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New build - can I recycle much from broken laptop

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  • 19-04-2016 9:33am
    #1
    SteelyDanJalapeno
    Registered Users Posts: 14,290 ✭✭✭✭


    Hi all,

    I wanna take on a new build, but before I go shopping I'd like your opinions on what I could salvage from a broken laptop 1st, assuming everything below works perfect, what would you keep :

    Chassis & Display Optimus Series: 17.3" Matte Full HD LED Widescreen (1920x1080)
    Processor (CPU) Intel® Core™i7 Quad Core Mobile Processor i7-4700MQ (2.40GHz) 6MB
    Memory (RAM) 16GB KINGSTON HYPER-X GENESIS 1600MHz SODIMM DDR3 (2 x 8GB)
    Graphics Card NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 765M - 2.0GB DDR5 Video RAM - DirectX® 11
    2nd Graphics Card NONE
    Memory - 1st Hard Disk 120GB KINGSTON V300 SSD, SATA 6 Gb (450MB/R, 450MB/W)
    2nd Hard Disk 1TB SERIAL ATA II 2.5" HARD DRIVE WITH 8MB CACHE (5,400rpm)
    1st DVD/BLU-RAY Drive 8x SATA DVD±R/RW/Dual Layer (+ 24x CD-RW)
    Memory Card Reader Internal 9 in 1 Card Reader (MMC/RSMMC/SD: Mini, XC & HC/MS: Pro & Duo)
    Sound Card Intel 2 Channel High Definition Audio + MIC/Headphone Jack
    Operating System Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit w/SP1 - inc DVD & Licence (£79)


    No real budget, but would like to stay under 1k
    I'd be using it for:
    • Windows 7
    • App Development
    • Sound/Signal processing & mixing
    • Music Sampling
    • Microsoft Office
    • I'd like to partition for Linux also

    Thanks in advance for your thoughts!


Comments

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    #2
    ED E
    Registered Users Posts: 36,167 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    The SSD.

    Even thats small though. Basically you'll be starting from scratch.


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    #3
    Serephucus
    Registered Users Posts: 7,180 ✭✭✭Serephucus


    What's broken? Might be worth seeing if you can fix it, because it's still a very capable machine. If you want a desktop afterwards still you could absolutely sell that as well.


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    #4
    SteelyDanJalapeno
    Registered Users Posts: 14,290 ✭✭✭✭SteelyDanJalapeno


    I kind of want a desktop either way at this stage, I think either the gpo or cpu is causing me issues. I've fixed the machine twice in the last year and I've grown to not like it anymore.

    I would have thought the ram also would have been recyclable? And the disks.


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    #5
    Serephucus
    Registered Users Posts: 7,180 ✭✭✭Serephucus


    You could sell the RAM individually alright, but it's not compatible with desktop hardware.

    The HDDs can be used, but the 1TB laptop drive will be slower than a desktop one (though fine for bulk storage). The SSD could be used for something, but it's pretty small to be used as an OS disk these days.

    Have a look in the link repository thread, there's a "See this first" thread with a questionnaire in there. Fill that out and stick it here and we'll spec you up something.


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    #6
    TerrorFirmer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29,930 ✭✭✭✭TerrorFirmer


    You could also use the second hard drive as a storage drive in a desktop though it would be a bit slow - but shouldn't be too much of an issue just for storage.

    Laptop ram is a different form factor to desktop ram. I agree that it's worth your while possibly fixing the laptop and selling it - it would be worth a decent amount of money in working order, easily enough to cover a desktop more powerful.

    What's the exact issue with the laptop?


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    #7
    Xenoronin
    Registered Users Posts: 1,307 ✭✭✭Xenoronin


    Desktop ram and laptop ram are pretty much incompatible due to different sizes (length being shorter on laptop ram). Can sell the ram second hand though.
    The blu-ray drive can be salvaged but you need to check a few things like, is it a slot loader or a tray. How am i going to fit it into a full computer case (there are converters to my knowledge).
    The hard drive can be used, but it's only 5400 rpm, so access speeds are pretty low. It would be fine for bulk storage.
    SSD, yup, can be used.
    Card Reader, would need to open the laptop and check it. Chances are it has proprietary connectors (which are ultimately usb2.0) so would need conversion and for the sake of a tenner, is probably not worth it.
    The screen is interesting. If you want to spend about 50 quid, you can turn it into a working second display.

    If you can determine that it is just the graphics chip that is borked (does it only show problems during games, are there any visual artifacts on the screen, can you determine GPU and CPU temps to see if that is causing problems) then you can sell on the CPU.


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    #8
    SteelyDanJalapeno
    Registered Users Posts: 14,290 ✭✭✭✭SteelyDanJalapeno


    Thanks guys, great advice, I didn't realize the ram was different FF, that's a bummer.

    It's currently not booting into POST because of a hardware issue (according to the beeps), I had the same issue before so I opened it up reseated everything and it seemed to do the trick for a while, but before and after that the screen would display green coloured rubbish every now and again, and a slight tap on the machine while powered on would cause the screen to become distorted until I adjusted the screen to bring it right again.

    Also it's very compactly put together inside (PCSpecialist order) and I found it difficult to work around, I didnt correctly re-attach the Blu-Ray drive and the audio jack with 2 USBs on the same module, so they're currently not working anymore too.

    I bought it maybe 3 years ago for 1200 trying to future proof it, but it's been a bit of a disappointment with the issues I've had.


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    #9
    unkel
    Registered Users Posts: 65,321 ✭✭✭✭unkel
    Chauffe, Marcel, chauffe!


    Serephucus wrote: »
    The SSD could be used for something, but it's pretty small to be used as an OS disk these days.

    120GB is plenty for most people, as long as you have another drive for storage

    I'm using just 37GB of my SSD for Windows 10 Pro X64 and half of that is taken up by my one drive storage...


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    #10
    Xenoronin
    Registered Users Posts: 1,307 ✭✭✭Xenoronin


    Sounds like a whole pile of issues. CPU should be fine I think, but there is no real way to be sure without a dummy laptop to try it in. Could even be RAM, but everything seems to point to motherboard and graphics card failure.


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    #11
    SteelyDanJalapeno
    Registered Users Posts: 14,290 ✭✭✭✭SteelyDanJalapeno


    1. What is your budget? €1500

    2. What will be the main purpose of the computer? /Music sampling & editing/code compiling and simulating/HTPC/Internet/possible separate partition for linux

    3. Do you need a copy of Windows? No

    4. Can you use any parts from an old computer? Hard drive 120gb SSD & 1tb HDD /DVD Drive/ laptop screen I may convert to home made 2nd monitor.

    5. Do you need a monitor? Yes

    5a. If yes, what size do you need. 22-24 inch

    5b. If no, what resolution is your current monitor and do you plan to upgrade in the near future? [1920x1080/1440x900/etc.] [Yes/No]

    6. Do you need any of these peripherals? Keyboard/Mouse/Wireless Card/Card Reader/

    7. Are you willing to try overclocking? Yes

    8. How can you pay? Bank Transfer/Credit Card/Laser

    9. When are you purchasing? Asap

    10. If you need help building it, where are you based? Not needed


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