[martin_fierro]

I like Microcenter for peripherals and accessories, but have had negative experiences with 2 of the 3 XP systems I've bought there.

OTOH, being $250 out of pocket for a Linspire box that might turn out to be a turkey wouldn't be so bad.

[PAR35]

I like Microcenter for peripherals and accessories, but have had negative experiences with 2 of the 3 XP systems I've bought there.

Right now I'm on a Microcenter box that I bought in 96 or 97. The cooling fan on the processor is a little noisy, but other than that it is working fine. I've added a little memory and an additional hard drive. Obviously, your boxes were bought more recently, so your experience may be more indicative of how things are now.