OT laptop computer question

My computer's monitor light went out. It's been flickering now and then,
but now it went out completely. I'm wondering if there's any point
changing the lamp, or would it make more sense to just buy a new laptop
already. You may remember that Caliban spilled tea over its keyboard (I
take full responsibility for that - stupid me threw him a foil ball when
he was sitting next to the laptop and beside a half-full cup of tea).

So if I took it to a shop, I wouldn't just have them change the light,
I'd have them clean the keyboard. But would that be so expensive that it
would make more sense to buy a new computer? I bought this one in Summer
2005, so it's 2.5 years old. It cost 1,000 Euros (about 1,470 USD) then.
It's old enough that I can't even find a current price for it.

I borrowed my laptop from work again, but it's so small, I hate to write
on it. The keyboard is so cramped. Also, I can't set it up like I would
like it to be, because I don't have access to all the features.

TIA
Marina

On Thu, 06 Dec 2007 09:35:35 +0200, Marina
wrote:

My computer's monitor light went out. It's been flickering now and then,
but now it went out completely. I'm wondering if there's any point
changing the lamp, or would it make more sense to just buy a new laptop
already. You may remember that Caliban spilled tea over its keyboard (I
take full responsibility for that - stupid me threw him a foil ball when
he was sitting next to the laptop and beside a half-full cup of tea).

So if I took it to a shop, I wouldn't just have them change the light,
I'd have them clean the keyboard. But would that be so expensive that it
would make more sense to buy a new computer? I bought this one in Summer
2005, so it's 2.5 years old. It cost 1,000 Euros (about 1,470 USD) then.
It's old enough that I can't even find a current price for it.

I borrowed my laptop from work again, but it's so small, I hate to write
on it. The keyboard is so cramped. Also, I can't set it up like I would
like it to be, because I don't have access to all the features.

TIA
Marina


I don't own a laptop, so I don't know what a 'monitor light' is.

But $1470 is a LOT of money.

Yes, your computer is out of date. So what. ALL computers are out of
date about 3 months after you buy them.

Call around and find out about how much the service on your computer
will cost.

If it was me, I'd almost certainly put some money into repair, and then
use the computer for another year or two, at least.

As long at the computer does the things you NEED it to do, it's still
useful.

When for some reason, it won't let you do something you need, or really
want to do, THEN it's time to think about a new one.

Keep the old one as a back-up. You'll get very little selling it; and
it's hard to delete, reliably, your personal data without rendering the
computer useless.

Just my opinion, of course.

Good luck.

Marina kirjoitti:
My computer's monitor light went out. It's been flickering now and then,
but now it went out completely. I'm wondering if there's any point
changing the lamp, or would it make more sense to just buy a new laptop
already.

Do you mean that your monitor went dark? As far as I know there is no
lamp to be changed, just like there's no lamp to change if the tv-set
goes dark... If it has been flickering at first - was this already
before Caliban tipped the tea into the keyboard or only after this
happened? If it was before also, then there's been something wrong with
it earlier, but if after, then it must be some shorted out circuitry due
to the tea-incident and nothing wrong with the monitor itself. It just
can't get power properly. Not sure if the power connections of laptop
monitors get strained by the repeated opening and shutting of the lid /
monitor over the years and if that may be what the problem is with your
unit. Hopefully this doesn't sound too "blonde" to some of you computer
geeks out there...

And I would at least call or email around for estimates on fixing it
before getting an all new laptop, don't have such sums to throw around...

--
Christine in Laitila, Finland
christal63 (at) gmail (dot) com

Christine K. wrote:
Marina kirjoitti:
My computer's monitor light went out. It's been flickering now and
then, but now it went out completely. I'm wondering if there's any
point changing the lamp, or would it make more sense to just buy a new
laptop already.

Do you mean that your monitor went dark? As far as I know there is no
lamp to be changed, just like there's no lamp to change if the tv-set
goes dark... If it has been flickering at first - was this already
before Caliban tipped the tea into the keyboard or only after this
happened? If it was before also, then there's been something wrong with
it earlier, but if after, then it must be some shorted out circuitry due
to the tea-incident and nothing wrong with the monitor itself. It just
can't get power properly.

I think it was flickering even before the tea incident. I really thought
there was a lamp, because it used to brighten starting from the lower
left corner.

Not sure if the power connections of laptop
monitors get strained by the repeated opening and shutting of the lid /
monitor over the years and if that may be what the problem is with your
unit. Hopefully this doesn't sound too "blonde" to some of you computer
geeks out there...


I'm glad you put it in 'blonde' terms, or I wouldn't understand.

And I would at least call or email around for estimates on fixing it
before getting an all new laptop, don't have such sums to throw around...


Yes, I'm going to do ask around, though I got a nice big tax return.
Would prefer to use it for something else, tho.

--
Marina

Marina wrote:
My computer's monitor light went out. It's been flickering now and
then, but now it went out completely. I'm wondering if there's any
point changing the lamp, or would it make more sense to just buy a
new laptop already. You may remember that Caliban spilled tea over
its keyboard (I take full responsibility for that - stupid me threw
him a foil ball when he was sitting next to the laptop and beside a
half-full cup of tea).
So if I took it to a shop, I wouldn't just have them change the light,
I'd have them clean the keyboard. But would that be so expensive that
it would make more sense to buy a new computer? I bought this one in
Summer 2005, so it's 2.5 years old. It cost 1,000 Euros (about 1,470
USD) then. It's old enough that I can't even find a current price for
it.
I borrowed my laptop from work again, but it's so small, I hate to
write on it. The keyboard is so cramped. Also, I can't set it up like
I would like it to be, because I don't have access to all the
features.
TIA
Marina

Presumably it has a socket for an external monitor, that may be the cheapest
option, even an old CRT one which you could probably get for next to
nothing.
--
Adrian (Owned by Snoopy & Bagheera)
Cats leave pawprints on your heart
http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk

"Adrian A" wrote in message
om...
Marina wrote:
My computer's monitor light went out. It's been flickering now and
then, but now it went out completely. I'm wondering if there's any
point changing the lamp, or would it make more sense to just buy a
new laptop already. You may remember that Caliban spilled tea over
its keyboard (I take full responsibility for that - stupid me threw
him a foil ball when he was sitting next to the laptop and beside a
half-full cup of tea).
So if I took it to a shop, I wouldn't just have them change the light,
I'd have them clean the keyboard. But would that be so expensive that
it would make more sense to buy a new computer? I bought this one in
Summer 2005, so it's 2.5 years old. It cost 1,000 Euros (about 1,470
USD) then. It's old enough that I can't even find a current price for
it.
I borrowed my laptop from work again, but it's so small, I hate to
write on it. The keyboard is so cramped. Also, I can't set it up like
I would like it to be, because I don't have access to all the
features.
TIA
Marina

Presumably it has a socket for an external monitor, that may be the
cheapest option, even an old CRT one which you could probably get for next
to nothing.

In LCD screens, there is a high intensity neon 'backlight' that shines
through the LCD to make the screen. This can blow, leading to a seemingly
black screen, but it can be 'just' be seen in very bright light (imagine the
difference between looking at stained glass windows in a church during the
day, and the same window from outside the church. The one on the inside is
the one that is lit correctly, but youcan still make out the pattern on the
outside).

I could imagine that - it being a laptop - the light isn't that hard to
replace. However, if it was an LCD monitor rather than a laptop that had
blown, I'd be tempted to just go get another screen.

Either way, plug your old broken laptop into a monitor and back up
everything so you don't lose it! I lost all the messages you guys sent me
about the Yowlet's birth because I hadn't backed up my laptop before I got
it looked at, and never got it back (long and arduous story I won't repeat
here). Breaks my heart every time I think about it....

Yowie
(Who has a backup of every single digital photo I've got, and my address
book. Which is pretty much the only two things I do on this PC)

Yowie wrote:

In LCD screens, there is a high intensity neon 'backlight' that shines
through the LCD to make the screen. This can blow, leading to a seemingly
black screen, but it can be 'just' be seen in very bright light (imagine the
difference between looking at stained glass windows in a church during the
day, and the same window from outside the church. The one on the inside is
the one that is lit correctly, but youcan still make out the pattern on the
outside).

Yes, that's exactly it - if I shine a light straight at the screen, I
can make out the desktop very faintly (but not so that I can use it).

I could imagine that - it being a laptop - the light isn't that hard to
replace. However, if it was an LCD monitor rather than a laptop that had
blown, I'd be tempted to just go get another screen.

Yes, but then it's not portable any more.

Either way, plug your old broken laptop into a monitor and back up
everything so you don't lose it!

I did that immediately when it started to flicker the other night! I did
learn something from the tea incident...

--
Marina

On Thu, 06 Dec 2007 09:35:35 +0200, Marina wrote:
My computer's monitor light went out. It's been flickering now and then,
but now it went out completely. I'm wondering if there's any point
changing the lamp, or would it make more sense to just buy a new laptop
already. You may remember that Caliban spilled tea over its keyboard (I
take full responsibility for that - stupid me threw him a foil ball when
he was sitting next to the laptop and beside a half-full cup of tea).

You usually can't replace the lamp. Look at the bulb funny and it'll
shatter; they're incredibly fragile. Go to ebay, and search using the magic
search string with the make and model of your laptop and "display" or "lcd".
Try the same search on google.

If you got tea in the keyboard, there's a chance that it didn't go anywhere
else except the keyboard assembly. They're easy to replace and run about $25.

If you have a dell or an ibm/lenova, they have outstanding repair manuals
available that tell you exactly which screws to remove and the order of
dissassembly as well as illustrations, part numbers, etc. If you have a
different brand, you may still be able to get a decent repair manual off the
maker's website.

On Thu, 06 Dec 2007 11:34:13 +0200, Marina wrote:
Christine K. wrote:
Marina kirjoitti:
My computer's monitor light went out. It's been flickering now and
then, but now it went out completely. I'm wondering if there's any
point changing the lamp, or would it make more sense to just buy a new
laptop already.

Do you mean that your monitor went dark? As far as I know there is no
lamp to be changed, just like there's no lamp to change if the tv-set
goes dark... If it has been flickering at first - was this already
before Caliban tipped the tea into the keyboard or only after this
happened? If it was before also, then there's been something wrong with
it earlier, but if after, then it must be some shorted out circuitry due
to the tea-incident and nothing wrong with the monitor itself. It just
can't get power properly.

I think it was flickering even before the tea incident. I really thought
there was a lamp, because it used to brighten starting from the lower
left corner.

There is most certainly a lamp. LCD's don't generate their own light; they
require a backlight.

AZ Nomad kirjoitti:
On Thu, 06 Dec 2007 11:34:13 +0200, Marina wrote:
Christine K. wrote:
Marina kirjoitti:
My computer's monitor light went out. It's been flickering now and
then, but now it went out completely. I'm wondering if there's any
point changing the lamp, or would it make more sense to just buy a new
laptop already.
Do you mean that your monitor went dark? As far as I know there is no
lamp to be changed, just like there's no lamp to change if the tv-set
goes dark... If it has been flickering at first - was this already
before Caliban tipped the tea into the keyboard or only after this
happened? If it was before also, then there's been something wrong with
it earlier, but if after, then it must be some shorted out circuitry due
to the tea-incident and nothing wrong with the monitor itself. It just
can't get power properly.

I think it was flickering even before the tea incident. I really thought
there was a lamp, because it used to brighten starting from the lower
left corner.

There is most certainly a lamp. LCD's don't generate their own light; they
require a backlight.

Now I know a new thing too... But then again the most I know about
computers is just how to use them on a daily basis (nothing fancy) and
how to plug the cords to make it work... Oh, and I did upgrade my comp
recently by adding memory and a video card, but that's about it...

--
Christine in Laitila, Finland
christal63 (at) gmail (dot) com