# How not to repair laptop.



## Doc Holliday (Mar 12, 2011)

Hammer fist the keyboard.


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## Doc Holliday (Mar 12, 2011)

Anyone have any thoughts on this? I'll also be buying a new laptop of much higher quality but I think I can get this for $300 flat from the seller. Never had an AMD before, though.

http://houston.craigslist.org/sys/3076105403.html

Thanks.


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## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

So what do you want, a laptop or desktop? Computers are dirt cheap now. Check the HP website for accurate retail pricing.:thumbsup:


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## Doc Holliday (Mar 12, 2011)

I actually would like both. I bought a brand new computer hutch not too long ago, wanting a desk top. I'm thinking I'll buy that $350 HP complete set up and use it for awhile, see how I like the AMD Duo Core processor and in the meantime keep my eyes open for a good lap top. I really want a big screen is it, for my desk. 

I found a brand new (two months old, used by a student) HP 17.3" lap top for $345. He's come down in price from $400 last week.

Both are 64 bit if that means anything. My now deceased Dell Latitude E6500 was a 32 bit Intel Duo Core.

Do you have any experience with HP, AMD?

Thanks.


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## polarzak (Dec 1, 2008)

That seems like a fairly good deal. Personally, I don't like HP or Dell PCs as in my opinion they are over priced when new. As for AMD processors, again in my opinion, they are better than Intel. They are a little cheaper, but you can over clock them like crazy. I have had an office Intel fry on me, but never an AMD, not since I started using AMD for my personal PCs back in the old 386 days.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Keep in mind, anything made in the past four years, is actually 64bit, even though they are running 32bit OS on them. Look at the IBM Thinkpads. Our state agency bought a bunch of IBM/Lenova Deskpad's (small sized desktops), that are AMD and scream. Even some of the better netbooks are showing justice to the lower end laptops.


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## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

I have had several HP computers, actually have 5 now and I have never had an issue with any of them. Buy the inexpensive system and enjoy it, if you grow out of it or you see that you need more, you can always upgrade later. We run a couple of small businesses out of our home and all is well with the HP's.:thumbsup:


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## Doc Holliday (Mar 12, 2011)

Yup yup. I just bought this. It needs wireless internet and that's it. Nothing fancy, two years old. I paid asking price.

Tell me what you all think.

http://houston.craigslist.org/sys/3053901925.html


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## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

Looks OK to me......and why does it need wireless?


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## Doc Holliday (Mar 12, 2011)

No wireless card. I was going to get a Cricket Clear wireless account, or keep using my Android with Hot Spot/Lynksys but that sometimes drops. It's annoying.


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## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

Doc, what do you have now? High speed I'll assume, but is it DSL or satellite or cable? And you don't have a router?


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## Doc Holliday (Mar 12, 2011)

I'm just picking up the Lynks free wifi, no account of my own. 

It's $90.00 for the Clear internet and $35.00 per month through Cricket. That'll be my own account with a password. Up to 4 computers can be used.

The salesman at Cricket said it would be a lot faster than Lynksys. Thoughts?


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## Doc Holliday (Mar 12, 2011)

Got a Tenda wireless thingamajig. Works now!


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## Doc Holliday (Mar 12, 2011)

Missouri Bound said:


> Doc, what do you have now? High speed I'll assume, but is it DSL or satellite or cable? And you don't have a router?


Hey MB, I just purchased a Clear wireless modem, getting it hOoked up in the morning. Any experience with Clear?


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## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

My good friend went that route. He was very happy with it, I looked into it and it's not available in my area. I hear it's quite fast.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Doc, go hit up Best Buy for a pocket drive. I got a 1TB (Terrabyte) Toshiba for under $90 tonight. Our local BB did not have that many, but I figured for the same price as a 500GB, I would get the TB drive. I just finished moving a bunch of media off of my son's desktop, and only ended up using around 180gb on it, and still have plenty of room for stuff.


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## Doc Holliday (Mar 12, 2011)

Turns out Clear does not offer connectivity in my area. Luckily the seller of the modem is cool and will be giving me my money back. I bought that through Craigslist.

Now what I'm finding out is that my Android can be used as a hot spot BUT since it's an older 3G I had to download wifi apps and root the phone. Something is still not right as before tethering the phone with z4root the computer was seeing the AndriodAP but it wasn't validating an IP or something and now that the phone is tethered/rooted the pc doesn't see the Android any longer.

The guy at Cricket is working on it but if this works out than internet will still be free (through my phone bill) but public and unsecured. The signal strength my pc recognized was amazing, all bars. Without my phone, one bar and what I'm using right now as I type.

Crossing fingers at the moment.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Are there any WISP (Wireless ISP) in your area? http://www.wispdirectory.com/ another http://www.bbwexchange.com/wisps/index.asp


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

I have had CLEAR since moving to Chicago and absolutely love it. As with phones here, service depends on what building or even what part of it you live in. Friends of mine on the other side of town could not get CLEAR or the Cricket (Sprint) broadband network to work but Verizon did. 

I get a super strong signal and have not experienced the frequent service interruptions common to cable service here. I have no data limits and I use about 32GB/month. Most other plans top out at 10 (Even Sprint has ceiling for broadband but not for phone data which I do not understand) and then, if unlimited, slow down to 256. I pay for $45/month for their fastest 4G plan. I do not have a 3G option with them but my phone can function as backup for basics and I get unlimited 3G with it. I don't think CLEAR even offers a 3G/4G modem anymore. No biggy for me. I can always find WiFi service if ever needed. 

CLEAR is said to be in some trouble with Sprint and Intel pulling out of it. I hope they survive. Meanwhile, I have no contract and my hardware investment was the $99 modem thingie I had to buy. 

As for AMD chipsets? My old desktop was AMD and I never had problems. My last laptop was Intel and no problems. This new Toshiba has a nice AMD chipset and has worked flawlessly since day one and I got more power for the money than with comparable Intel offerings. 

Nothing will find legacy 8-bit code faster than a 64-bit processor! I have some software that I dragged through operating system incarnations that finally will not work on this new laptop.


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## Doc Holliday (Mar 12, 2011)

sdsester said:


> I have had CLEAR since moving to Chicago and absolutely love it. As with phones here, service depends on what building or even what part of it you live in. Friends of mine on the other side of town could not get CLEAR or the Cricket (Sprint) broadband network to work but Verizon did.
> 
> I get a super strong signal and have not experienced the frequent service interruptions common to cable service here. I have no data limits and I use about 32GB/month. Most other plans top out at 10 (Even Sprint has ceiling for broadband but not for phone data which I do not understand) and then, if unlimited, slow down to 256. I pay for $45/month for their fastest 4G plan. I do not have a 3G option with them but my phone can function as backup for basics and I get unlimited 3G with it. I don't think CLEAR even offers a 3G/4G modem anymore. No biggy for me. I can always find WiFi service if ever needed.
> 
> ...


 
Touche. I finally got this tethering thing working with a usb cable attaching my Android to the pc. Much faster but it can only be used for the computer it's hoOked up to. I had to download the Easytether app tp the phone and the driver to the pc, disconnect form Lynksys and _*BAM!*_

No sooner did I get that all working than I finally received a RETURN phone call from a seller of a brand new, in the box (plastic film still on everything) HP Pavilion p2-1113wb complete desk top bundle.

20" LCD HD Widescreen
500GB Hard Drive
AMD Dual Core Processor E-300
64 bit processor with 4GB DDR3 Memory
Windows 7
Office 2010
Norton Security
Plus speakers and keyboard and the usual.

I paid $297.00. :thumbsup:

Pics coming.


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## Doc Holliday (Mar 12, 2011)

gregzoll said:


> Are there any WISP (Wireless ISP) in your area? http://www.wispdirectory.com/ another http://www.bbwexchange.com/wisps/index.asp


 
You got me. I did get the tethering working so probably no need now.


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## Doc Holliday (Mar 12, 2011)




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## Doc Holliday (Mar 12, 2011)

At Wal-Mart


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## rossfingal (Mar 20, 2011)

"DH"
Looks like a very good deal!
However - think about "ditching" the "Norton Security" and using good, free
alternatives.
"NS" is a resource "hog" and likes to "control" your computer.
I've got 2 versions that I don't use!
"RF"


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## Doc Holliday (Mar 12, 2011)

I'm open to suggestions..

Old and new and then old hoOked to 47" RCA. 













































:thumbup:


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## Doc Holliday (Mar 12, 2011)

My apologies for posting pics of my messy, unorganized desk. It's been a hectic few weeks around here. It's all organized now, clean. 

Anyways, I just ordered Comcast high speed internet Blast (8 gb per second?) w/ WiFi, being installed tomorrow morning. 

I'm thrilled!


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