great buy. And the upgrade to the memory and hard drive still make a bargain.
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