Love this thing
Use it everyday at school
BUT, noticed 6 things
1. 2 hours is max on battery. My sister has a Vaio with Centrino. Is cooler, i.e temperature, but that may be because of the way they divert heat away from your lap. Anyway feels cooler, and fan is quieter. However her battery can go and go and go. Lasts her the whole day of usage at UCSD. But really that means about 4-5 hours on time. Also her model has a "long life battery" that you can get to double the time to ? 10 hours. But that increases the weight from sub 5 pound to just over 5 pounds. However her screen is not really very good, and I like the tablet features.
2. No tech support from Averatec. Nothing on website, and they don't know much about this product except to say, "reinstall OS from the backup cd" every time you have a problem with them.
3. Norton Anti Virus that comes with the machine runs with error message because it says you need to have administrator rights. However, even when you make up a new profile and give it administrator rights so it will install everything and then reboot and give it limited rights, it still has the error message as if it needs to install something. Norton couldn't fix because they say its Averatec OS tweaks and Averatec says its Norton. When I told Averatec to work it out with Norton, solve the problem, and get back to me since Averatec is selling the unit with Norton, they sais "It is not our reposibility." If your unit turns on and runs, you need to go to the manufacturer of the software, regardless of the fact we installed it for you and sold it to you, for tech support. So I uninstalled Norton, and using Sophos, free Anti Virus software that UCLA provide. But this is really bad "no tech" support.
4. Cannot update Onenote on the Microsoft website cause a file is need from the "original CD" and there is no image on the hard drive and you cannot extract it from the back up CD's they give you, and they don't post the file, nor do they send you the Original One Note CD you should be entitled to, even OEM version, since YOU PAID FOR IT, and it is licensed, not stolen. So no updates available for now.
5. When I called them about any issues with XP SP2, got "We Don't Know, ask Microsoft." They should be testing their own units, don't you think?
6. Last issue is that for some reason now in the middle of doing something, and it is not always the same thing, it will just reboot. Ran antivirus 3 versions of scan and online, antispy, 5 versions programs from Javacool Adware Spybot etc., nothing detected. I called their NO TECH support, and got "reinstall the os from the CDROMS that came with the laptop." They don't need a 24/7 phone service for that. They could save money by posting a label on the box. FOR ALL PROBLEMS REINSTALL THE OS FROM CDROM.

That is how I came to your forum looking for tech help and seeing if anyone else had same experience.

Almost forgot, When I called Averatec the first time, they said they didn’t' have a unit called a C3500. Apparently they forgot to tell their NO TECH support they were selling them at Costco. When I asked for the Stupidvisor, that is not a typo. He said, OH Yes We have that model but they weren't supposed to be sold yet. Talk about the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing?

Hello UCLA,
Will try to answer a few of your questions to the best of my experience so far.

1. Not familiar with the Vaio, but the battery life is average and well not much can be done here unless someone comes out with a extended life battery.

2. Haven’t had that kind of response the 4~5 times I called in, What were you trying to have done? If there was something accidentally uninstalled, I can see them telling you this and that’s if it can’t be download and installed from the internet. I uninstall the Roxie program; I prefer to use WXP to do all my Cd burning. They did mention if I uninstalled Roxie and wanted to reinstall I would have to start from scratch with packaged installation disks.

3. Have not experienced this problem, although have not uninstall Norton yet. Good luck with this one.

4. Please read this thread might help: http://www.tabletquestions.com/showthread.php?t=2879

5. No input here.

6. Seems maybe the spyware program might have something to do with that, try a different spyware?



Good Luck,

Spectrum003

Hi UCLA,

Sorry that your experience with Averatec's tech support has not been more than stellar. It can happen when the sales growth outpaces expectations. In a way, it is good news that they were selling product before some tech support people knew about it. As a side note, in talking with a rep at Costco, their place made a mistake and actually had them out on the floor for sale before the approved time.

Now, let's address the reboot and instability issues in a general nature. You have addressed some of them but maybe someone else who is reading this thread may want to follow the whole procedure.

Part One: Keep fantastic notes

Part Two: Troubleshooting (off the top of my head so they aren't in any particular order)
(1) Scan for viruses, spyware, adware
(2) Disable power management features in your BIOS
(3) Check logs for error message. Use google to search for the meaning of them.
(4) Did you just install a new application, driver, update, etc?
(5) Look for driver updates
(6) Check in knowledge bases
(7) Check for heat issues - blockage of vents, use a cool pad
(8) Do you have a large number of applications open?
(9) Do you have WiFi enabled?
(10) Have you just started from cold start or hibernation?
(11) Check the hard drive for bad areas
(12) Change the memory timing in the BIOS to be less agressive
(13) Recently I've heard complaints about particular printer drivers causing system slowdowns, in particular all-in-one systems.

Well, that is a few ideas. Maybe someone can think of some others.

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Layne P. Heiny / Administrator for Tux Reports Network

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I also had the same issue as your number three. There is a patch on the AVeratec website. It is basically the only support they provide for the c3500 on their website.

Also you can search for my previous post to learn how to fix the sp2 problem with onenote.

4. Cannot update Onenote on the Microsoft website cause a file is need from the "original CD" and there is no image on the hard drive and you cannot extract it from the back up CD's they give you, and they don't post the file, nor do they send you the Original One Note CD you should be entitled to, even OEM version, since YOU PAID FOR IT, and it is licensed, not stolen. So no updates available for now.


The workaround for this is to uninstall onenote, download and install the 60 day free trail for Onenote from MSN updates site. Use the key that came with your laptop and not the temporary key the site gives you. The 60 day trail version must include sp1, as after installation and checking for needed updates, the site listed all my software as being up to date.
Good luck. I did this and all went well.

The lack of any real program install disks is a problem from my point of view as well. The only solution for any issues with the software is to use the recovery disks which will wipe out the entire hard drive and you must start from scratch.

Unfortunately, starting from scratch is a very big task. Sure you can back up your data pretty easily, but it took me about 4 nights up past midnight to get just a basic set up going. I.e. configuring network, printers, WiFi, windows update. And, I haven't even attempted to install any of my existing software, which will take another 4 evenings.

I can also vouch for the very minimal technical support available on teh web site. It really seems they are taking a very low-effort approach to tech support.

This is why, while I like the C3500, I would not recommend it to anyone who requires hand-holding with computer issues. This is essentially a "beta" model of a bargain tablet, and I doubt Averatec knows much more about it than most of their more technical customers. It's all pretty standard hardware, most of it likely outsourced to various contractors. Averatec just gets all the parts together, decides the general shape and style, and then works out distribution methods.