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Miscellaneous laptop discussions : Life of a PC laptop
Life of a PC laptop
by colleenmarie2 - 11/11/08 1:15 PMHi all,
I have a Toshiba Satellite that I bought in 2004, and I've been thinking about upgrading to a new macbook. What is the average lifespan of a PC laptop? I use mine everyday for school and work, and it just seems like it is wearing out. I've heard anywhere between a year and five years, so just wanted to get a general opinion before really searching for something else. Thanks!
Between 3 and 5 years I'd say is realistic
by Steven Haninger - 11/11/08 3:35 PM In reply to: Life of a PC laptop by colleenmarie2but there are two ways of looking it this. One is how long before it dies and the other is its useful life...that is, how long before it's more of a pain than a help for what you want to do. My son has a Gateway we got for him when he went to college in 1999 that still works fine but came with Windows 98 and isn't going to run XP or current applications. It's alive but largely useless.
I agree.
by R. Proffitt
- 11/11/08 4:08 PM
In reply to: Life of a PC laptop by colleenmarie2
Laptops may be short lived but you can extend that by the yearly cleaning of the vents, heat sinks and by being gentle with the unit. Drops, slams, and liquids are the next most common sources of damage.
Bob
How do you clean your laptop?
by mynond - 11/14/08 9:17 PM In reply to: I agree. by R. Proffitt
How do I clean my laptop?
Clean my laptop?
by Tay41988 - 11/15/08 7:47 AM In reply to: How do you clean your laptop? by mynondI've also had a Toshiba Satelite since 2006. It still works great but I worry about the condition of the inside and how clean it is. I've never been a laptop owner so I'm unsure of how to open it up and clean it. Does anyone have any advice on how to do that or if I even should?
-Thanks!
Cnet tells how at this link.
by R. Proffitt - 11/15/08 8:10 AM
In reply to: Clean my laptop? by Tay41988
http://www.cnet.com.au/laptops/laptops/0,239035649,339274654,00.htm
Let me assure you that while getting inside is the best way to get all the dust bunnies if owners would at least keep the air vents clear and unblocked most of them would get 3 years without a trip to the repair counter with the exception of those Pentium 4 based laptops.
Bob
Life of a Laptop (battery)
by mainlyjo - 11/17/08 2:47 AM In reply to: I agree. by R. Proffitt
I have a HP Pavilion 6129 and it works perfectly, but I bought a 12 volt battery to extend the time on the 6 volt that was included when I bought it. While switching these batteries, the original got stuck.
I got an estimate from HP service center in town of $300-$500, then I contacted HP and they said return it for $298 and they would check it out and give me the final price. The tech at HP suggested I just buy another laptop rather then spend $$$ on fixing this one.
Should I try to get it out myself by using a screwdriver or some other tool? Or should I just be happy that the unit is running fine and accept the fact that I won't be able to use my 12 volt battery.
Is there any danger in leaving the older, 6 volt battery, in the computer indefinitely?
Thanks for any suggestions.
You can't replace a 6 volt battery with a 12 v
by Steven Haninger - 11/18/08 4:13 PM In reply to: Life of a Laptop (battery) by mainlyjoso I presume you are talking about the number of cells in the battery and not the voltage. More cells means more available current. In any event, if it was my laptop, I'd be obsessed with figuring out what the problem was. Obviously, it wasn't a proper fit. I have seen occasions where a laptop runs into a problem where the only way out seems to be to remove the battery, set it aside for a few minutes and then put it back in. I can't explain it but have seen this more than once. As for you doing this, it would depend on how comfortable you are with using small tools to take things apart. I do this all the time but cannot speak for you. I woudn't pry at it with a lot of force. I wouldn't be adverse to removing a lot of screws that hold the case together just to get some additional clearance. That, alone, might free the battery. Good luck.
Life of a laptop.
by MoodLaw - 11/19/08 3:30 PM In reply to: Life of a Laptop (battery) by mainlyjoHey RP, I did not relize that you were the person with the stuck battery. Anyway if you replaced a 6 volt system with a 12 volt system you are going to have a very short lived laptop. I assume that you replaced the battery with one with more cells. In that case the casing was larger and somehow you managed to slip it in. One thing I would check is to make sure that the battery is properly seated and that it is conected to all of the contacts. That way it should be able to charge and supply power. If it is working , then I suggest you just leave it be. If you must remove it . Go to your local auto parts store and get a set of picks. These are small sharp or hooked tools. The small straight one should be able to get between the battery and the computer with minimal scraching. I repair computers occcasionally for other people and I have used them with satisfaction. You decide. It is your computer.
Life of a Laptop (Battery Jammed)
by mainlyjo - 11/19/08 3:56 PM In reply to: Life of a laptop. by MoodLawThat sounds like a plan!!!
Thank you. I'm going to try it because $300-$500 to unstick it seems a little pricey.
Life of a laptop
by MoodLaw - 11/25/08 2:47 PM In reply to: Life of a Laptop (Battery Jammed) by mainlyjoTo mainly. Yeah it is a plan. It has worked for me. The computer is not worth the expense. The picks will only cost a few dollars anyway. If the do not work for your purchased use, I am sure they will be usefull at another time. You have nothing to loose trying. Good Luck!!
Jammed Battery (Life of a Laptop)
by mainlyjo - 11/29/08 3:06 PM In reply to: Life of a laptop by MoodLawThank you, Moodlaw. My son had some picks and had my battery out in seconds!!! I can't believe how close I came to paying Best Buy's Geek Squad $300-$500 to do it. They looked at the laptop too - before giving me that price...
I put the larger 12 volt battery in and I'm going to keep it there and not switch the 2 back and forth. I'm not taking any more chances.
jammed battery, life of a laptop
by MoodLaw - 12/3/08 6:34 PM In reply to: Jammed Battery (Life of a Laptop) by mainlyjoI am glad to be of service. I am glad that things worked out. I am also glad that you did not have to watse your hard earned money on something that the geek would have performed in a second. You are very welcome.
Main Factors Involved
by ebowdish - 11/14/08 6:19 PM In reply to: Life of a PC laptop by colleenmarie2How long a laptop computer will live depends on a few, if not several, main factors. First of all, the useful life of your computer depends on how up-to-date and powerful it was when you purchased it. A general rule of purchasing computers is to buy the best one you can afford at the time. This will extend the amount of time it remains useful for modern work, thus avoiding obsolescence longer. Longevity also depends on what you use your laptop for, and if you handle it well and keep it well cleaned, defragged, and running smoothly. As far as the actual hardware, it all depends on the quality of parts and how the machine was handled. Expect several years of life out of a quality laptop's hardware, though only around 3-5 years for the machine to be operable with the latest hardware/software.
Laptop Life
by Zouch - 11/14/08 6:34 PM In reply to: Life of a PC laptop by colleenmarie2I agree with the earlier posts, particularly Steven, in term of "The Living Dead"! The useful life of a working laptop ends when it won't do what you need in a reasonable time. I have a Panasonic CF51 III that must be all of 15 years old, which is used only as an email and MS Office machine that is still going strong, running Windows 95. Web surfing became impractical 5 years ago and the batteries are long since defunct. But I guess this is the exception.
Fujitsu keep spares for three years after last ship, so I suppose that gives an indication of life expectancy. Thinkpads seem to go on forever.
Hardware repairs are probably not cost justified after 4-5 years, Software depends on what you want to do with it.
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