Looking For a Used Laptop Again

[Bamaman]

I've had good luck with used Dells bought through TigerDirect.com at fair prices.

 

[MC Rider]

I was thinking Sledge O Matic.
It flattens light bulbs for easy storage, it should work on a lap top.

 

[W2R]

I've had good luck with used Dells bought through TigerDirect.com at fair prices.

In my case, I just Blow That Dough and buy shiny new Dell laptops whenever I need or want one, off of Amazon. Having a functioning laptop is so important to my quality of life these days, and I'm not getting any younger. What's money for? See, I'm trying to be a bad influence on all of you.

Now if you don't use a computer much, that'd be different! But many of us do.

 

[easysurfer]

With 99.999999% confidence, I can say my laptop is fixed!

I snapped off the LCD bezel, unscrewed some screws, re-seated the LCD cable connection and now the laptop boots from any angle tilt, even when laying flat.

I think now the light on the LCD when not booting wasn't through the LCD but at all but perhaps backlighting. So, I didn't think at all to think of the issue as a video issue. So there I was changing parts left and right .

 

[MC Rider]

Woo hoo! A proper diagnosis beats throwing parts at any machine.

 

[easysurfer]

Woo hoo! A proper diagnosis beats throwing parts at any machine.

Only problem is a blind spot until after throwing parts at the machine.

Oh well ... .

 

[target2019]

With 99.999999% confidence, I can say my laptop is fixed!

I snapped off the LCD bezel, unscrewed some screws, re-seated the LCD cable connection and now the laptop boots from any angle tilt, even when laying flat.

I think now the light on the LCD when not booting wasn't through the LCD but at all but perhaps backlighting. So, I didn't think at all to think of the issue as a video issue. So there I was changing parts left and right .

You probably do not recall this, but that internal video cable connection was a source of attention in the tear-down video. It is a weakness that comes loose, etc. So during the tear-down it is a worthy point of inspection.

Glad you finally got it. Now you can install Chrome OS Flex on the weaker guy. https://chromeenterprise.google/os/chromeosflex/

 

[easysurfer]

You probably do not recall this, but that internal video cable connection was a source of attention in the tear-down video. It is a weakness that comes loose, etc. So during the tear-down it is a worthy point of inspection.

Glad you finally got it. Now you can install Chrome OS Flex on the weaker guy. https://chromeenterprise.google/os/chromeosflex/

Right. I did not recall. Probably due to the fog of troubleshooting at the time. Will have to remember for next time. I do confess, during the time of barking up one tree, the very last thing I wanted to do was to take everything apart to put back together. But does make sense.

Similarly, had I zoomed out and thought, how about hooking up to an external monitor, I probably would have put 2+2 together right there seeing the external boot and laptop LCD not. With the benefit of hindsight, the issue is obviously the video cable. Explains why all hardware passed diagnostics when the video was working. But still other times, nothing (besides backlight) on screen the other times.

Good to have an extra laptop or two around for the disto hopping habit.

 

[ERD50]

... I think now the light on the LCD when not booting wasn't through the LCD but at all but perhaps backlighting. So, I didn't think at all to think of the issue as a video issue. So there I was changing parts left and right .

I have an old laptop that started having video problems (screen intermittently blanking out), and then (apparently) would not boot. Turned out to be the circuit that drives the LED back-lighting for the LCD screen.

I figured it out, because at one stage when I was trying to boot it, I thought I saw some faded image on the screen. If I would shine a really bright light on it at just the right angle, I could read the screen and see that it boots just fine. Seems the LED driver circuit is a not uncommon failure. A replacement runs ~ $30, and looks like a pretty involved job to replace it. I'm just not feeling motivated, as this is a ~ 12 YO cheap laptop, and I already have a 2nd to my everyday machine. And, I can hook up an external monitor (VGA, no HDMI!) if I want to do anything with it.


So you might want to check, if it ever appears to not boot again, try a really bright light (in a dark room), to see if the screen is showing anything (or try an external monitor?).

-ERD50

 

[easysurfer]

One thing good that came out with this experience is now my laptop has a cut out area and cmos battery holder for easy future changes instead of having an expensive, wrapped cmos battery hidden that I'd need to take the laptop apart just to replace.

 

[target2019]

One thing good that came out with this experience is now my laptop has a cut out area and cmos battery holder for easy future changes instead of having an expensive, wrapped cmos battery hidden that I'd need to take the laptop apart just to replace.

Henceforth that method will be known as the 'easysurfer cut' around this forum.

 

[easysurfer]

Henceforth that method will be known as the 'easysurfer cut' around this forum.

I do like the sound of that .

 

[aja8888]

Nice access panel. In 10 years from now, it will be easy to replace the CMOS battery!

 

[target2019]

Nice access panel. In 10 years from now, it will be easy to replace the CMOS battery!

If you buy the really cheap kind in 12 packs from overseas you can change every year.

 

[easysurfer]

Nice access panel. In 10 years from now, it will be easy to replace the CMOS battery!

That's the plan .

If I'm still around in 10 years .

 

[aja8888]

If you buy the really cheap kind in 12 packs from overseas you can change every year.

I forgot about those 12 packs. I have one pack bought from Amazon and you are right about the life.