Is my laptop salvageable?

Well I have an old laptop with no monitor. From what I understand, last summer the hdd failed, but had a new one installed. I know pretty much nothing about this pc, it was my brother's. It was purchased 2 summers ago. Its just been sitting around collecting dust, and I thought I could use a laptop in college for notes, sometimes those professors babble on too fast for my hand to keep up! Thing is I don't have a working ac adapter for it, so I wanted some advice whether or not I should even try and fix it. Here are the stats:

Intel Pentium 4 Processor 2.8GHz
512MB PC-2100 DDR SDRAM (Upgradeable to 2 GB)
60GB hard drive
DVD-RW/CD-RW combo drive
nVidia GeForce FX Go5200 graphics (32 MB)
17-inch Wide XGA Active Matrix Display
1440 x 900 at 24-bit (16.7M colors) max resolution
Integrated 802.11a/b wireless
4 USB 2.0 Ports

Seems perfect for note taking, random music, and maybe even implementation in my future carpc. Is it worth fixing though? I need some advice before I drop $30 on an adapter.

17 inch won't fit on your desk in college.

you have to hope the monitor connections are intact, and you can find not just a monitor, but the housing and all the adaptors and hinges you will need.

I wouldn't bother with it.

Xenocide said:

17 inch won't fit on your desk in college.

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What kind of desks do you guys have

I had my computer and 19" monitors on my desk!!

Link

I'd say it isn't worth it. But you could use it as a mini server...does it have an external port for another monitor?

*class desks*

Yeah it has a vga out. I'd hook it up to my monitor right now to see if everything was alright, but the battery is completely dead. I have the housing and everything, just the monitor was cracked so my brother took it off. I'm thinking I might do it, just for a side project. And 17" would definitely fit the desks at school. They aren't necessarily desks, as much as big, long tables, and they have plug outlets to plug your computer in as you take notes or whatever.

I just need to find a cheap monitor replacement if I'm going to do it. Ebay has them it looks like for around $200.

I'd just sell what works. Not worth the hassle and the price of getting a new LCD

thideras said:

What kind of desks do you guys have

I had my computer and 19" monitors on my desk!!

Link

I'd say it isn't worth it. But you could use it as a mini server...does it have an external port for another monitor?

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lol

I agree with dicecca id just sell the parts. not worth the hassle.

Wow I would have thought everyone would have been like fix it. I dunno, it does seem like a lot of trouble, but who doesn't like a good project?!

Usually everyone would say fix it but consider this, You don't even know if the Laptop still works cause ur battery is dead and you don't have an adapter. So you have to spend $30 Ebay to test that and if you do buy a LCD there are so many diffrent factors and circumstances that it isn't worth ur money. Your time probally a fun Tinkering project. Look for a $200 Laptop on Ebay

Buy a power adapter from radio shack/fry's/electronic store and keep the receipt! Hook it up to a monitor, if it works, figure what you need, how much it'll cost you and figure out if it is worth it to you to fix. If it doesn't work return the power supply.

I'd say use it as a mini server. Its small, fast and will hide away nicely. You could turn it into a media center streaming computer, does it have a TV out?

.:DuD3:. said:

Wow I would have thought everyone would have been like fix it. I dunno, it does seem like a lot of trouble, but who doesn't like a good project?!

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why? for a few hundred more, you can get a brand spanking new one anywho, those are a pain to fix sometimes i have to fix broken lcd's on toughbooks at work from time to time its fun, but if you feel its worth the 200 dollars to fix thats all that matters. it is all in all a decent computer for light stuff. (i know all you college kids are on budgets i'm one of them )

You can always just pit aside and work on it as a side project.
I agree with what those other people said: Even after all those repairs, you still might not be sure if it works. That said, If you're on a tight college budget like me you really can't take these interesting and fun risks because you might lose out. Look at cyber deals section for that IBM Lenovo laptop that's for 470$

Skeith said:

I'd say use it as a mini server. Its small, fast and will hide away nicely. You could turn it into a media center streaming computer, does it have a TV out?

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How would you do something like this? The only connections it has are the usb, vga, and that serial port for connecting printers (I can't think of the name of it). I'd definitely like to use this thing for something, it'd be ashame just to throw it back into the closet.

I'll probably head out and buy a battery for it to see if it works or not. If its working fine, and all it needs is a new screen, I'm all for it, and if it doesn't work then I'll just return the battery like jacknsally said lol.

Not worth the hassle at ALL.

The screen will cost more than it's worth to piece it back together. Based on time and money investments, I say part it out and sell the pieces on eBay as is and make a profit.

+1 for the mini server, or even a stationary workstation using an external monitor. I wouldn't bother trying to fix it... if the screen is anywhere in the ballpark of the Asus Z63a i had, a new screen for that is $340 new


~ Gos