got a old labtop i want to use as a carpc but need some help

I10O0I1 · 12-03-2004, 12:13 AM

hi let me intorduce myself. my name is jay and im new to the site. and here is my situation. i have a old laptop that is kind of messed up... when i turn it on i can hear the computer running and harddrive running and i can see lights on that shows that its on but i dont see anything on the screen... so i tryed and hooked up an external flat panel in but still nothing is on either screens.. so i took the laptop to the shop and they said it the laptop monitor is broken but if its only the monitor thats broken then why doesnt it show on my external monitor... any one know whats wrong and what i can do to fix it.. i dont really need the laptop monitor.. i have a navi i can hook it up too.. but im trying to get the monitor to work on my flat panel to assure it will work on my navi.. any help will be appreciate... i would like to use this laptop as a carpc for mp3's... the laptop is pretty old so all i can do it play mp3 and dvd..
here are the specs...
P3 333MHZ
256 MB of Ram
20GB Hard Drive
Dvd Rom Drive

any help and information will be greatly appreciated... if it can be fix should i ebay it and use the money for another carpc or should i just fix it up.. i can sell it as a whole or part it out... if it is too expensive to fix then im better off selling it because the laptop is old enough.. time to upgrade anyways.. but if it isnt too expensive to fix i will fix it if not then ill ebay it.. thanks alot guys

rando · 12-03-2004, 12:18 AM

There's usually a function key combo you hit to toggle to external monitor mode. On my Dell it's FN + F8.

I10O0I1 · 12-03-2004, 12:27 AM

mine is also f8.. hit the function key and f8 but nothing seems to work... o and i also tried to hook the laptop to my big 62" screen tv through s-video and hit func. and f8 but nothign work... plz help me im depserate here guys lol thanks alot

alti · 12-03-2004, 02:34 AM

do you here the computer post?

mushin · 12-03-2004, 02:44 AM

Most laptops will display on the external VGA port on boot, and of course if you've tried the fn key to switch and that didn't work either...

Chances are it's your video card that's busted rather than your monitor. Depending on the laptop, this _may_ be a replacably part. Although even if it is, it's probably not worth it given the age of the machine.

Usually a dead video card produces a beep error code though, so maybe I'm wrong.

kandyman676 · 12-03-2004, 07:30 AM

the other way is to do it with software. go into the display properites to see if the drivers show any way to switch to the other monitor. also check the BIOS to see if anything is locked in there.

jeeplaw · 12-03-2004, 12:35 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by kandyman676

the other way is to do it with software. go into the display properites to see if the drivers show any way to switch to the other monitor. also check the BIOS to see if anything is locked in there.

Actually I believe he's saying his monitor on his laptop doesn't work at all..so going into the properties would be kind of hard

I10O0I1 · 12-03-2004, 07:48 PM

so you guys think i should part it out and ebay it? or should i leave it as is and seell it? which would make me more money??? thanks alot guys... i guess i need to buy a new car pc... any one got a nice setup? money is a problem but size and space it... it needs to be a nice small size but good enough to do everything a home pc can do such as dvd, mp3, internet etc..

turbocad6 · 12-06-2004, 05:50 PM

...that would probably bring about $12 on ebay on a good week

good luck....

I10O0I1 · 12-07-2004, 02:54 PM

wtf only 12 bucks for the whole labtop... hehehe wtf i was hoping about 150 for it... god dam.. anyone on here interested...

turbocad6 · 12-07-2004, 04:37 PM

ok, maybe $12 is a slight exageration

but I've bought faster laptops that actually work to an outside screen for not much more than $100, your hardrive is probably worth $40-$50, & the remainder isn't going to bring much at all. at 333 mhz you can buy a whole working laptop,with a complete working screen & all for around $150-$160 on ebay, if you search for "broken lcd" or "cracked screen" or a combination of this on ebay in laptop section you will find good working faster laptops on ebay cheap enough, & I happen to think this is an excellent way to put a pc in a car cheap, although in the end it's not a whole lot more to do it with a pc, & the benefits are better expandability & the biggest thing is not having to reach the laptop switch to boot, although some have had success relocating the switch, it depends on the actual laptop design. I had a panasonic toughbook in one of my installs, & I was able to mount an actuator along side it to "pull" the switch foward to boot with a remote mounted switch.

If you search ebay long enough you can find like a 1.8-2.4 with video in & out, dvd drive etc. with a busted screen but working in the $200-$250 range, good luck...

I10O0I1 · 12-07-2004, 07:43 PM

cool... i was only planning to use this labtop as a temporary till i have money for a better setup but since it doesnt even work and its not worth fixing it up i thought i would sell it but it seems like i cant get much for it...

toadster123 · 12-07-2004, 08:02 PM

yea your are probably better off keeping it, or at least using some of teh parts (harddrive... dvd.. etc)

I10O0I1 · 12-07-2004, 09:23 PM

i think i can only use the dvd rom and the harddrive... other then that everything else is junk...

frodobaggins · 12-07-2004, 10:00 PM

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