Help with my gonna-buy T61p

Hi all ,

I'm going to get a T61p with the following configuration:

Intel Core 2 Duo T7250 (2.0GHz 800MHz 2MBL2)
Windows Vista Home Premium
15.4 WSXGA+ TFT
NVIDIA Quadro FX 570M 256MB
2 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM)
160GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm
Integrated Bluetooth PAN
9 cell Li-Ion Battery
CD-RW/DVD-R24X24X24X8X
Integrated Wireless WAN: Cingular
3 Year Depot Warranty

Type: 6459 L3B5543 ( http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/s...=L3B5543&country=897&iws=off&sitestyle=lenovo)

Its price is $1.200, quite cheap in my country (Vietnam). As i've said, it's cheap (even, you can say it's really CHEAP); I wonder it is a original one (the seller claims that it's an original 100% full box, but who knows?)

He gave me the category and product number as the above. I've also checked with the real laptop already, the numbers can be found in the bottom of the lappy. The outlook seems good, no scartch at all, the screen displays well without any dead pixels; but the system (Vista) seems to be slow.

I'm crazy ab that as I need to give me final answer within 2 days, so I must move fast. It would be a very very big help if you suggest me some ways to check to be sure that I won't throw my money to some garbage things. And btw, is it possible to fake the numbers?

 

Looks like an OK deal - not so great that I would suspect a fraud. Yes you can fake the numbers. Anything stored in a flash bios can be flashed. That is why it is not a good idea to post your serial number, ever. Someone could use it for various nefarious purposes.

 

Wow, it's so fast, thank you for your fast respone

Yes, I know the price there is not so great in US and other market, but in Vietnam market, it's great as other retailers usually sell a laptop like this ab > $1550 (the guy selling my this is not a representative of a company or sth like that, it's just a personal trading)

Hix, I would not be surprised if you can flash your bios combined with some magic product cloning of China -> a new laptop
Or they can replace some parts of the laptop with older ones like RAM, HDD etc. Is it possible to check the Mfg part # and FRU part # of the system? maybe I have been a bit overthought

 

You can Lenovo to make sure it's a legit laptop.

 

Can you tell me the name of the reseller ? The price doesn't seem right with that specs, not to mention the ridiculous import tax.

 

@Arkit3kt: Is there a way to do that exclude using category and product number as bsodder said 'they can be faked'

@HBQuan: well...based on your account name, I would bet that you are Vietnamese, right? So surely no doubt why you understand the laptop market in Vietnam.
I found the guy in www.5giay.com ( http://5giay.com/showthread.php?t=84905) - supposedly you can understand Vietnamese . Again, thank you - the one who love the anime 'Nhiet huyet giang ho' like I do

 

Is there a sticker on the bottom of the laptop with the Model and Serial #?

 

Is it possible to replace it with another?

 

Call the Vietnam number on this page: http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-4HWSE3

And ask about the validity of warranty status on a laptop that someone is trying to sell you.

 

the deal looks good

 

@gamemint: tks

@Arkit3kt: yes, i will. thank you. And btw to check the validity of warranty status, you can use the support section on the website also with the category # and product #, right? But what makes me worry is that if the # are ok, but the parts inside like HDD, RAM, DVD, CPU have been replaced. Is there a way to know that without opening the case?

 

You can go into Device Manager and expand hard disk drive, then type out that number into Google to see if it's the same HDD as originally. For the RAM and CPU, look under System in Control Panel. For the DVD optical drive, you can just pull that out and see if it's also what came with the computer.

 

You can use PC wizard 2008 to give info on all the components on the system.

Also, not that I'm suggesting it is the case here but one reason it could be this cheap is it could be stolen. I once had someone come up to me and try to sell me a sealed box with a Dell XPS laptop ( or so he says ) with the Dell logo and stickers still on it for $100.

 

Seems ok to me, you may want to contact him and ask him to let you see the computer to make sure everything is right as others suggested. As far as I see this guy is selling the laptop that was bought in the US, I would check with Lenovo or maybe IBM to see if the warranty is valid.
As for the anime part, you got the wrong name

 

Yes, I will use that. Thank you for suggesting me a good tool.

To see if the warranty is valid, we only need to give them the category number and product number, right? Or do we need to send them the product id?

hehe...What is the name exactly? I always get confused.

Again, thank all for your replies

 

Yes, you have to enter the serial number to check the warranty status. You can also check the original parts list with the model number and serial number. Compare to PC Wizard to verify.

 

Thank you all for great help. You're really nice guys
I'm gonna buy the laptop tomorrow, information is enough for me, now just need to be sure that everything will be checked before giving out the money.
Hope that it'll be a good deal.
Thanks a lot

P/S: Here will be my checklist
Serial validity:
- Case (same serial number with laptop)
- Customs paper, sale invoice
- When booting, press F11 to see serial number in BIOS to see if it’s the same.
- In windows, use ‘dxdiag’ command to check

CPU:
- Use CPU Identification of Intel to check

General:
- Check for scratches and screws
- Press Thinkpad + F11 to let the laptop automatically check for its hardwares (if there is a illegal hardware, the warning will be displayed. The hardwares MUST have the same serial)
- Smooth dark case with a bit special smell

CD
- Use some CD / DVD to play

Speaker:
- Play a song

Keyboard:
- Check all the keys

LCD
- Check if there is any dead pixel in the screen

Hardwares
- Use some tools like (Event, SIW) to see the hardware if the hardware is genuine.

 

Run a ram test and some benchmark to make sure GPU is ok.
Use HD tune to test the HDD.

 

Yes, thank you. Two more entries for my check list
You think I can use Hiren's Boot for that?