Notebook for first install

DracoPCGuy · 03-25-2008, 10:49 PM

I am working on my Carputer install. I have the amp, wire kit and an mp3 player to hook up until I could get a puter put together. OK so I lucked out on this deal just now. I was doing a PC repair for my bosses boss and his notebook has a totally busted screen...he decided he doesn't want to fix it and rather than charge him for any time i got to keep the notebook for myself. It is a Dell notebook with 512mb ram and a PentM processor. The screen is hosed but i am going to get a touch screen anyway. But as a start off system it is fine with me. I believe I have some ram in my stash for it, I have to look tomorrow.

So I have no docking station for it. I messed around alittle on here and I am hoping for a decent way to hook this up. So maybe I can get it all set with the power...tired right now cause in the middle of searching my toilet clogged... If anyone is in the giving mood they are welcome to post on here any help they want to pass on...cause all you guys are cool like that.

turbocad6 · 03-25-2008, 11:33 PM

many dells the best idea is to get a lind car adaptor for it, then you could also get a second smaller atx supply that includes a startup/ shutdown controller & power anything else you add, screen, drives, hubs etc... but you might spend $150-$200 on just power supplies that way, if you want you can start with just the lind & wire a switch to start it in the begining, then add to it later... the lind will charge the battery too, if that's not an issue then you may be able to get an even cheaper car adaptor, depending on the voltage required it may be possible to run it off a carnetix power supply too which is cool, one supply for everything with startup/ shutdown, but again, all options b3sides a lind adaptor won't charge the battery on most dells... you have a few options really, depends what else you plan on adding too...

there is no reason to get a dock, wire straight to the board.

DracoPCGuy · 03-26-2008, 04:10 PM

thankyou...I would love to find a way to make it so when i get ready to replace this system someday i culd just upgrade it...so some research will be in order. right now I am planning on just a screen and the computer...the computer will get a gps rec. but thats about it. So we will see

peijffertje · 03-27-2008, 03:59 PM

Dont know what kind of dell you have. I'm using a dell c640 right now, and a L400 before that. Both laptops have 1 usb out only. A docking station gives you 2 extra. You say your screen is messed up. You will want to take the laptop out of the car and hook it up to a real monitor for easy install of software on your computer. If you wire everything to your dockingstation than taking yr laptop is really easy. Also, look for W3bmast3rs startup controller. Its only 50 dollars or so, and its easy to solder into the dockingstation as well.

btw, I got my dockingstation for 10 euro on Ebay

DracoPCGuy · 03-31-2008, 10:45 PM

Yeah I have it hooked up to a monitor .. thats actually how I made sure it was working at all. Yeah I chanced across the notebook when i was doing a repait job for someone...they just didnt want to fix it. My computer repair business has helped me find parts alot. I have had a couple times peoples computer just were not worth fixing/upgrading and they gave me what was left of it.