Medion MD 2900

[luvlaptops]

Has anybody bought the Medion MD2900 they are carrying at Aldi? It seems to be the Gateway M500's bigger brother, and seems to have terriffic specs...2.4 GHz P4, dvd-r/rw, 512M/40 Gig, Nvidia 440/64 Meg, 2 IEEE 1394 (1 4-pin, 1 6-pin) for $1499. Saw the box at Aldi, haven't decided whether to spring or not. Only thing is, the AV panel on the left (ala Gateway) is a little funky, not sure I care for that very much.

[Marlowe]

I've been searching for a good notebook deal since I missed out on the $699 no tax/shipping Inspiron 1100. My requirements kept going up until I decided I needed Firewire/USB 2.0 ports and decent gaming. I finally decided on a vpr Matrix 220a5 for $1049 after rebates and before tax at Best Buy. I also decided to get a slim external DVD burner.

As I researched the machine , I discovered this deal through these forums:

Medion Titanium MD 2900 Widescreen Notebook
Pentium 4 M 2.4 Ghz Processor
15.2" Widescreen 1280x854
512k DDR RAM
40 Gig Hard Drive
64 MB External GeForce4 440 Go Graphics
Integrated SD Card Reader
DVD-RW/CD-RW Super Combo Drive (DVD 2x/1x/8x, CD 16x/10x/24x)
Integrated 802.11b Wireless LAN
3 USB 2.0 / 2 Firewire ports
TV Out (S-Video with included composite adapter)
Infrared port
Touchpad
Built-in microphone

It also comes with the following:

Decent bag/carry case
Money Standard 2003
Streets & Trips 2002
Picture It! 7
Encarta 2002
Word 2002
Works
Power Publisher (make movies)
Power DVD
Instant CD/DVD copy 7
Nero
Norton AntiVirus 2003
MusicMatch Jukebox
XP Home
PowerQuest System Recovery

All this is $1499 at Aldi Foods . The caveat emptor is that they only take cash or debit, that it is a Medion (suppossedly popular in Europe), and you can't buy an extended warranty. Having said that, there is a one year warranty with 24/7 support. Also, the manager at Aldi said that I could bring it back "anytime" as long as I have the receipt. I did once buy a digital camera there and took it back after a few months, so I believe that.

I don't work for Aldi. I just thought I'd pass this along as another option as everyone gets that back to school laptop.

So far, I'm happy with the machine. I've burned DVD's at 2x and CD's at 16x (faster than my Pioneer A04 in my desktop.) I haven't had a chance to test the gaming, but it should be fine with what is an exceptional graphics system for a notebook.

The side AV panel is pretty cool, but I wish it was just a simple button affair that could be used when the lid was closed. It also "pushes" the keyboard to the right; so it took me a while to get comfortable finding the home row correctly.

I'll be putting this machine through its paces in the next few days, so please ask me any questions you can think of. So far it really does seem to be good value for money.

[Ioman]

Can someone post pictures or a link to this laptop? I would love to see it.

[Marlowe]

I'll take some pictures as soon as the sun comes out here in Michigan.

Here is the link to Aldi Foods (http://www.aldifoods.com/special_purchases.htm) . The little picture on the bottom shows a dead link, but I went to the store yesterday and they had large 5' x 3' posters proudly declaring the special. I never saw this on any of the "deal" web sites.

The website Medion US (http://www.medion-usa.us/) doesn't have any product link information, but there is contact information with an 866 number in the US. I also read this under company profile:

"Quality and customer care are number one at Medion. We understand that word of mouth is the best advertising there is. During your twelve-month warranty, we will pick up and return any product for replacement or repair. We use parts from the most respected suppliers in the business, such as Intel , nVidia , Seagate , Samsung , and Sony , to ensure your computer is as reliable as possible.The readers of "Computer Bild" - Europe's most popular computer magazine - gave the Medion Titanium MD 3001 their prestigious "Golden Computer 2002" award. These exacting users ranked Medion number one in the "hardware product" category in three of the last five years."

So I'll stop in Media Play and Border's today to see if any of those slick Euro Mags have any reviews on Medion products.

By the by, only the German site had product info under a shopping area, so it appears Medion is trying to target retail buyers rather than end consumers in the US.

Also, the version of XP Home it comes with is SP1, which might be important to those without broadband.

I plan to pick up the new version of MS Flight Simulator today to really tax the graphics.

[Ioman]

Why are they selling this laptop through a grocery store? That seems really odd for some reason.

[Marlowe]

I don't shop there myself, but Aldi seems to be a global, Euro-centric chain. They might have connections that make this seem reasonable. I've also noticed on the deal websites that they occasionally do have special electronics for sale (digicams, stereos, etc.), but they are always European brands.

If someone can tell me where to easily post pictures, I'll upload them.

[Porsche911]

So is this the same notebook as the Gateway M500?

[questionlp]

I think such things are more common in the UK... I think Tesco (can't remember if that's the right name or not) sells computers and other stuff along with food. The Reg has covered it a couple of times.

I guess another way of thinking about it is that they are like a Fred Meyer's but without the other other departments and stuff.

[Ioman]

Did you guys see this laptop: http://forums.designtechnica.com/showthread.php?threadid=2699

I think it looks and sounds better from what I can tell.

[Marlowe]

After looking at the Gateway m500, I'd have to say that these computers are made by the same OEM! The AV panel and everything are exactly the same, but for the non-slot loading DVD-RW drive and different color (but same mold) case. The bass boost is there as well. Differences are minor, but in the Medion's favor:

64 MB GeForce4 440 Go v. 32 MB GeForce4 420 Go
DVD-RW vs. Combo DVD/CD-RW drive
Pentium 4 M 2.4 Ghz vs. Pentium 4 M 2.2 Ghz

Additionally, the Medion has much more software, primarily to take advantage of the DVD-RW capabilities.

What might be the biggest difference for most buyers is the Gateway name/service. Though I have a feeling that a lot of members of this forum are adventurous enough to consider the Medion.

Another thing, the keys are translucent; possibly black or blue.

[Marlowe]

Ioman,

That Gateway is nice, but I don't have buyer's remorse (or cognitive dissonance as they say in Marketing speak.)

It costs at least $900 more, and even allowing for adding 500 Mhz to the 1.6 Ghz Centrino processor, it is still slower. There is larger, faster hard drive, but the Medion has better graphics with a larger screen.

[Marlowe]

I stopped at an Ohio Best Buy today and was surprised that they carry Medion desktops! The salesperson told me that all Medions are assembled in Mexico and that all repairs are sent to Mexico. I don't know about that. I'm going to call the 866 number and get more info on how support/repair is handled.

FYI, Best Buy is also now carrying the Toshiba P25-S507 for $1849AR.

[Unregistered]

I really doubt it would have to go all the way to Mexico. My friend works at Best Buy and he says the computer salesmen are "encouraged" to bad mouth service plans as a lead in to the Best Buy Extended Warranty. It could be true, but I wouldnt trust one word out of that salesman's mouth without confirmation elsewhere.

[Marlowe]

I agree that it probably does not get "sent to Mexico." The salesperson was saying it as if I would have to do the shipping! I'll call Medion tomorrow and find out how it works.

I also stopped at a Gateway Country store in Cleveland yesterday. There is no doubt that they are made by the same OEM. Except for the case color, they are the same machines with slightly varying specs. The sound, system devices, etc are the same.

Here is a link to a CNET Asia review; they gave it an 8 out of 10:

http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/hardware/notebooks/0,39001748,39015540p,00.htm

Does anyone else have any suggestions in the $1500 price range with DVD burner and half-way decent graphics?

[centroles]

how is this better than the compaq x1000 though. i'm sure it's probably heavier and has a much shorter battery life too considering the processor. and it cost a little more.

is the hdd 5400 rpm by any chance? are there any other rebates/coupons on it to make it more worthwhile? what kind of return/service policy does aldi have on their electronics?

[Marlowe]

I saw your post on the Compaq X1000 and it certainly seems like a good deal.

For about $1500 you get:


Centrino Processor (though slower overall)
Higher resolution screen
Better graphics? (is the Radeon 9200 better than nVidia4 440 Go? both are 64 megs)
DVD+R (yuck, I'd rather have DVD-R)


Is there free shipping? If so, it is cheaper than the Medion, because you'll have to pay tax on that.

You could also buy it with a card like the AmEx Blue that would add an additional year onto your warranty. You can't pay with a CC at Aldi.

I believe the hard drive is 4,200 rpm. There are no rebates on this. Aldi has 24/7 tech support and I've heard positive things about them, but all in all, the Compaq seems like a comparable/better? deal than the Medion. I'm seriously looking at it.

[barkhausen]

Medion MD 29900 from Aldi has too many defects, which Medion fails to repair. I got one, having a hole in the bottom, a defective screen. Latter one caused by a defective chip on the motherboard. Three times the machine was returned to Medion. Everytime it was returned with additional defects caused at repair. First with a brocken part at the exterior, then with a big scratch at the screen surface. Lately the machine freezes constantly. The troubleshooter of Medion has no info of anything involved, suggested me to send the machine for repair again. This model is only available in the USA, apparently the German laws are to stringent so they cannot put such defective computers on the German market. Apparently the USA is a Beta Testing country for their computers. The CEO in Germany preferred not to answer complaints about their defective computers, i.e. he therefore agrees that either part or the whole allegations are true. In Germany if a chrook has been recognized he prefers to hide!

[Marlowe]

I don't know if this will help, but I bought the Medion laptop and a digital camera at Aldi on two seperate occassions. I asked their return policy both times and was told that I just needed to keep the receipt and that there was no time limit! I returned the camera after 90 days (it was defective.)

You might want to take your story to Aldi and get your money back. Good luck.

[TroyGates]

I am a CAD manager for an Architectural Firm in Michigan. We have purchased several Medion computers from ALDI over the last 2 years. We have never once had a problem with any of the 8 Laptops and 3 Desktops we have purchased from them. I haven't had the need to contact Medion so far.

I purchased 2 of the new MD 2900's in the last month and they are very nice. The best features are the wide screen, nVidia graphics chip, DVD writer, and sound system (loudest I've heard in a laptop). I was using the Medion MD 5275 for 1 1/2 years before I got this new one. They both are very speedy and have been very reliable.

My only complaint about the MD 2900 is the integrated wireless network card. It doesn't enable on boot up, only after you start it in windows. This makes it a pain on the company network which uses a script for logons. I have been looking for different drivers that will enable the wireless before logon, but without success.

I highly recommend buying Medion computers.

[Intimidator]

Well I went out and got that $999 laptop yesterday. I figured that I could check it out and if I don't like it, return it in a few days for a full refund. The manager said that he sold 7 of them in the first day. I bought number 8 which means there is 9 left. I have done considerable amount of research on this brand and have spoken with many people that have the desktop and/or laptop systems. Pretty much everyone one said they make incredible machines for the price. NO COMPLAINTS!! Several people knock Aldi's for cheap products however this is not the case. Aldi's is a German Company and has European name-branded products in the USA stores. Yes, just like anything you buy in another store can have problems or be defective. However, Aldi's has probably the BEST return policy around. Just hang on to your receipt and you can return the product, no time limit on the return. Try that with Best Buy or Circuit City! They will laugh in your face.

I started to give this laptop the workout yesterday to see what it could handle. So far I am very impressed with the results. Sure a Dell Inspiron according to a review I saw will slightly be better than this brand but you also pay at least $600 to $1000 or more just for the name.

This laptop is loaded!!! The display is awesome and the color is perfect. I think the resolution runs at 1280x854. When the battery is fully charged it says on the screen that is will last 4 hours. I am not sure how accurate this reading is compared to real time. My wife watched an entire episode of Little House on the Prairie and typed a 3 page letter then the battery died. So I would say maybe b/t 2 to 3 hrs with the P4-M processor. The DVD can use the ENTIRE 15.2" display and NOT lose any quality or resolution. There is a little AV panel to the left of the keyboard that can function when the laptop is off. It basically is a mini CD player with full controls. The sound from the laptop is very high quality and not muffled at all. The keyboard is very nicely laid out and easy to type on. It does not feel cheap and flimsy like the Dell laptop keyboards. This had been a major complaint of Dell that I have read about many times. I tried all 3 USB 2.0 ports with my flash drive and it is recognized in everyone. The interesting thing is in the device manager for USB the hub is listed as USB root hub and not USB 2.0 root hub. I guess in XP if you plug a USB 2.0 device you will get a warning message saying your device may work slower b/c of USB 1.1 port, but I did not see any messages saying that. I don't have any fire wire devices to test those ports. I don't have a wireless LAN set up yet to see if that work either. The LAN port works great as well. On the right, next to the keyboard there are some hotkeys that are completely programmable. The touch pad mouse is very easy to use and nice and sensitive. So far this seems to be an AWESOME laptop that is a STEAL for the money, despite it being an off name brand.

I agree with Troy that the best features are the wide screen 15.2" TFT, 64MB nVidia graphics chip, 2x DVD-R & DVD-RW writer and 16x CD-RW writer, and incredible sound system.

I will continue to update this area as new things are discovered.

[bambam]

I just saw an ad in the local paper (Marc 25, 2004 ) for htis one . What is the Aldi Return policy ( 90 days or a resonable amount of time ( like Costco) ? Is there a 3rd party extended warranty available ? - thanks

[Intimidator]

Aldi's has a great return policy just hang onto your reciept.

There is no 3rd party coverage. the warranty is for ONE year from the date of purchase.

Great buy for the money.

[kokobeware]

Have any of you with the md 2900 had this problem: The circular toggle switch, the fast forward, fast rewind, does not work. When I touch it, the av lcd lights up, but it does not function. I contacted Medion support and they told me to put in the application disk to uninstall and reinstall the av launch manager. this didnt work. come to find out the apparently when I sent my laptop to medion prior for servicing, the hard drive was formatted - which means it is no longer partitioned - meaning all I have is a C drive, and no D or E drive (which I believe the backup software is on it). Without these, I cant fully reinstall the drivers. Well, according to Medion, I need this partition adn drivers. And since I bought this at the beginning of December '03, it is over a year old and they wont fix it (for free!!!) just to add those will cost about $150!! No thanks!! What the tech did say is if I could find someone with the MD 2900, and make a copy of their hard drive (partitioned), load it onto my computer and put in the applications disk,this would work as well. Of course, I would have to back up my whole hard drive, as well as whatever data was on the copied hard drive would be wiped out on installation. CAN ANY of you guys help me???? It is a pain to not have the panel to use. I listen to lectures often on the computer and often need to FF/ Fast rewind. Please help!!! Or if you have any other suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it!!!

[kokobeware]

Have any of you with the md 2900 had this problem: The circular toggle switch, the fast forward, fast rewind, does not work. When I touch it, the av lcd lights up, but it does not function. I contacted Medion support and they told me to put in the application disk to uninstall and reinstall the av launch manager. this didnt work. come to find out the apparently when I sent my laptop to medion prior for servicing, the hard drive was formatted - which means it is no longer partitioned - meaning all I have is a C drive, and no D or E drive (which I believe the backup software is on it). Without these, I cant fully reinstall the drivers. Well, according to Medion, I need this partition adn drivers. And since I bought this at the beginning of December '03, it is over a year old and they wont fix it (for free!!!) just to add those will cost about $150!! No thanks!! What the tech did say is if I could find someone with the MD 2900, and make a copy of their hard drive (partitioned), load it onto my computer and put in the applications disk,this would work as well. Of course, I would have to back up my whole hard drive, as well as whatever data was on the copied hard drive would be wiped out on installation. CAN ANY of you guys help me???? It is a pain to not have the panel to use. I listen to lectures often on the computer and often need to FF/ Fast rewind. Please help!!! Or if you have any other suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it!!!

[Intimidator]

Read *****

Have any of you with the md 2900 had this problem: The circular toggle switch, the fast forward, fast rewind, does not work.

***** I have had this M2900 since Jan 04 and really have not used the toggle switch very much. I have put an audio CD into the laptop with the laptop off and you can use it as a CD player. I do remember the the toggle and >>> <<< worked at that time.

When I touch it, the av lcd lights up, but it does not function.

***** What are you trying to play?

I contacted Medion support and they told me to put in the application disk to uninstall and reinstall the av launch manager. this didnt work. come to find out the apparently when I sent my laptop to medion prior for servicing, the hard drive was formatted

***** Who formated the the HD? You or Medion? If Medion did that then they should be responsible for fixing the problem unless they told you otherwise b/4 you sent in the laptop. Why did you send your laptop to them?

- which means it is no longer partitioned - meaning all I have is a C drive, and no D or E drive (which I believe the backup software is on it).

***** The D drive contains the Recovery section. You should also have a restore disk that has an entire image of your system that you can restore your system to the way it was when you first got it. I would backup your data first. Restore the system and copy the data back over.

Without these, I cant fully reinstall the drivers.

***** I am not sure about this. The image should contain all the drivers and programs so when you restore then you should be back up an running. What does your manual say about restoring? There is a section in there, I don't have my manual handy.

Well, according to Medion, I need this partition adn drivers. And since I bought this at the beginning of December '03, it is over a year old and they wont fix it (for free!!!) just to add those will cost about $150!! No thanks!! What the tech did say is if I could find someone with the MD 2900, and make a copy of their hard drive (partitioned), load it onto my computer and put in the applications disk,this would work as well.

***** I am not so sure this would work? The whole purpose of the image is to restore the system?

Of course, I would have to back up my whole hard drive, as well as whatever data was on the copied hard drive would be wiped out on installation. CAN ANY of you guys help me???? It is a pain to not have the panel to use. I listen to lectures often on the computer and often need to FF/ Fast rewind. Please help!!! Or if you have any other suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it!!!

****** Where are you located? I would look in the manual and read about the restore process. I will also look once I locate mine.

[kokobeware]

Intimaidator:

Thanks for the reply. I am trying to use it for fast forwarding and rewinding of lectures I use in medical school- I often have to fast forward or fast rewind. I also remember using it when watching dvd's.

2. How I came to own the MD 2900 was I had the model previous to it (cant remeber the number, it was the titanium m1 5.. something or other). the power plug on the back of the notebook, the "metal rod". or male end of the power connection, on the notebook, became loose and eventually fell off. I thought it would be a simple fix, just solder it and ready to go. Medion told me that the whole motherboard had to be replaced just for that. And at the time, they ran out of their repair stock. Weeks and weeks went by, and eventually with enough daily harrassment, they replaced it with the md2900 - an incredible upgrade (although I lost everything on the last hard drive). So I dont know if this was a refurbished or new one, but the computer was sent to me without the D or E drive, so I think before they sent it they formatted it.

3. According to medion, the only way i can reistall the image is either send it to them, or get a copy of an exact same model hard drive. I do have an applications and support cd, which includes the system recovery on it. The tech made no reference that restoring the whole system would re partition the c drive - but I am not sure.

4. I am located in Western New York. I will read about the restore process in the manual. (You can download it in pdf from medion usa.com) Please let me know if you have any other suggestions!!! I know it is a tiny problem, but it has become increasingly annoying!!!

[Intimidator]

Read *****

Thanks for the reply. I am trying to use it for fast forwarding and rewinding of lectures I use in medical school- I often have to fast forward or fast rewind. I also remember using it when watching dvd's.

***** Great! Hopefully the actual mechanics are not broken and it is a software/driver issue.


2. How I came to own the MD 2900 was I had the model previous to it (cant remeber the number, it was the titanium m1 5.. something or other). the power plug on the back of the notebook, the "metal rod". or male end of the power connection, on the notebook, became loose and eventually fell off. I thought it would be a simple fix, just solder it and ready to go. Medion told me that the whole motherboard had to be replaced just for that. And at the time, they ran out of their repair stock. Weeks and weeks went by, and eventually with enough daily harrassment, they replaced it with the md2900 - an incredible upgrade (although I lost everything on the last hard drive).

****** Good for you!!! Way to stay on them....yes, that was an incredible upgrade. I remember the titanium system as well.

So I dont know if this was a refurbished or new one, but the computer was sent to me without the D or E drive, so I think before they sent it they formatted it.

***** It is hard to tell what the status would be. However there should be a C drive and D (recovery drive) and the E drive is the CD/DVD burner. Is the only thing you are missing is the D drive?

***** I looked on my D: recovery drive and in the drive r folder there are 2 folders that may work.

1) AV Manager 1.0.1.6
2) Launch Manager 1.1.2

***** Not sure which one you would need. My guess would be #1. I would try reinstalling the driver b/4 re-imaging the system. Both have a setup file that should make installing a snap.


3. According to medion, the only way i can reistall the image is either send it to them, or get a copy of an exact same model hard drive. I do have an applications and support cd, which includes the system recovery on it. The tech made no reference that restoring the whole system would re partition the c drive - but I am not sure.

***** Once try the driver first.

4. I am located in Western New York.

**** You a too far away to meet, sorry. But I will see what I can do to help you out.

I will read about the restore process in the manual. (You can download it in pdf from medion usa.com)

**** Correct!

Please let me know if you have any other suggestions!!! I know it is a tiny problem, but it has become increasingly annoying!!!

**** The AV folder is 1MB are you using broadband? What is your email address then I can zip it up to send to you?

[kokobeware]

Again, Thanks for the reply intimidator!


I am pretty sure the mechanics arent broken, because it (the av display)lights up when I turn it either way.


Currently my d drive is the dvd/cd burner. I was told that the hard drive was partitioned in 3 (come to recall, my old laptop was like that).

I did have access to the av manager off the applications disc, and I did uninstall and reinstall, with no success. according to the tech he was pretty sure this wouldnt work without the actual image on the hard drive.

Like I said before, just a real annoying problem - I am trying to find a way to fix!!! Thanks so much for your input - please, keep it coming!!

[Intimidator]

Again, Thanks for the reply intimidator!

I am pretty sure the mechanics arent broken, because it (the av display)lights up when I turn it either way.

Currently my d drive is the dvd/cd burner. I was told that the hard drive was partitioned in 3 (come to recall, my old laptop was like that).

***** The HD is partition with 2 parts. A C: drive and D: drive. There is no third section.


I did have access to the av manager off the applications disc, and I did uninstall and reinstall, with no success. according to the tech he was pretty sure this wouldnt work without the actual image on the hard drive.

***** Have you read the manual on how to restore that laptop? I have not had time to read it as we had company over the holidays. Have you tried restoring the image as the manual stated? That should work for you.


Like I said before, just a real annoying problem - I am trying to find a way to fix!!! Thanks so much for your input - please, keep it coming!!

[MrChris007]

I am a CAD manager for an Architectural Firm in Michigan. We have purchased several Medion computers from ALDI over the last 2 years. We have never once had a problem with any of the 8 Laptops and 3 Desktops we have purchased from them. I haven't had the need to contact Medion so far.


I too have purchased many Medion products from Aldi and have been satisfied with them all. The first computer (a desktop) I bought had a problem with the NIC and Medion shipped me a box to ship to them and had it fixed and returned to me in a week or so. In general I recommend purchasing their products. From what I understand they are not some little no name company, but are similar to Sony in the US. I talked with some German students at college and they said the name is well known.

I purchased 2 of the new MD 2900's in the last month and they are very nice. The best features are the wide screen, nVidia graphics chip, DVD writer, and sound system (loudest I've heard in a laptop). I was using the Medion MD 5275 for 1 1/2 years before I got this new one. They both are very speedy and have been very reliable.

My only complaint about the MD 2900 is the integrated wireless network card. It doesn't enable on boot up, only after you start it in windows. This makes it a pain on the company network which uses a script for logons. I have been looking for different drivers that will enable the wireless before logon, but without success.

I highly recommend buying Medion computers.

I agree that not only is having the wireless card disabled by default a pain, but also the card itself is very low quality. The chipset it uses (InterSil Prisim) is not known for being reliable and I often have trouble getting or keeping a signal while others sitting around me with other wireless cards are getting very strong signals.

Another problem with the 2900 laptop is that the keys on the keyboard fall off. I purchased a laptop and my dad purchased one within a few weeks from Aldi stores in town. Both of our laptop's have had multiple keys just pop off while typing. So far Medion has replaced them right away for us, but their is a fundamental design flaw in the keyboard that they refuse to acknowledge. When the key pop's off if you examine the underside of the key it is clear that the plastic clips which hold the key in place are too small. The plastic has that foggy white appearance that is characteristic of fatigue. They are too small to handle normal typing. Not only that but removing the key from the keyboard damages it so don't take your key's off.

[Intimidator]

I too have purchased many Medion products from Aldi and have been satisfied with them all. The first computer (a desktop) I bought had a problem with the NIC and Medion shipped me a box to ship to them and had it fixed and returned to me in a week or so. In general I recommend purchasing their products. From what I understand they are not some little no name company, but are similar to Sony in the US. I talked with some German students at college and they said the name is well known.

***** Yes, after considerable research they are very well known in Europe and very respected. They were breaking into the US market first through the Aldi chain but then later at Best Buy. So far the latest desktop and 1yr old laptop have performed great. The only thing that I have noticed which took a while to resolve is the following. Sometimes the on-keyboard numeric pad will act very strangley. If you type a "u" for example it would be some other letter. Same with the other keys on the numeric keypad. I found a solution if this ever would happen. Hold the "Fn" F11 that will activate the NumLk....then repeat this step again and the problem is resolved. I was going to send it in for a repair however they wanted you to back up the system first and there is no guarantee it will come back without any other problems. I have heard a few send the laptop in only to return with other issues. Now that I have a solution I will use that. However now my 1yr warranty is now expired.


I agree that not only is having the wireless card disabled by default a pain, but also the card itself is very low quality. The chipset it uses (InterSil Prisim) is not known for being reliable and I often have trouble getting or keeping a signal while others sitting around me with other wireless cards are getting very strong signals.

**** So far I have never had a problem with the wireless card. It has been on a wireless network here for a while and also at a univeristy hotspot with no issues.


Another problem with the 2900 laptop is that the keys on the keyboard fall off.

***** Have not had this happen and this keyboard gets a lot of use.

I purchased a laptop and my dad purchased one within a few weeks from Aldi stores in town. Both of our laptop's have had multiple keys just pop off while typing.

**** That could have been that batch. Many others have not had that issue.

So far Medion has replaced them right away for us, but their is a fundamental design flaw in the keyboard that they refuse to acknowledge. When the key pop's off if you examine the underside of the key it is clear that the plastic clips which hold the key in place are too small. The plastic has that foggy white appearance that is characteristic of fatigue. They are too small to handle normal typing. Not only that but removing the key from the keyboard damages it so don't take your key's off.

***** Thanks for the tip!!

[dfsldfj]

you can keep the wireless on if you want. when you trun on you compuer pressthe f2 to enter the bios. there go to advaced and you will see something about wireless option. choose the other opetion and exit saving changes. from then on the wireless cardwill always be on unless you disable it by pressing fnf1

[Jeffrew]

I purchased my MD2900 at Aldis as well, and I've been relatively pleased with it so far. But I do have some complaints as well... My keys on my keyboard have popped off as well, but that's the least of my problems. I didn't like having the partitioned space designated for the recovery software, especially since it came with a dvd with all of the drivers and software on it. Also, a re-installation of the OS is eventually needed when you've used windows for a long period of time... so I reinstalled windows after I wiped the hdd, installed all of the original drivers and applications, but now my AV control panel doesn't work right. It adjusts the volume, but it doesn't display the level on the little AV screen like it did before, and the ff/re-wind dial and buttons don't work
anymore. I didn't use it much, so it's no biggie, but it would be nice to figure that out. The biggest complaint I have so far is the inability to update the drivers for the nVidia chip... the laptop currently thinks it has a FX 5200 card in it (though it recognizes the actual chipset when you get into the advanced details), this was the only way I could update the drivers so that newer 3D intensive programs wouldn't give me the "your graphics drivers are old and may not run this app right" message. I couldn't get an answer out of medion tech services about this. The other problem I'm having is this laptop can't keep itself cool at all. It just starts beeping and will eventually just shut itself down... and all I was doing was typing a word document. (I made a little raised platform that exposes the entire underside of the laptop, and have to have a fan blowing at the laptop all the time). I tried tearing the laptop apart to see if anything was clogged with dust, but one aggravating little device (that I never was able to actually see) prevented me from ever separating the top of the case from the bottom. As tempting as it was, I reminded myself that I probably shouldn't yank the plastic case apart, or throw it up against the wall, lol, maybe later though.

Anyways, I was wondering if anybody has any suggestions about the overheating
problem... like, what component is the source of the most heat, (I'm thinking gpu, because it is always the worst when I'm trying to watch a dvd or play a game, though viewing a flash animation on the web will cause the laptop to throw a fit too), and, how I could go about fixing this so I can actually use it while it's sitting on my LAP! :-P Medion hasn't been any help in this matter, either.

Thanks,
Jeff

P.S. Oh yeah, forgot to mention this... this laptop has two memory slots, and various website vendors claim that two sticks of 1GB RAM (2GB total) will work with this model, but the documentation says the max is 1GB. I know the 1GB sticks will fit into the slots correctly, but I don't know anything about other things that would limit this. Any help will be greatly appreciated!

[gary_hendricks]

You're talking about the Medion MD2900 laptop right? I've got a picture of it here:

http://gallery.greatestjournal.com/albums/up4/873/891873/C26-1148call6.jpg

It has what looks like a dvd remote control built into the keyboard plane. :rolleyes:

[mrep3631]

hey!

I bought a Medion pc 8080 about 2 1/2 years ago from Aldi. Never heard of Medion AG before, so went online and found out that Medion AG is the Sony of Europe and well respected. They sell thru Aldi and Costco because they OWN Aldi and Costco.

Medion only sells at Aldi periodically because they use burst marketing - they design ONE model to current higher end specs and sell that one model at a very competitive price. They have a tech support/repair facility in Blue Bell, Pa. (As of 2004) The label on rear of pc states "assembled in Germany". The second language on the labels is German. This model was NOT made in Mexico.

Like other computer manufacturers, they just assemble the darn things, like bicycle manufacturers-they buy spec'd components and put them together. After checking Aldi the return policy I bought the pc, took it home and removed the side panel. Components were all name brand: Sony Teac, Intel, etc.

I think I paid about $1100 total in 2004 for my system: the pc, 17" lcd monitor, wireless keyboard and mouse, 5.1 surround sound speakers (6 speakers) a graphics tablet and 2 programs. The bundled programs included all the usual suspects. $1100 was dirt cheap at the time. I looked at Gateway, Dell and others that had 7 in 1 card readers and the entertainment center feature - they were all considerably more expensive.

Actually, $1100 is probably still cheap, 2 1/2 years later. For that I got an 800mz front side bus, 2.6 Intel Pentium 4 chip, 160gb 7200rpm HD, 512MB ram, 6 channel audio capability, firewire/IEEE, 7USB, 7/1 card reader, TV/radio connectors, comp video in, S video in, XP, MWorks 04, extreme graphics 2, home cinema, ethernet, etc/etc . Also, 2 multi format DVD's, 1 burner, 1 play. And, ability to watch and record TV, with an included remote for DVD, TV, CD. And it even included software for movie/photo production.

Damn! Even now that's pretty decent capability. No problems in 2 1/2 years. Computer w/o monitor was only $799 ! I would highly recommend Medion PCs to anyone, especially best friends. IF you have patience to wait for them to offer 1 at Aldi's - maybe 2 to 4 times a year. Or can find one at Costco or sometimes at Best Buy. And, assuming they are still as good as the one I bought! There is no other branded computer out there that will touch mine in 2004, at anything close to the price, and probably not many with the lower prices of today. And, Medion IS a brand name, at least in Europe.

Cheers!

[rbh3283]

My girlfriend, now ex had given me a Medion MD2900 Notebook. When the notebook is turned on, the only thing that happens is the Pentium logo is displayed on screen. Also, the DVD drive seems like it starts, and sounds like the optical laser is moving constantly. Here are the steps in which I have taken to resolve this problem.

1) Inserted the Recovery disk in the DVD-ROM. Nothing happens. The DVD-ROM just spins and it goes back to the Pentium logo.

2) Pressed F2 to try to get me into the BIOS/CMOS whatever you want to call it. The message on the bottom left says it's going into Setup but nothing happens, it just goes back to displaying the Pentium logo.

3) Bought a new hard drive to load another version of Windows XP on the notebook. Nothing happens, goes back to diplaying the Pentium logo.

4) Took out the DVD-ROM, nothing happens, just goes back to displaying the Pentium logo.

5) Tried to call Medion, the machine tells me that I have less than 5 minutes to wait, waited 30 minutes and got tired of listening to their damn elevator music.

I am now tired of seeing the damn Pentium logo and would like to resolve this problem. It's still decent and the specs on this notebook is good.

Can anybody help me? Maybe this will stop my nightmares which the Pentium Logo is hunting me down in a hedge maze.