Laptop fu

vsp · 03-17-2003, 09:54 AM

Personal epiphany, during six hours of weekend travel: I want a laptop.

A lower-powered system will do nicely -- I'm thinking Pentium II or less -- as this would be more of a toy than anything I'd do serious work on. (Most likely, its primary purpose would be futzing around with emulators and MAME during road trips.)

I took a look at compgeeks.com, and noticed that every entry contained the disclaimer "BATTERY IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY; the battery is not guaranteed to hold a charge." This is probably not unusual. Any recommendations as to who might sell a used one and say "we'll guarantee that it'll run for three hours or so before you need to plug it back in?"

03-17-2003, 10:09 AM

Buy a used ThinkPad from IBM. They run auctions on eBay. We've bought two 600E's (a 366MHz PII & a 400MHz PII) and have been very happy with them. (They survived the fire too, despite heavy smoke & soot damage.)

Let me make sure I'm clear on this - buy it <b>from</b> IBM - that's the only way you get the full warranty.

We had a HD go bad in one of 'em - they overnighted us a replacement, no questions asked.

mbpark · 03-23-2003, 06:24 PM

VSP,

If you can't find one at a decent price, the old 770X (aka tank of a laptop) will do.

I have an R31 (PIII 1Ghz with 512MB RAM), 770X (PII 300Mhz with 320MB RAM), and 380D (P1 150 with 48MB RAM).

Each one of these laptops has survived serious drops, getting thrown around, and even Windows XP Pro (in the case of the 770X).

Windows runs beautifully on these machines. I use the 380D for Windows 98 stuff, since it's the only machine I have that runs it. The 770X is about to get Debian, and the R31 runs Windows 2000 Pro SP3.

The only IBM Thinkpad 770X can play DVD's full-screen, and it puts up with more crap than anything short of a Panasonic Toughbook

.

Mitch

Undertoad · 03-23-2003, 07:13 PM

Buddy of mine handed me down a 380D. Problem is, it needs a new battery, and that costs around $120...

Do you do wireless on that one? I'm trying to work out whether or not it'd be worth setting everything up here, just for this doofy old laptop.

mbpark · 03-23-2003, 08:34 PM

Heya,

I just have to check to see if I still have a spare.

For a machine with 48MB or RAM and Windows 98, it can do wireless just fine. Actually, it would work excellent for it. I just used standard Ethernet.

However, that 380D runs Linux incredibly well too. I was using it as an Xterm for a bit when we had a bunch of Netra T1's at the office.

It's got standard parts that Win98 or Linux support right out of the box.

Mitch

Undertoad · 03-23-2003, 09:59 PM

Appreciate it!

mbpark · 03-31-2003, 04:26 PM

Undertoad,

I've got a working one (I think). Pulled it yesterday.

Mitch

03-17-2003, 09:54 AM	#1
vsp Syndrome of a Down Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: West Chester Posts: 1,367	Laptop fu Personal epiphany, during six hours of weekend travel: I want a laptop. A lower-powered system will do nicely -- I'm thinking Pentium II or less -- as this would be more of a toy than anything I'd do serious work on. (Most likely, its primary purpose would be futzing around with emulators and MAME during road trips.) I took a look at compgeeks.com, and noticed that every entry contained the disclaimer "BATTERY IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY; the battery is not guaranteed to hold a charge." This is probably not unusual. Any recommendations as to who might sell a used one and say "we'll guarantee that it'll run for three hours or so before you need to plug it back in?"

03-23-2003, 06:24 PM	#3
mbpark Lecturer Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Carmel, Indiana Posts: 761	IBM ThinkPad VSP, If you can't find one at a decent price, the old 770X (aka tank of a laptop) will do. I have an R31 (PIII 1Ghz with 512MB RAM), 770X (PII 300Mhz with 320MB RAM), and 380D (P1 150 with 48MB RAM). Each one of these laptops has survived serious drops, getting thrown around, and even Windows XP Pro (in the case of the 770X). Windows runs beautifully on these machines. I use the 380D for Windows 98 stuff, since it's the only machine I have that runs it. The 770X is about to get Debian, and the R31 runs Windows 2000 Pro SP3. The only IBM Thinkpad 770X can play DVD's full-screen, and it puts up with more crap than anything short of a Panasonic Toughbook . Mitch

03-23-2003, 08:34 PM	#5
mbpark Lecturer Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Carmel, Indiana Posts: 761	I may have a spare battery Heya, I just have to check to see if I still have a spare. For a machine with 48MB or RAM and Windows 98, it can do wireless just fine. Actually, it would work excellent for it. I just used standard Ethernet. However, that 380D runs Linux incredibly well too. I was using it as an Xterm for a bit when we had a bunch of Netra T1's at the office. It's got standard parts that Win98 or Linux support right out of the box. Mitch

03-31-2003, 04:26 PM	#7
mbpark Lecturer Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Carmel, Indiana Posts: 761	Got one! Undertoad, I've got a working one (I think). Pulled it yesterday. Mitch

03-17-2003, 10:09 AM	#2
dave Guest Posts: n/a	Buy a used ThinkPad from IBM. They run auctions on eBay. We've bought two 600E's (a 366MHz PII & a 400MHz PII) and have been very happy with them. (They survived the fire too, despite heavy smoke & soot damage.) Let me make sure I'm clear on this - buy it <b>from</b> IBM - that's the only way you get the full warranty. We had a HD go bad in one of 'em - they overnighted us a replacement, no questions asked.

03-23-2003, 07:13 PM	#4
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Buddy of mine handed me down a 380D. Problem is, it needs a new battery, and that costs around $120... Do you do wireless on that one? I'm trying to work out whether or not it'd be worth setting everything up here, just for this doofy old laptop.

03-23-2003, 09:59 PM	#6
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Appreciate it!

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