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Playing with a free laptop
Topic Started: Aug 29 2014, 01:27 PM (2,167 Views)
Mythstae
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So, a little while ago, I was given a laptop.
A Dell Latitude D600.
I booted Windows to the curb and installed Peppermint 5.
Today, I picked up a new toy to go with it...
A docking station!
...what the heck is a docking station?
I was wondering that myself. :hmm
It's a little thingy that you hook up peripherals to (real keyboard, mouse, monitor, etc.) and then plug the laptop into it.
Then, when you are done using it, you undock, and away you go...

:) Neat, huh?
The guy I bought it from even threw in the power cord (I guess you normally use the one for the laptop?) even though he was trying to sell it separately.

So I got both items for the princely sum of... $5! :O
Well, $5 and a long drive into, practically, Hillsboro.
(Ok, I am being a little dramatic. Halfway between Beaverton and Hillsboro, really.)
The address was in "Portland".
I forget, sometimes (since I rarely go there) what a large area "Portland" is. :shake

Now, to decide if I want to upgrade some stuff on the laptop... :hmm
Or, if it's a waste of money.

There's two sides to the coin, here, of course.

If I just saved my money then eventually I could buy a better laptop.

vs.

I already own this one and I can upgrade a single component at a time, not having to set aside much for any given component upgrade.

:hmm
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brsja
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I have build PC's from scratch and upgraded parts in several others. But I have come to the conclusion it's only worth it to me to upgrade the Ram. Otherwise get a new one...that being said I do acknowledge you can't really get the full meal deal in a new purchase without $$$$$. So it's build from scratch with all the capability you may ever want available in your build (weather you start with it or not) or deal with the mid grades available. I think the life of a PC or laptop is only 3-5 years max, no matter what you spend, then you will be wanting new.
So...I say... up the Ram as much as you can then start saving for new mid grade or home build.
Just my 2C's
Edited by brsja, Aug 29 2014, 01:50 PM.
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Mythstae
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RAM is one of two things that are most tempting to upgrade.
The other is the battery. The one that came with it is 100% dead.
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ZXTjato
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bass heads

Some one say ram upgrades :evillol
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rmcelwee
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I only use Toshiba Satellite L355 laptops. They are usually less than $100 and are great for surfing/email. 17" screen and a volume knob on the front. I've purchased maybe 5-6 of them over the past couple of years.

So what is my point (other than you have the wrong laptop)? I would not upgrade anything. Use it and when it is too slow for you just buy something else. Memory upgrades probably cost more than I pay for my L355s.

BTW, PLEASE don't buy any off Ebay for the next couple of weeks. I want another one and I don't want to have to bid against you!
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Cobb
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Mythstae, I would of searched it for *photos* before installing a new OS. :bacondance

Id search ebay for memory, hard drive or a small SSD to replace the hard drive. Docking stations are nice if you want to use your laptop as a home computer and a laptop while away.

rmcelwee, if they keep dying, why do you keep rebuying them? I had 2 satellites bite the dust on me, thats it I got an Asus. It lasted ten years. Now I got a surface 2 that has no moving parts. :type
Edited by Cobb, Aug 30 2014, 03:17 PM.
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Akagi
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The Genius Who Descended Into the Metro

Sniping is the way to go on eBay for anything you're even half-serious about winning. Anything else just runs up the bid.

brsja
 
I have build PC's from scratch and upgraded parts in several others. But I have come to the conclusion it's only worth it to me to upgrade the Ram. Otherwise get a new one...


If you're talking about fairly old laptops, then yeah, it's pretty much always better to get a newer system than it is to try to upgrade the old one since you're throwing good money after an old platform that is more likely to have something fail on it and make your upgrade useless without pouring more money in to it. Better to just sell off what you have on eBay and use the money toward something better.

Now desktops, on the other hand, you should seriously consider upgrading. If you're building computers then I assume you know a few things about them and buy quality components. Your first purchase should be a quality PSU. If you do that, then you'll be able to use it for quite some time and it won't drag the rest of your hardware screaming to hell with it like the cheap Chinese ones can if they fail, as they are prone to do. I've got a modular Thermaltake 750w PSU that's been in use for 7 years now and still going strong.

You can futureproof your motherboard if you spend a little extra so when the time comes, you just get more/better RAM & a CPU. Then when your system starts to show it's age, if you have a good aftermarket heatsink and good case air flow you can either try to sell it or overclock it for a free upgrade if you know what you're doing. It will shorten the life of the hardware, but you've already got your value out of it, so you might as well try to see if you can get any more at that stage. I usually build my desktop systems with that idea in mind, so get performance RAM and pay a little extra for CPUs with unlocked multipliers and a good quality motherboard.

It all depends on what your application is, really. If all you need is something to browse the web with, then you can just run through cheap tablets. If anything happens to it, they're cheap enough that you can just get rid of it and go buy another. If you play real games that require a dedicated graphics card, then obviously you're going to be investing more money.
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robertino
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I have a C600 with Vista installed on it and it runs great
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punkozuna
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Akagi
Aug 29 2014, 08:26 PM
If you're talking about fairly old laptops, then yeah, it's pretty much always better to get a newer system than it is to try to upgrade the old one since you're throwing good money after an old platform that is more likely to have something fail on it and make your upgrade useless without pouring more money in to it. Better to just sell off what you have on eBay and use the money toward something better.

:gp +1. IIR, Dell D600s can only be upgraded to 2gb ram. Unless you can get it real cheap, don't bother. Fry's just had an add for a new Toshiba 15" laptop for $200. By the time you buy ram, a battery and a small SSD for the D600, you're so close to a new cheapo from Fry's that I'd do that first.

Now, if the linux is running good and you stumble on some cheap ram and an SSD on serious discount, then maybe OK.
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Mythstae
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ZXTjato
Aug 29 2014, 02:11 PM
Some one say ram upgrades :evillol
:evillol

rmcelwee
Aug 29 2014, 06:03 PM
I only use Toshiba Satellite L355 laptops. They are usually less than $100 and are great for surfing/email. 17" screen and a volume knob on the front. I've purchased maybe 5-6 of them over the past couple of years.

So what is my point (other than you have the wrong laptop)? I would not upgrade anything. Use it and when it is too slow for you just buy something else. Memory upgrades probably cost more than I pay for my L355s.

BTW, PLEASE don't buy any off Ebay for the next couple of weeks. I want another one and I don't want to have to bid against you!
Remember the part about I am dirt poor?
Tonight is my third night back at the cannery. I haven't gotten a paycheck yet.
All my leftover money from Papa Murphy's is going into my gas tank to get to work at the cannery until such time as I get paid.
I'm lucky I had 5 spare dollars to buy the dock.
(On the plus side, this means I can personally guarantee you that you will not be bidding against me on that laptop you want. ;) :thumb )

Also, upgrading the RAM shouldn't cost as much as you pay for a laptop; I think I've seen sets of it on eBay for around $30.
(I just double-checked my saved stuff on eBay; yes, some sets of RAM go for $30.)

Cobb
Aug 29 2014, 08:07 PM
Mythstae, I would of searched it for PORN before installing a new OS. :bacondance

Id search ebay for memory, hard drive or a small SSD to replace the hard drive. Docking stations are nice if you want to use your laptop as a home computer and a laptop while away.

rmcelwee, if they keep dying, why do you keep rebuying them? I had 2 satellites bite the dust on me, thats it I got an Asus. It lasted ten years. Now I got a surface 2 that has no moving parts. :type
Cobb, you need to knock this off.
I'm getting really tired of you randomly commenting about porn or other lewd things in threads.
You do this all the time. It's inappropriate. Stop.

On the subject of the actual laptop:
I thought the dock would be nice to hook it up to the big TV in the back room, and we could use it to watch videos.
Dad can't stand to watch stuff on a computer.

punkozuna
Aug 29 2014, 10:34 PM
Akagi
Aug 29 2014, 08:26 PM
If you're talking about fairly old laptops, then yeah, it's pretty much always better to get a newer system than it is to try to upgrade the old one since you're throwing good money after an old platform that is more likely to have something fail on it and make your upgrade useless without pouring more money in to it. Better to just sell off what you have on eBay and use the money toward something better.

:gp +1. IIR, Dell D600s can only be upgraded to 2gb ram. Unless you can get it real cheap, don't bother. Fry's just had an add for a new Toshiba 15" laptop for $200. By the time you buy ram, a battery and a small SSD for the D600, you're so close to a new cheapo from Fry's that I'd do that first.

Now, if the linux is running good and you stumble on some cheap ram and an SSD on serious discount, then maybe OK.
This Laptop DOES max out at 2GB, yes.
It currently has the factory installed 512MB. :(
It can take 2 1GB sticks of 200-pin SODIMM, PC2700/333MHz.
(Just in case anybody has a couple sticks lying around... ;) )
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rmcelwee
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Cobb
Aug 29 2014, 08:07 PM
rmcelwee, if they keep dying, why do you keep rebuying them? I had 2 satellites bite the dust on me, thats it I got an Asus. It lasted ten years. Now I got a surface 2 that has no moving parts. :type
I never said my laptops keep dying, I just keep finding the need for another one. I'm sure I can find someone who says their last two Asus computers died and then they got a Toshiba which lasted 10 years. Been around computers long enough to know there are no good and no bad laptops out there. Your surface will die a terrible death in the next 12 months (or maybe not - no one knows). I buy the Satellites for the reasons I stated:

Cheap
17" Monitor
Volume knob on the front

Once you have three of them and need another computer for something there is no reason not to get a 4th. This has been great for me since all the hard drives (drivers, etc) are completely interchangeable. I rebuilt my server the other day. It took about 30 minutes because it is just a copy of the laptop that I am typing on now (with a few extra programs thrown on).
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rmcelwee
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Mythstae
Aug 29 2014, 10:58 PM
Also, upgrading the RAM shouldn't cost as much as you pay for a laptop; I think I've seen sets of it on eBay for around $30.
(I just double-checked my saved stuff on eBay; yes, some sets of RAM go for $30.)
You did not specify what type RAM your laptop used. The RAM in my laptops cost more than the laptops cost.

Actually, $30 is more than what your laptop cost as well. :P
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Mythstae
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rmcelwee
Aug 29 2014, 11:15 PM
Mythstae
Aug 29 2014, 10:58 PM
Also, upgrading the RAM shouldn't cost as much as you pay for a laptop; I think I've seen sets of it on eBay for around $30.
(I just double-checked my saved stuff on eBay; yes, some sets of RAM go for $30.)
You did not specify what type RAM your laptop used. The RAM in my laptops cost more than the laptops cost.

Actually, $30 is more than what your laptop cost as well. :P
:lol Since I got it for free, yes, that's completely true. :lol
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Cobb
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I gave all my spare parts to the good will that accepts computers this psring. I had 4 dells I harvested for parts to make 1 good one. That was after I had 2 toshibas laptops and a desktop die and got a gateway desktop, it died then went Dell crazy. For some reason the optiplex and the amd based dell keeps on ticking. :hmm Thats 6 dells total purchased.

If you live closer Id consider giving you my dell optiplex 280(SP?). It wont run win 8 or win 7 due to its video card, but it runs ubuntu just fine on 4 gb of ram and 500 gb hard drive. Best of all it still has a floppy drive. :thumb
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Mythstae
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That sounds... :hmm Interesting!
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