[LAPTOP] Should I repair my old laptop?

[DoYouKubuntu]

Now that I have my new System76 laptop tweaked the way I like, I'm wondering what to do with the HP dv7 the new laptop was bought to replace. The HP has a fan that's out, its battery is only at 48% capacity, and its network card has displayed flaky behavior both with wireless and wired connections. Other than that, it's great!

Seriously, it still looks and acts great. It's very fast, and I love its big screen and keyboard. But, as I noted in an earlier thread, my repairing of laptops has been limited to hard drives. I'm wondering now if I should plunge in and try to repair it [minus the battery--I never run it on battery anyway], or just pull its hard drive out [to use in an enclosure or as a second drive in the new laptop] and be done with it.

My philosophy is basically, "you can never have too many computers!" So, with that in mind, repairing it would be good. On the other hand, I could donate it to some organization that restores computers, installs Linux on them, and gives them to schools/etc.

I don't know. What does everyone else think?

[NickStone]

What I would do is either repair it myself or send it away to be repaired then I would donate it to a charity.

[millusions]

well, since scavenging can only net a hard drive and maybe some ram id ebay it, listing all faults and get something nice with the $$

[GreyGeek]

If the battery is bad and the network chip is flaky, it would cost more to have it repaired than it is worth, IMHO. How many reserve sectors are remaining on the HD? Is the display still solid, or does it have trouble with the more recent drivers?

My suggestion would be to pull the various good components out (display panel, keyboard, speaker pad, HD, USB stack, etc..., and sell them piece wise on EBay ... as is. If that is too much trouble then just advertise it as is on EBay. Leave it to the buyer to fix it up.

If you give it to someone they'll always expect a lifetime of free support for any possible thing that could go wrong with either the laptop OR the OS that is put on it. I supported a couple dozen people that way for about a decade before the machines broke or they died. Even though all the machines but one had Linux on them, that one Windows box gave me much more grief than all the Linux boxes combined over the ten years. Would I do it again? No. I started doing that before I retired. I've been retired six years, and the last machine gave it up earlier this spring.

A couple weeks ago I was given a 10 year old Gateway m675 and a 12 year old Gateway Pentium 4 box. I put Crunchbang 11 on the 12 year old box and Kubuntu Trusty on the 10 year old box. I upgraded tje 10 year old box to 2GB of RAM because it is a dual core and would make a great Minecraft server. Don't know what I will do with the 12 year old machine.

[DoYouKubuntu]

Thanks for the input so far. I won't sell it. I'll either keep it--and ATTEMPT to repair it myself--or donate it. If I do the latter, I will keep its hard drive.

GG, its display--really, EVERYTHING about how it runs--is still perfect. There just are no issues with its performance. In fact, I've kind of been second-guessing myself recently, thinking that I acted prematurely by buying a new laptop. Especially one that cost a bit more than I planned on spending. I'm feeling a little guilty right now.

Like you, I'm very familiar with giving away computers and then being expected to provide support. FOREVER. Of course, that's to people I know, not to some random organization that will refurbish it and give it away.

[GreyGeek]

.....

GG, its display--really, EVERYTHING about how it runs--is still perfect. There just are no issues with its performance. In fact, I've kind of been second-guessing myself recently, thinking that I acted prematurely by buying a new laptop. Especially one that cost a bit more than I planned on spending. I'm feeling a little guilty right now.

.....

Turn "guilt" into opportunity. If the d7 is good enough then make it your email server, or use it as part of a security system that uses the webcam and software available in the repository to watch an area and signal an alarm or send an email if trouble is detected.

[DoYouKubuntu]

Turn "guilt" into opportunity. If the d7 is good enough then make it your email server, or use it as part of a security system that uses the webcam and software available in the repository to watch an area and signal an alarm or send an email if trouble is detected.

Thanks, GG. That actually made me feel better.

Okay, so then I guess I need to watch some "taking apart an HP dv7" videos and see what I'm in for if I try to repair its broken components. Once I do that I'll have a better idea of what to do next.

[GreyGeek]

Your HP dv7 service manual is here!

There are many videos showing how to disassemble the dv7 (HP dv7 disassembly)... Here is one:

[DoYouKubuntu]

Your HP dv7 service manual is here!

There are many videos showing how to disassemble the dv7 (HP dv7 disassembly)... Here is one:

You're the best, GG!!

[woodsmoke]

I have a very old Toshiba lappy that has been just a workhorse.... the battery is completely gone and I foud that I could purchase a cheapo Windows metro tablet thingy for somewhat more than the cost of replacing the battery! :0

Sooooo because I got a new honking tower for my main work machine.... and a new monitor...

The Toshiba lappy is now a dedicated word processor, with the screen rotated to portrait (using xrandr and hooked into the old monitor which is standing in a " wire book stand" in portrait mode and I can now see the full "sheet of paper" on the monitor!

Since it is working my next project is to SOMEhow.....remove the stand from the monitor! :0

https://imageshack.com/i/p55fd457j

I'm sure that you will come up with some creative use! :

woodsmoke

[GreyGeek]

Your imageshack pic won't load up for me.

[woodsmoke]

hmmm don't know none of the images are private or locked...here is a thumb

[DoYouKubuntu]

I would see the flaky network as the only problem, replace it with something ExpressCard or USB and it'll be fine.

That and the broken fan!

By the way, here's a shot of the error message [regarding the fan] HP gives me when I power on the dv7:

Because of its size it's a decent desktop replacement so the battery is not an issue.

Exactly. Really, I never use any of my desktops any more. I mean actually sit down in front of them and use them. They're all accessible to me via my network, so I do access files on them and also backup files on them, but never by actually sitting at one. The HP dv7 and the new System76 are exactly the same as far as screen size and keyboard size. I'm so spoiled now by laptops as big and comfortable as desktops...well, who needs to sit at a desktop?!

Would you stick in an SSD you might have a real winner...

Since its current hard drive is fine, I don't think I'd do anything with that--right now. Maybe down the road a bit.

[DoYouKubuntu]

Your imageshack pic won't load up for me.

It does for me.

[DoYouKubuntu]

I have a very old Toshiba lappy that has been just a workhorse.... the battery is completely gone and I foud that I could purchase a cheapo Windows metro tablet thingy for somewhat more than the cost of replacing the battery! :0

Sooooo because I got a new honking tower for my main work machine.... and a new monitor...

The Toshiba lappy is now a dedicated word processor, with the screen rotated to portrait (using xrandr and hooked into the old monitor which is standing in a " wire book stand" in portrait mode and I can now see the full "sheet of paper" on the monitor!

Nice!

Since it is working my next project is to SOMEhow.....remove the stand from the monitor! :0

I've never needed to do that, but can't it just be unscrewed? or...BROKEN OFF?!