Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with laptop

Trading a desktop for a laptop

showbiz_liz — Tue, 21 May 2013 07:29:51 -0800

About a year ago I bought a refurbished iMac. I now totally regret buying a desktop computer and really wish I had a laptop instead. Is there any way for me to trade in my still perfectly-functional iMac for a Mac laptop? (In NYC if it matters) I don't know if I'm looking for a business who will buy the thing from me and give me credit, or a forum where people trade electronics, or simply a way to sell it and get the maximum amount back for it, or what. All I know is, I have a $1200 computer that I hate using, and I don't want to spend more than a couple hundred dollars more on another computer so soon after buying this one.

(I feel like an idiot for buying it in the first place- I just thought desktops were more "grown-up" somehow. But I had gotten used to the convenience of a laptop, and now I hate having to sit at my desk to use the computer.)

Laptop overheated, now connectivity problems

Put the kettle on — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:19:14 -0800

My laptop overheated, I took it to get cleaned, now it's having Internet connectivity issues. I think the repair place may be at fault. What do I do now? I have a Packard Bell Easynote TJ68 laptop that I purchased (in the UK) in September 2010. It's a little slow, but runs decently. I noticed that it had started to overheat in recent months, and on Friday, it got so hot it shut itself down. On Saturday, I took it to the local laptop repair place to have the dust cleaned out. I got it back, and it's not overheating - yay! But now there's another problem - the Internet connection isn't as strong and keeps dropping out. I have a wireless Internet connection and used to have full bars - now there's only one or two. My computer will connect to the Internet, but the connection crashes several times an hour, and it doesn't come back if I wait - I have to restart the computer. I've tried another router and the same issues happen. I've also checked my phone and my flatmate's laptop and their connections are fine. So I think it has to be something that was done at the repair place.

I found this question which looks very relevant. But since I'm not entirely sure what happened, and this is an independent place rather than an authorized repair carried out under warranty, I don't know how to go about this. Other complication: the owner of the shop was pretty rude to me for no reason when I took my laptop in, so I really want to make sure I know what I'm doing when I walk in there so I don't just get shouted at and fall to pieces as I tend to get anxious in these sorts of situations. I'd really appreciate any advice.

Are laptop screen parts autodetected by the system?

laconic skeuomorph — Sun, 19 May 2013 12:33:21 -0800

Can I simply physically replace the 1366*768 LCD in my HP EliteBook 8440p with the 1600*900 part and have the laptop autodetect the new screen and show the proper resolution? Or is there extra logic or connectors or dongles or whatever in the main body that must also be modified in order for the display to work, (or maybe it Just Won't Work)? Put simply, is HP 594090-001 plug-and-play? I am familiar with ribbon cables and ZIF sockets. I am confident in laptop repair and have done many, I've just never attempted a complete swap-out for a different screen part such as I would like to do here.

Macbook with old tv?

the twistinside — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:26:55 -0800

I want to be able to watch Netflix from my laptop on my very old tv. Is this possible? What cables would I need? I have a MacBook from about two years ago, and a Toshiba tv from 2005. Its model number is MD20Q41 if that helps. Would this be possible?
The Bluths are back [and I want to see them on my tv]!

Solution for slow file transfers?

briar0rose — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:20:30 -0800

I'm looking for a way to transfer files more quickly from my laptop to an external drive. Currently, I'm using USB 2.0 ports & a USB 2.0 hub. However, my HP HDX18 laptop does have an eSATA port & an ExpressCard 54 slot (Gen 1.0). Using Windows 7 64bit operating system. I do a lot of photo editing & store most of my photos on an external harddrive & back up to a separate external. Only one of my externals has both USB 2.0 & 3.0 capability. They are filling up though, so I am looking at getting another external with at least 2TB of storage - like this Seagate that Wirecutter recommends that has a good balance between price/quality/capacity. I don't know much about desktop eSATA drives, but would be open to suggestions. My editing & backup speeds are really limited by the USB 2.0 ports I'm currently using though. Currently, I'm using a powered USB 2.0 hub as a docking station for the external harddrives, wireless mouse/keyboard, & printer. I prefer hubs & external drives that are NOT self-powered & don't charge from the USB ports on the laptop.

I have been trying to pick between these two ideas:
Option 1) Using the eSATA port on the laptop by purchasing a USB 3.0 to eSATA adapter cable & USB 3.0 female to female coupler
to connect to a single USB 3.0 external harddrive. From what I've read, eSATA is faster than USB 3.0, so the transfer rate would be limited by the USB 3.0 end of the cable but that is still way faster than my current USB 2.0 connections. My concerns with this idea are that I had read that I can't use a hub to connect multiple drives though this port, but can only use the eSATA port with a single external drive; if the adapters/couplers will slow my transfer speeds; and that I don't know what the transfer speed of my eSATA port is.

Option 2) Getting an adapter to convert my ExpressCard slot to USB 3.0. While it would still be faster, I wouldn't get top USB 3.0 speeds because my ExpressCard 54mm slot is Gen 1.0 & tops out at 2.5gb/sec.

If either of these will work with a hub, I'd get a new USB 3.0 hub to replace my old 2.0 version, which I've had over 6 years. My budget's not unlimited - looking for reasonable balance between price/performance (example - I'm not buying a new PC or iBook). The expensive components are easier to determine than the cheap ones - there are several brands & types of adapters ranging from $5 to $35 and that is the most confusing part.

I'm hoping the tech savvy folks here can help me out since I've already spent a number of hours doing research online. I'm in a small town, so I'm pretty much limited to online stores - not just limited to Amazon, I also use newegg, frye's, etc, but not ebay. And I'm open to other product suggestions for the externals/adapters/hub - these were just picks based on what I found so far. Thanks for the help!

Which laptop to buy for a college freshman?

tatiana wishbone — Thu, 16 May 2013 10:08:44 -0800

My brother is starting college in a few weeks and needs a new laptop. His only requirement is that it run Windows 8. My requirements are that it is under $800 and can withstand manhandling by an 18-year-old. I'm leaning towards a Dell because of their perceived good reputation - is this accurate? Any recommendations for Dell models or other brands? Bonus: he will click every suspicious link, download any fool thing, and therefore infects computers with viruses instantly. What can I do to prevent this? His favorite line is "Norton anti-virus IS a virus!"

Does your laptop resemble the laptop I'm trying to buy?

foursentences — Sat, 11 May 2013 19:03:14 -0800

I'm looking to buy a laptop that meets a few simple requirements. Does this describe your machine?

Customizable before purchase -- it's essential to me that the factory install e.g. the SSD and the CPU that I specify
17" screen
Trackpad is responsive, ergonomic, satisfying to use
"Home", "End", "PgDn", "PgUp" and "Delete" keys are all clustered together, not strung out in a row
High-end
Not made by HP

I'd take four out of six. No idea why it's been so hard for me to find. Thanks in advance for all help!

Debit cards compromised twice - what's the deal here?

Ted Maul — Sun, 05 May 2013 14:48:36 -0800

Today, my bank's fraud detection department gave me a call - apparently, somebody had attempted to use my debit card for a purchase in Colombia. I live in London, UK. This is an annoyance, but it's particularly worrying because something similar happened less than two months ago - they called me up and said that although my card hadn't been used, they had information that it may be compromised. The card that was used in Colombia today was the replacement, which I've had for only a few weeks. My money is safe and my card has been cancelled (again). But my main concern is HOW this has happened - keylogger? Dubious, but legit-seeming site? Compromised wifi? And how do I keep myself safe in future? My first and foremost concern is that a piece of malware has installed a keystroke logger on my laptop. I'm generally quite safe with my browsing habits, but I know these things happen. So I'd like to scan just to be safe. I'm running Windows 7 64-bit, with Chrome as my default browser. I have no virus scanner or anti-malware except for Microsoft Security Essentials, which I've been reliably told is actually pretty good.

But this has got me shaken, so I'd like to be sure nothing has slipped through the net. What's the best way to go about this? Which software to use, and what procedure to follow?

My next concern is that my wireless connection has somehow been sniffed or snooped or whatever it is tech people call it. Our home wireless connection uses WEP - I understand this isn't the most secure either, but I don't really have access to the router to change it. I probably COULD get access, if it were strictly necessary, but it might be a bit of a ballache. Is it feasible that my information could have been skimmed this way - twice, weeks apart?

More generally, I'd like to know if there is anything I can do - any other steps I should be taking, or should take in the future, to prevent this from happening. Naturally I will soon be changing all my passwords - from a more-safe machine - as if it IS a keylogger, they've also got everything in my gmail etc. This isn't an option right now as I don't have access to any other computers.

I think that covers everything. I'd appreciate any help from people who understand malware, card fraud mechanisms, anything like that. Thanks in advance, and why not have a look at a picture of my kitten using the laptop in question?

Ship a laptop from US to Poland

echo target — Fri, 03 May 2013 06:54:34 -0800

I have an old laptop I'd like to send to my relatives in Poland. How would I go about this? Does this even make economic sense? I'm replacing my old, still-functioning laptop with a new one. I'd like to send the old one to my relatives in Poland, since it's a better than the old desktop they're using now.

I got a quick quote from both UPS and FedEx, and they're saying it's around $300 to ship it, which is probably more than the laptop itself is worth. Am I doing something wrong? Is there a better way to do this, or does it just not make any sense to try this at all?

If there is a good way to make it happen, what do I need to do about VAT, customs, etc? Are there any special worries with shipping a lithium ion battery?

Cooling fan for Dell Vostro 1500 ?

therealshell — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 18:06:58 -0800

I was wondering if having a dead cooling fan in my Dell Vostro 1500 laptop would make the screen go wonky ? I purchased a new cooling fan, but I have no idea how to install it.

Why is my laptop now choosy about sockets and what do I do about it?

mister_kaupungister — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 06:15:02 -0800

My Acer 5742 has become choosy about which plug sockets it will charge from. Why? Do I need a new battery? I am running an Acer 5742 laptop in the UK (various places in my university). The battery and laptop are about 3 years old. The battery holds very little charge now but I haven't ever replaced it because I can always plug it in where I need to use it.

Lately the laptop has refused to charge at all the plugs in a certain room - "that room" of my university. It still charges fine at home, and in another room of the university.

I don't think it's the charger because I have two chargers, and I experience the same problem in "that room" with either charger. At home and in the other room, charging works with either charger. So I'm guessing it's the battery or something to do with the sockets in "that room", or some combination of the two. I was recently able to charge my laptop in "that room" - so something has happened recently.

Can someone tell me why this might be happening? And, what do I do about it? I could avoid "that room", but if the laptop is soon going to stop charging everywhere because of the battery then I think it would make sense to buy a new battery.

Is this game the right birthday gift?

MinusCelsius — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 07:12:22 -0800

Game: Benoît Sokal's Sinking Island. Unknowns: Mother, potentially her laptop. My mother loves thrillers and murder mysteries and likes PC games with easy controls. I'm considering to get her Sinking Island (a disc version tho).

My questions:

Will the game run without issues on her laptop? Win 7 Home Premium, Service Pack 1, Easynote LS 13 HR, Intel-Core i5 2430 M, Cpu 2,4 Ghz, RAM 3,85 MB, 64 bit, which doesn't match the game recommendations.

Reviews I read recommend the game for "beginners and casual gamers" - how beginner friendly is it really? This about controls/interface, not the riddles or story.

Wanted! Small, inexp. laptop that allows clean installs of Windows 7.

Alaska Jack — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 02:45:54 -0800

Hi everyone! I need to buy a small, inexpensive laptop that runs Windows 7. The thing is, I need one with a clean install (i.e., no crapware), and which comes with an install disk (or which lets me burn an install disk) that lets me re-install a clean copy of Win 7 when/if needed. Bonus points if it lets me install and dual-boot Ubuntu or other Linux distro! Seems pretty straightforward, but I'm not sure where to look. The local stores don't seem to have anything like this. Suggestions gratefully appreciated!

Remote Desktop Connection woes

ricochet biscuit — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 08:15:10 -0800

My work computer is a laptop running Windows 7. I am working far from my office this week (as I often do) and I connect to my work server through Remote Desktop Connection. Typically this is pretty much problem-free, but for the last two or three days, when I log in to the server, I am seeing the server's desktop not as a full screen, but in a window about 10" wide on my 17.3" laptop screen. As well, while the laptop's screen has a 16:9 aspect ratio, the window looks to be 4:3. Attempting to resize the window through the Maximize/Restore Down icon avails me naught: I can mouse over the edges of the window and drag it to a new size, but it maxes out at the size that I mention, which covers maybe 60% of the screen's real estate. Numerous reboots and resets have not rectified it and I am at a loss as to how to proceed. It is not a crippling obstacle, of course, but it is an annoyance. I have not changed any settings anywhere, and the only unusual thing that happened before this began is that last weekend I was teaching a course and doing some presentations on this laptop. When I plugged in the projector's cable, the display on laptop immediately resized each time to the projector's aspect ratio, which looked to be about 4:3. Unplugging afterwards, everything went back to the regular display each time.

I have used this machine with a projector before and seen the same resizing of the display on my screen, but I have not had it hooked to a projector in several months, and after a hard drive failure this winter, a new hard drive went into the machine in February or early March. Last weekend was the first time it was used with a peripheral since then.

Note: I work for an NGO and this is a work computer, so suggestions to move to a different software package may not be helpful. Most of us work remotely and none of my coworkers are encountering this problem, so I am not in a strong position to ask everyone else to get rid of their laptops as well and go with some new approach.

Also, I am so very much not a techie guy, so explanations that patronize my understanding of this stuff are just fine. Explain it to me like I am eight.

Laptop / Netbook that runs cool and has long battery life

gilast — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:08:05 -0800

Interested in a Netbook or lower power laptop that runs cool (doesn't require external cooling like this) and has long (6-8 hour) battery life. Would like to run Windows 7 so Chromebook is not a good candidate for me. And of course want to come in around $200. I know there a lot of candidates here but would really appreciate user's real life experience. Thanks.

Picky girl looking for a new laptop.

Autumn89 — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 16:21:43 -0800

These are the things I want in the laptop.... I need to get a new laptop. The one I have now is driving me insane. I've been looking at Best Buy every now and then but haven't had anything catch my eye and if it does, it has a lot of bad reviews or enough to make me wary of buying it.

Here's a list of things I want in a lap top.

1. Price range: Nothing over $800.

2. Speakers on the top and pretty loud speakers too. The ASUS I have now, the volume isn't very loud and the speakers are on the bottom of the computer.

3. 17 inches

4. Light weight.

5. Be able to use for Skyping and not have a weird messed up webcam with bad video quality

6. Have a DVD player!! My ASUS does not have one.

7. Doesn't overheat.

8. When I plug earphones in, there won't be a beeping sound when no videos or music is playing. My ASUS does this for some reason and it won't stop.

9. Ones that I heard aren't too great are Dells and HP's.

Can someone please recommend me a good laptop? I don't game, I just use facebook, browse the internet,youtube, watch DVD's videos every now and then and need to be able to put music on my mp3, and Skype.

I'm not interested in a tablet or an Ipad. I have an Ipad but don't use it much. I like the idea of a lap top.

Thanks in advance.

Upgrade the GPU on a Latitude E6430 or E6520?

lattiboy — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 16:11:27 -0800

Is it possible to upgrade the GPU in any recent Dell Latitude laptops using the Express Card slot or other non-soldering techniques? I picked up one of each of the above mentioned laptops on a Dell Outlet fire sale.

Both have quad-core i7s and nice displays, but the GPUs are anemic (4200 and 5200 NVS cards).

I've read a bit about eGPU, but I was hoping to skip the forum hoping and have a resident MeFite let me know the options (if any) I have with these two models.

They're perfect machines outside of the graphics performance, and I'd rather not get a Lenovo or HP consumer laptop simply for gaming.

Also, if it is possible, I'd appreciate any tips on where to buy the correct hardware. I haven't seen a lot of laptop discrete graphic cards for sale on Newegg.....

Thanks!

My MacBook is dying, do I replace or go desktop?

FuckingAwesome — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 13:50:33 -0800

Hi there, I have a mid-2009 MacBook Pro, which is getting noticeably slower, the battery needs replacing and the fan is extremely noisy. All this has lead me to believe that this laptop is coming to the end of its "natural" lifespan and I will soon be due an upgrade (however I accept I may be wrong here). Coupled with this, I am about to move into a new place, meaning I will have a lot less need for a portable laptop, since I will be working from home most days. With this in mind, I was thinking about getting a desktop iMac as my "main" computer and using my old MacBook as and when I needed to. So my question is, should I... A) Attempt to prolong my MacBooks life by having it serviced / refurbished, and buy a desktop monitor to plug it into when I work from home. B) Buy a new MacBook Pro, and a desktop monitor (because this would be cheaper than the third option, which is to...) C) Buy a desktop iMac, and continue to use my old MacBook as a spare / portable option. Thanks.

Help me choose a laptop quickly (Student UK)

an opinicus — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 13:03:24 -0800

So I stupidly dropped my laptop and whilst the data on it was thankfully recoverable (teach me to back up more often!), the machine itself is done for. I'm more technologically minded than a lot of my friends but it isn't really my area and I always take forever to investigate and weigh up the options, but I really need to order it quickly since I go back to university next week! So please, some recommendations or pointers to help me make a quick and sensible choice. (Some basic personal requirements/details below.) Mid-size (15.6"?) since it'll be my main media device but I'll need to carry it about sometimes, although portability (weight, battery) isn't really a major concern.
I'll use it A LOT - for work (word processing) , heavy internet use, watching movies and music but not gaming really. And I'd rather it didn't get too slow too fast!
Large library of files so big hard drive.
And I'm pretty sure I want to keep with Windows 7 (I've got a smartphone if I want to play around!)

Basically, I don't need and can't afford anything really high end but I think I use it enough and intensively enough that I don't think a really cheap machine would do - so if we said I can manage up to £500 (about $750) what is the best I can do?

If there is any significant factor I've missed out then of course ask me. Thanks very much.

Help me find the perfect backpack for my travels

arniec — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:08:30 -0800

I need a backpack that can hold a 15" laptop and also have a great area for a DSLR camera, flash, and a couple of lenses. Do you have suggestions? I travel quite a bit for business where I will be doing professional photography that needs to be uploaded quickly. My travel equipment is usually 3 or 4 DSLR bodies and between 4 and 10 lenses of various lengths.

I have a rolling cart that I use to carry all this camera equipment on the plane, but when I get into the field I take with me just what I need for that day. For that I would like a useful backpack.

Ideally I'd like the backpack to double as a TSA-friendly laptop container. That way I can use the backpack as my second carry-on while flying (though it would have no camera, just laptop, copious chargers, etc.) then when I get to the destination the backpack would have some storage PLUS being safe and secure carrying for my DSLR quipment.

A place to attach a monopod and carry a bottle of water on the backpack is a plus.

I do need it to meet carry-on requirements for international travel but beyond that I'd like it to be large as possible,

I DID see previous questions from 2007 and 2009 but as that was before those awesome TSA unzip-and-flip backpacks that would make security so much easier. My googling and Amazon searches are coming up short, so can you help?

Help me not get scammed buying a computer used

BlahLaLa — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 12:33:23 -0800

After my previous question, I'm considering buying a used Mac laptop via Craigslist. Help me not get scammed? When it comes to computers, I basically know nothing about nothing. But I'd like to buy my kid a mac laptop for his birthday. I definitely can't afford new. My local Craigslist (Los Angeles) has a jillion listings...but...other than "hey, that's in my price range" I don't know what the next step is.

What do I look for? What should I look out for? What questions should I ask the seller? How can I get a machine that works, and that will work for my kid (internet browsing, Minecraft, etc.).

Bonus level: when it comes to playing Minecraft, how old a computer is too old? What specs am I looking for?

Dinosaurs move faster than this

DoubleLune — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:25:19 -0800

How do I speed up my old laptop? I cancelled my cable and I want to use it for streaming TV shows and Windows gaming. I cancelled my cable because I watch most shows online after the fact. However, my primary laptop (a Macbook) is what I use to be productive. I want to get all of my non-productive pastimes onto my old laptop.

The laptop is ~2007, HP Pavillion dv9000, Windows Vista. It contains no personal information and I've done everything I know how to speed it up without modifying the hardware (basically, delete everything, defrag, another thing or two). It is still really sss---lll---ooo----wwww and I can't stream videos without lots of pausing. My internet speed is adequate to handle what I'm trying to do.

What is the best software solution to getting it up to snuff?

How to reinstall windows 8 on a preloaded asus zenbook

theyexpectresults — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 02:18:21 -0800

I recently bought an asus zenbook UX32VD-R43317, and I would quite like to replace the hard drive in it, reinstalling windows in the process, but I don't seem to have any way of doing so. The problem is that my machine did not come with any windows 8 media, and I don't think I can download windows 8 from microsoft (I tried to using this page but it would not work.)

My laptop has a recovery partition, and I have read a whole load of articles suggesting that when you get a laptop with preloaded windows, you should burn recovery discs right away. As far as I can see, there is no option to burn recovery discs or create .iso files on my machine. The software asus typically uses to burn recovery discs (maybe on windows 7 and earlier?), Asus AI Recovery Burner, is not installed on my machine, and it is not available for download for my model on Asus's website.

Amazingly, Asus's website says that it does not offer recovery media for windows 8 yet (I found that message by clicking on "Purchase recovery media" on this page). I have contacted asus but haven't received a reply yet, so I'd be grateful if anyone here had any ideas.

Is there any way for me to reinstall windows onto a new hard disk? I really don't want to download a torrent of windows 8. If all else fails, could I clone this hard disk onto the new one I want to install, or would that screw up windows 8?

Thanks a lot.

Every 5 years, it happens. Help me buy a laptop.

sully75 — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 09:14:40 -0800

Help me find the perfect laptop. Video/Windows 7/Video+photo editing/Reasonably speedy/SSD+Hard Drive/Bulletproof I'm looking for a new laptop and was hoping for some help.

Points:
*there may be some travelling in my future, possibly by boat. Something very portable would be awesome
*Prefer Windows 7 if possible. XP is not an option due to some software issues
*Relatively bulletproof/problem free
*ideally energy efficient with awesome battery life
*I'd like to have an SSD + 500gb or so of hard drive space (I'm capable of swapping out hard drives, so if there was something that came with a small drive and an empty space, I could definitely upgrade as long as isn't too terribly complicated)
*As far as power, I'd like to be able to do basic video editing (cutting/splicing/color correction/etc) and run photoshop and lightroom (it would be really great if all this were speedy). Also running panorama splicing software, which in the past has made computers (Core 2) choke.
*better than average monitor that's able to be color corrected/profiled

I've had an Asus EEE for a while and that satisified a lot of this stuff (bulletproof, small, long battery life) but obviously was not up for video editing or photoshop. Something similar in those characteristics but a bit bigger and much more powerful would be perfect.

I was wondering about something from the Lenovo X series but not sure about the build quality.

I'm open to finding 2 year's ago's awesome computer on ebay if there is something to search for.

<$1000 would be good. <$700 would be awesome. Cheaper better.

How do I sell my Macbook Pro without getting screwed on the price?

Cybria — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 23:49:04 -0800

I've gone to some of those sell-your-laptop websites and I always get a quote for half the original price of my Macbook Pro. It's a 13 inch Macbook Pro in perfect working condition with no defects or damage to the screen. There are a few scratches and a couple of barely noticeable dents. But other than that, it works just fine. These sites seem to be geared at people who need money really fast so they're willing to sell it for that much, but I'd rather take it somewhere where I'll get a fair offer. Any ideas?