HP 4550Z and Windows 2000 non-compatibility

[Sally Lorencz]

We purchased Windows 2000 to install on our HP Pavilion 4550Z which was
purchased only a few months ago. IMAGINE OUR SURPRISE WHEN THERE WERE NUMEROUS
PROBLEMS! The modem didn't work, the sound didn't work (of course, the modem
and sound card are the same thing!), the monitor came up with all sorts of
different fonts when in different programs.

OUR QUESTIONS: Why would HP sell a computer in 1999, knowing that Windows 2000
was going to be released soon, that is NOT Windows 2000 compatible?

Are they going to do anything about the non-compatibility with Rockwell
modem/sound and the HP 17" monitor?

Are they prepared for the backlash of bad publicity for selling a product that
was so blatantly non-upgradable to Windows 2000

[Jamie Hughes_1]

Hi Sally,

The Windows 2000 Drivers are available for Pavilion 4550Z at the HP web site.
I'll include the URL for you here. It looks like there are three drivers
available for this particular model Pavilion and Windows 2000:

- Chameleon Modem Driver
- MAC Modem Driver
- Aztec Modem Driver

Hopefully one of those is the file(s) you need to get it working.

Regards,
Jamie Hughes

[Sally Lorencz]

Jamie -- Thanks for your prompt response! We tried all of the downloads on the
HP page for Windows 2000 but none of them worked. We called Microsoft and they
advised that the modem/sound card combination that was installed on the HP4550Z
would not have an updated driver that would work on Windows 2000.

While I don't know what, if anything, HP is going to do since I'm sure there
were quite a few of computers sold with these combination modem/sound cards
from Rockwell, we returned Windows 2000 and have now had to re-format the hard
drive and lost an incredible amount of information even though we thought we
had a good backup. It was a very frustrating night and my main purpose in
posting this is if it saves just one person from finding out that their HP is
NOT compatible with Windows 2000 about the compatibility check from Microsoft
doesn't indicate any problems -- it will be worth it!

[Les Nedbalek]

I appreciate knowing this information. I would like to point out that I took
have found incompatibilities on several different manufacturers and it is not
limited to HP. I too am amazed that there is so much incompatibility. You were
correct to return the Windows 2000. Windows 2000 is not an upgrade/replacement
for Windows 9x. That is coming later this year or next year. Windows 2000 is
geared as a Windows NT replacement.