Laptop question... kind of need answer fast

bardos · Sep 5, 2014

I am thinking about buying a 2nd hand laptop. There is one for sale which I might get cheap. It's a nice-looking Samsung. The owner/ad says that he was using win 7 64bit when the keyboard stopped functioning, so he installed Ubuntu and now the keyboard works fine.

What does this mean? I am pretty computer savvy and if all I have to do is reformat and install a copy of windows, I am good to go.

This cannot be a hardware problem, right??

Kemosabe89 · Sep 5, 2014

So u need to know if the keyboard was malfunctioning because of a program issue? or do u want to know if Ubuntu as an operating system (Linux) it worth having on a laptop? You can keep the current OS and just install win 7 as a secondary operating system and use which ever u want for the purposes that you need. If the keyboard is the issue again try to replace it (new shouldnt cost more then $25 usd) Whats the exact model of the laptop and what do u use it for?

bardos · Sep 5, 2014

I don't care about Ubuntu. I would like to buy it, format and install win7

I would like to know if there is any possibility if this is a hardware issue. Like motherboard or keyboard. In my mind I don't see how it could be, what with it functioning under another OS.

It's a Samsung r519

ninjacore · Sep 5, 2014

Sounds sketchy to me. I mean it doesn't make sense that if it were a hardware issue it would work in Linux and not W7, but he could just be covering up something?

Either way, laptop keyboards are cheap-ish, so it's probably still worth a buy.

I would ask him if he attempted reinstalling windows to fix the keyboard issue.

g0dM@n · Sep 5, 2014

If he could prove that the keyboard works with Ubuntu then it can't be a hardware issue. That's my opinion, and I'd run with it. Worst case, a new KB is usually ~$20 or so on eBay.

ninjacore · Sep 5, 2014

Does the Windows key of anything in Linux?

bardos · Sep 5, 2014

g0dM@n said:
If he could prove that the keyboard works with Ubuntu then it can't be a hardware issue. That's my opinion, and I'd run with it. Worst case, a new KB is usually ~$20 or so on eBay.

The worry is that it's a mobo issue. But again, how can it b if it works off Linux?

bardos · Sep 5, 2014

I have been in touch with the seller who told me that yes, he had tried to reinstall windows 7 but that the keyboard would not let him, that for some strange reason it does not work with Windows, but works perfectly with Linux.

So, the keyboard works, just not with Windows. Super strange.

Can anyone give me an idea about what might be going on... I would love to buy this laptop, but naturally am a bit scared at the prospect of buying a brick.

(Could it be some bios issue?)

bob4933 · Sep 5, 2014

Steer clear imo. It's an outdated entry level laptop. Nothing but problems will come. Unless we're talking 50$ here, you can get twice the laptop for 100-150 used.

Kemosabe89 · Sep 6, 2014

bardos said:
Can anyone give me an idea about what might be going on... I would love to buy this laptop, but naturally am a bit scared at the prospect of buying a brick.(Could it be some bios issue?)

The keyboard has a mind of its own. Its probably a haunted laptop...

bardos · Sep 6, 2014

bob4933 said:
Steer clear imo. It's an outdated entry level laptop. Nothing but problems will come. Unless we're talking 50$ here, you can get twice the laptop for 100-150 used.

Can you point me to one... ? This one has: dual core 2ghz, 4gb ram, 250gb hard drive, 15,6" screen, dvd rw, wifi good battery

And I do not live in the USA

ninjacore · Sep 6, 2014

I sincerely doubt anyone not living in the same country as you will be able to find you a used laptop better than the one you've vaguely described to us with no price...

Bottom line, trust your gut. If it seems like a good deal, go for it. Just factor into the low cost the additional money for a new keyboard should the need arise and time spent troubleshooting issues. You're time/stress should be worth something after all.

bob4933 · Sep 8, 2014

bardos said:
Can you point me to one... ? This one has: dual core 2ghz, 4gb ram, 250gb hard drive, 15,6" screen, dvd rw, wifi good battery

And I do not live in the USA

Ah, didnt see your location. Can you update your profile for us? On craigslist at my moderately populated location, there are several laptops that are far superior for much cheaper. I got my wifes laptop, its an HP ultrabook, has 8gb ram, 500gb HDD, rest is probably similar for 110$ off craigslist. Has been working fine for months now

Being international can obviously change this of course.

As far as the keyboard is concerned, thats really strange. I can't think of a reason why it would work on linux and not windows. Worse comes to worst, you could get a cheap USB keyboard and try it out. May be a driver issue with a clean install of windows.

bardos · Sep 8, 2014

bob4933 said:
Ah, didnt see your location. Can you update your profile for us? On craigslist at my moderately populated location, there are several laptops that are far superior for much cheaper. I got my wifes laptop, its an HP ultrabook, has 8gb ram, 500gb HDD, rest is probably similar for 110$ off craigslist. Has been working fine for months now Being international can obviously change this of course.

As far as the keyboard is concerned, thats really strange. I can't think of a reason why it would work on linux and not windows. Worse comes to worst, you could get a cheap USB keyboard and try it out. May be a driver issue with a clean install of windows.

Yeah, living in the US does have its advantages. I ended up passing on this laptop and bought an HP 6715b for 75 euros... that's cheap where I live. I had just sold my older Sony Vaio PCG GRX690 for the exact same price, so it's a tremendous upgrade for me. I can put win7 on it.

Oh, the original laptop I was on about, the Samsung, would have cost me about 100 euros. I mighta shoulda bought it. But there was always the risk. Still, it had to have been a driver problem.

thanks all who contributed to the thread.

Laptop question... kind of need answer fast

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