OK So I just got a laptop for free....

[cptrohn]

Compaq Presario V5000 15"...... It's not GREAT by any means.... AND it's not working.. LOL The battery is dead... and the Screen will power on, but nothing shows up.... Hooked it up to an external monitor and it works fine.... So what do you think about the screen? Could it be the hinges, or some sort of short or the screen needs replaced completely? Even if the screen DOES need replaced I can get one off Ebay for $80 to $100 bucks... not a bad price just to have a cheap laptop around.

[irv]

Depends on the specs on the laptop. If they are too low, before I spend a dime on it, I would make sure there is noting else wrong with it. If it works with a external monitor play around with it and see how it works. If not enough storage, slow CPU, not enough memory, etc. You can buy a fairly good laptop for a few hundred bucks if you look around.

[witeshark17]

Cool! Maybe it'll run on the charger, and a new battery should be easy to get...

[cptrohn]

Its not too bad... 2 Ghz single core processor.. 2 gb of Ram.... Only has an IDE HD bay though... But HEY it's free except for the price of the screen and the battery... $150... total....Runs fine off the charger hooked up to the external monitor...

[dragon574444]

That's not bad at all, those are better specs than the desktop I'm using!

[Old_Grey_Wolf]

You could search Ebay for Compaq Presario V5000 15". You can probably find either the laptop or one you can salvage parts from for less than $150. If you search Ebay for specific parts, e.g. battery and screen, the prices will be higher.

[Lucradia]

It meets the minimum recommended specs to use flash in linux, lol.

[sandyd]

It meets the minimum recommended specs to use flash in linux, lol.
based on what they have for this laptop on ebay, the screen/hinge are easy break points.

check for broken/shorted wires at the hinge.

oh, and if you see this reply within the next few days... -> http://cgi.ebay.com/Broken-Compaq-Presario-V5000-Laptop-Parts-Repair-/180530332420?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Laptops_Nov05&hash=item2a08724304

The laptop on the ebay site seems to be having problems with its IDE system.... (HD, cdrom are probably busted)

[cptrohn]

based on what they have for this laptop on ebay, the screen/hinge are easy break points.

check for broken/shorted wires at the hinge.

oh, and if you see this reply within the next few days... -> http://cgi.ebay.com/Broken-Compaq-Presario-V5000-Laptop-Parts-Repair-/180530332420?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Laptops_Nov05&hash=item2a08724304

The laptop on the ebay site seems to be having problems with its IDE system.... (HD, cdrom are probably busted)


Yeah just got done pulling the screen out, checked out all the wiring and it seemed to be fine. LOL talked to one of the kids from the folkjs I got it from and he told me his sister dropped it 3 or 4 times one day and the screen quit working... LOL I guess that would do it eh?

[sandyd]

Yeah just got done pulling the screen out, checked out all the wiring and it seemed to be fine. LOL talked to one of the kids from the folkjs I got it from and he told me his sister dropped it 3 or 4 times one day and the screen quit working... LOL I guess that would do it eh?
Goood thing I have a titanium shell on my laptop. That thing has survived more bumps and falls that anyone can imagine ;)

[MasterNetra]

That's not bad at all, those are better specs than the desktop I'm using!

+1 Better then both my laptop here AND desktop combined. (Laptop here is 1GB and desktop 768mb).

[irv]

I had my own computer store for many years and when I retired I gave the business to my son who still runs it. It gets laptop in all the time with LCD's that fail. He told me that there are only three types of LCD's for laptop but different sizes and ones that come with built in cams. So finding a LCD should not be a problem. Sound like it is worth fixing up.

[Johnsie]

Get the part number of the lcd screen. That model of screen might also be used in other laptops ;-)

[Simian Man]

Break the screen clean off, setup a web/file/print server on it and just keep it plugged in by your router. That's what I'd do anyway.

[irv]

Get the latest copy of Linux Journal and read howto on turning the old laptop into a Linux device to control the temp in your refrigerator to a higher temp for brewing beer. Just a thought.

[Shazaam]

I have had similar problems with a Compaq and a Toshiba laptop. It turned out that one wire on the flat lcd ribbon cable was broken. The only way for me to find the break (without resorting to a multimeter) was to take them out and look at them with a magnifying glass.

[Austin25]

Would make a nice server! It has built in wifi I assume, so a WAP would be possible. Laptops have small dimensions, meaning you could put it just about anywhere, for example, a bookcase.

[nothingspecial]

I have a netbook in the bedroom with a broken screen. It`s plugged into a small tv. I use it to watch movies from my server or the BBC iPlayer etc

It was relatively expensive £5

I have another opposite one with a broken keyboard that acts as a digital photo frame and video converter on occasions, although what I`m doing converting videos on a netbook when I`ve got a perfectly good high spec desktop, I don`t know.

[irv]

This would be a great thread, "Things to do with a broken laptop and Ubuntu."

[cptrohn]

This would be a great thread, "Things to do with a broken laptop and Ubuntu."

LOL yes...

Hey I just want a full sized laptop for the home office.... lol (I have a Zotac barbones netbook I built too though)

I have a Foxconn nettop I built that I am going to turn into a server though (I figure 4TBs should last me...well basically forever LOL)


God I am turning into a huge geek ;)

[Old_Grey_Wolf]

...(I figure 4TBs should last me...well basically forever LOL)...

I have been using computers for over 35 years. I have learned to never say that any amount of storage will last me forever. I remember when I thought I could never use all of my 2 GB hard drive.

:lolflag:

[cptrohn]

I have been using computers for over 35 years. I have learned to never say that any amount of storage will last me forever. I remember when I thought I could never use all of my 2 GB hard drive.

:lolflag:

LOL too funny!

[cptrohn]

OK got it fixed and running very nicely with about $150 invested.... running kubuntu 10.04 like a dream....... I like being a tightwad sometimes.. ;)

[NCLI]

LOL yes...

Hey I just want a full sized laptop for the home office.... lol (I have a Zotac barbones netbook I built too though)

I have a Foxconn nettop I built that I am going to turn into a server though (I figure 4TBs should last me...well basically forever LOL)


God I am turning into a huge geek ;)

No, no it won't :cry:

[Nick_Jinn]

Compaq Presario V5000 15"...... It's not GREAT by any means.... AND it's not working.. LOL The battery is dead... and the Screen will power on, but nothing shows up.... Hooked it up to an external monitor and it works fine.... So what do you think about the screen? Could it be the hinges, or some sort of short or the screen needs replaced completely? Even if the screen DOES need replaced I can get one off Ebay for $80 to $100 bucks... not a bad price just to have a cheap laptop around.


I had the same PC. It was a decent little computer with some added RAM. My particular model had a higher end ATI card. I installed Mint on it and gave it to my mom....She only knows how to point and click with the install I gave her, but it works and she stopped getting viruses.