I hate my laptop. How long does it have left?

63VDub · 05-26-2008, 09:57 PM

I've had this thing for about three years now. Hard drive dropped out on me about a year and a half ago. No biggie, just lost every CAD file I ever created. My fault, I know. Battery died last year, bad cell, yadda yadda. Just leave it plugged in. Now the stupid thing won't boot without me taking the battery off the machine. It's a Compaq Presario, and under the battery is getting very hot. I know a replacement is coming soon, but can anyone give me an idea of how long I might have and if there is any hope left? D-Day is coming up, and I am shooting for a Blazer. I really don't want to spend money on another lapper. Please, give me some hope.

Harbinger[TG] · 05-26-2008, 10:08 PM

A few months maybe. One can never tell. It is only a matter of time before the power system goes somehow.

Sly1 · 05-26-2008, 10:17 PM

My Powerbook shuts down whenever it wants to now unless its on the charger.. and won't restart until plugged back in.. lol

that sucks though man

Marauder_Pilot · 05-27-2008, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 63VDub

It's a Compaq Presario

Well, there's yer problem.

63VDub · 05-27-2008, 12:39 AM

yeah, I know, but it was a deal. Not worth those files, but, meh. Reccomendations for a replacement? I'm thinking Acer.

Marauder_Pilot · 05-27-2008, 01:01 AM

NO.

Acer is the one laptop brand that fails harder then Compaq. My rule of thumb: buy a HP or a Dell, but NOT off the shelf. Order one from the website with a custom order. Even if it's just a slight custom, as someone who's worked on hundreds of laptops, custom HPs and Dells are way at the top of the pile. Barring high-ends, like a Voodoo or Hypersonic or Alienware.

CrazyBoy78 · 05-27-2008, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marauder_Pilot

NO.

Acer is the one laptop brand that fails harder then Compaq. My rule of thumb: buy a HP or a Dell, but NOT off the shelf. Order one from the website with a custom order. Even if it's just a slight custom, as someone who's worked on hundreds of laptops, custom HPs and Dells are way at the top of the pile. Barring high-ends, like a Voodoo or Hypersonic or Alienware.

QFT. Right now we're pushing HP laptops to replace all the crap-ass Acers that people bought before.The above is good advice. Just make sure that you get the OS you need. HP's come standard with Vista but some can be switched over to XP with little trouble.

Azzy · 05-27-2008, 11:15 AM

Pull the battery, should get cooler, and just run ont eh cord if you are not trying to go mobile. Might need cleaned out too... they pick up lots of lint in the very small heatsinks.

p8ntguykenny · 05-27-2008, 11:16 AM

Get an ASUS Eee PC.

Quacker · 05-27-2008, 11:25 AM

I've been abusing my Dell 700m laptop since I bought it on sale about 4 years ago. It's been dropped, put into steamy hot and bitter cold conditions, left on for days at a time, and it hasn't had so much as a hiccup. The body is scratched quite a bit, the latch mechanism still works (albeit with only one latch instead of two), and the batteries only hold about 3/4 of the charge they used to, the on-board speakers don't work (the headphone jack works fine), but when I hit that power button, she turns on. I don't keep sensitive files on it, but I haven't lost a single file. Haven't even reformatted the HD yet.

Then again, I had a friend who went through 3 Dell laptops during his college career. His was pre-Centrino, and was constantly having issues, mostly with the processor. So it's all a roll of the dice, but you can stack the odds in your favor by buying better brands.

05-26-2008, 10:08 PM	#2 (permalink)
Harbinger[TG] The Watchmen Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 6,789	A few months maybe. One can never tell. It is only a matter of time before the power system goes somehow. __________________ TRAILGUNNERS SCENARIO \| RULES and FAQs My Mega Sale

05-27-2008, 11:15 AM	#8 (permalink)
Azzy Mod-O-Rator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Finleyville, PA Posts: 7,156	Pull the battery, should get cooler, and just run ont eh cord if you are not trying to go mobile. Might need cleaned out too... they pick up lots of lint in the very small heatsinks. __________________ Bryan "Azzy" Spiegel webmaster - Riverside Renegade Paintball / C.C. S.V.S. Plankowner - LPPC#6 Check out VintageRex.com, the premiere paintball museum "A Patriot and free-thinker with respect to social standards in 1760, is today's traitor and dangerous mind." - incynr8

05-27-2008, 11:16 AM	#9 (permalink)
p8ntguykenny MCB Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 180	Get an ASUS Eee PC. __________________

05-27-2008, 11:25 AM	#10 (permalink)
Quacker Active Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 479	I've been abusing my Dell 700m laptop since I bought it on sale about 4 years ago. It's been dropped, put into steamy hot and bitter cold conditions, left on for days at a time, and it hasn't had so much as a hiccup. The body is scratched quite a bit, the latch mechanism still works (albeit with only one latch instead of two), and the batteries only hold about 3/4 of the charge they used to, the on-board speakers don't work (the headphone jack works fine), but when I hit that power button, she turns on. I don't keep sensitive files on it, but I haven't lost a single file. Haven't even reformatted the HD yet. Then again, I had a friend who went through 3 Dell laptops during his college career. His was pre-Centrino, and was constantly having issues, mostly with the processor. So it's all a roll of the dice, but you can stack the odds in your favor by buying better brands. Last edited by Quacker; 05-27-2008 at 11:34 AM.