What to do with this mini laptop?

[Ruostunut kokis]

So my family has had this generic 12'' HP mini laptop for quite a while, maybe 2 or 3 years. I don't remember the exact model name (due to instruction manuals and the original box being trashed like few weeks ago).

 

It's screen has been broken for like 1 or 2 years. The screen has been broken not only once, but twice, both by my little sister. We sent it to be fixed on the first time, it costed 200€ (far too much for us), so the second time my sister broke it, we didn't send it to be fixed due to costs not being worth it.

 

Everything else works fine, except the monitor as you can see in the picture (no physical cracks, the outside of the screen is fine, but the inside isn't). Though I think there's more broken than just the screen, as I tried to use my TV as a monitor for this via VGA cable (Why, HP? Why only VGA port?), no signal to the TV. Could it be the motherboard / graphics chip that's broken as well?

 

I was figuring out how could I possibly switch the screen DIY way, but that laptop has no screws visible anywhere and cannot be dismantled without having to fix with a duct tape. I wanted it to be able to switch screens and to make it well functional for mobile use after fixing, but it seems I can't.

 

 

So here's the question for you guys: what should I do for this? IMO paying 200€ to fix the screen the second time isn't worth it, considering this was about 600 - 700€ as new (now probably max. 200€ second handed minus the screen) and we really can't afford spending money on something nearly useless.

 

If you want to know some specs: ~11,2'' screen, Intel Atom 1,7 GHz single core CPU, ~2 GB RAM (probably DDR2), a random POS iGPU in the Atom CPU, ~200 - 500 GB HDD. Battery lasted as new for +6 hours. Not sure now as it hasn't been used much for the last 2 years.

[Guest GRRigger]

if you can hook it up to something, it could be server

 

else sell for parts

[Hans Christian | Teri]

It may have a button / hotkey to swap screen outputs from the built in screen to an external screen via the VGA output which it will not necessarily do automatically. You should check this before taking any further action. As for selling it as parts you might be able to get $20 for the RAM and $20 for the harddrive on a good day but in general it's worth next to nothing.

[Ruostunut kokis]

if you can hook it up to something, it could be server

 

else sell for parts

Could be a slow server, plus I probably wouldn't have any use for one. And not sure how could it be used with an external monitor, as it creates no signal to a monitor.

 

Selling the parts... Otherwise a possible choice, but the mini laptop is owned by my mother, but our family can freely use it.

 

EDIT: I just got it completely as my own, so I can do whatever I can do for it.

Edited January 27, 2014 by Ruostunut kokis

[Guest GRRigger]

Could be a slow server, plus I probably wouldn't have any use for one. And not sure how could it be used with an external monitor, as it creates no signal to a monitor.

 

Selling the parts... Otherwise a possible choice, but the mini laptop is owned by my mother, but our family can freely use it.

Enough for minecraft.

 

Idk about hooking it to a monitor. It may do it automatically, it may not. Try hook to a monitor.

[sanderdegrote]

Try connecting it to the TV; press the windows key+p; press the right arrow key once and then enter, it should duplicate your broken display to your TV.

[M-ursu]

Eat it!

[Lord Pantaloons]

Target practice

[Ruostunut kokis]

It may have a button / hotkey to swap screen outputs from the built in screen to an external screen via the VGA output which it will not necessarily do automatically. You should check this before taking any further action. As for selling it as parts you might be able to get $20 for the RAM and $20 for the harddrive on a good day but in general it's worth next to nothing.

Nope. Doesn't have any dedicated button / key combination to switch to an external screen. Tried all possible function key combinations. Nothing happened.

 

 

Try connecting it to the TV; press the windows key+p; press the right arrow key once and then enter, it should duplicate your broken display to your TV.

Tried it. Didn't work.

 

 

Enough for minecraft.

 

Idk about hooking it to a monitor. It may do it automatically, it may not. Try hook to a monitor.

Already tried to hook to a monitor. Can't find a signal.

And for that ''enough for minecraft''... I did try to play minecraft with it when it worked back in the day, it was laggier than CSS. The framerate of minecraft on that laptop was like 5 - 15 fps on lowest if I remember correctly.

[Hans Christian | Teri]

Nope. Doesn't have any dedicated button / key combination to switch to an external screen. Tried all possible function key combinations. Nothing happened.

 

Silly HP. Every laptop should have this. I sadly can't help you then.

[Guest GRRigger]

Nope. Doesn't have any dedicated button / key combination to switch to an external screen. Tried all possible function key combinations. Nothing happened.

DSC00160.JPG

 

 

 

Tried it. Didn't work.

 

 

 

Already tried to hook to a monitor. Can't find a signal.

And for that ''enough for minecraft''... I did try to play minecraft with it when it worked back in the day, it was laggier than CSS. The framerate of minecraft on that laptop was like 5 - 15 fps on lowest if I remember correctly.

As a server. Server does 0 graphical calculations. It only use ram and processor, hdd. It tracks position, orientation, generate land and store it, tracks if you destroy bricks,  build, makes zombies move and react, etc...

 

for the options, f1, f2, f3 etc should be. try to find guide on internet. or just press enter all the time i have no fk... clue.

[Ruostunut kokis]

Silly HP. Every laptop should have this. I sadly can't help you then.

I can as well call HP silly for not having any visible screws on the laptop. Disassembling ain't gonna be as easy as with other laptops (hell even macbooks have screws on the bottom).

[Ruostunut kokis]

As a server. Server does 0 graphical calculations. It only use ram and processor, hdd. It tracks position, orientation, generate land and store it, tracks if you destroy bricks,  build, makes zombies move and react, etc...

 

for the options, f1, f2, f3 etc should be. try to find guide on internet. or just press enter all the time i have no fk... clue.

Well... As of spamming F keys... Tried a lot of combinations, maybe not all, but I was just spamming whatever and hoped something to happen... lol

 

Finding a guide on the internet is quite hard, as the model name is unknown and I can't check the manuals (as they're long gone).

 

As far as it being used as a server goes... I doubt it will have enough processing power for it to be any kind of game server. Not sure about other types of servers. And I know servers don't do graphical calculations, but it would be necessary to have some sort of screen to set up everything for the server.

[Guest GRRigger]

Well... As of spamming F keys... Tried a lot of combinations, maybe not all, but I was just spamming whatever and hoped something to happen... lol

 

Finding a guide on the internet is quite hard, as the model name is unknown and I can't check the manuals (as they're long gone).

 

As far as it being used as a server goes... I doubt it will have enough processing power for it to be any kind of game server. Not sure about other types of servers. And I know servers don't do graphical calculations, but it would be necessary to have some sort of screen to set up everything for the server.

whats the OS?

 

[Ruostunut kokis]

whats the OS?

Windows 7 Starter

[arkon]

I can as well call HP silly for not having any visible screws on the laptop. Disassembling ain't gonna be as easy as with other laptops (hell even macbooks have screws on the bottom).

 

I have a similar netbook. From what I remember, you can take out the battery, then pry off the bottom cover. There's screws underneath (and the Windows sticker and stuff).

[Ruostunut kokis]

I have a similar netbook. From what I remember, you can take out the battery, then pry off the bottom cover. There's screws underneath (and the Windows sticker and stuff).

On this laptop there's no screws even under the battery.

 

Or do you mean the screws are at the other side of the bottom cover?

[arkon]

On this laptop there's no screws even under the battery.

 

Or do you mean the screws are at the other side of the bottom cover?

 

Battery removed:

 

With the cover removed:

 

(You just kind of pry it off from the edges)

[Ruostunut kokis]

Battery removed:

[snip]

 

With the cover removed:

[snip]

(You just kind of pry it off from the edges)

So taking off the bottom cover requires no tools?

 

I'll try that after I get back home.

[Ruostunut kokis]

Battery removed:

[snip]

 

With the cover removed:

 

(You just kind of pry it off from the edges)

[snip]

it worked. Thanks! Needed a screwdriver to pry it off, but it was easy after all.

 

Though I found out it's gonna be very difficult (if impossible for me) to switch it's screen, and I already have a similarly speced tablet, so maybe I'll just sell it's parts. Though I'll keep it's 250 GB HDD and use it as an external hard drive.

[bosnian_guy]

Why don't you make a PF Sense router ?