# What to do with broken laptop? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 5, 2007, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-broken-laptop/418117 "2007-09-05T13:53:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2007, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-broken-laptop/418117/1 "2007-09-05T13:53:38Z")
Last year I dropped my laptop onto a moving treadmill and severely cracked the screen. I bought a new one and managed to transfer over my files and programs. Since then, it’s been gathering dust in my closet. What are some ideas you have for it? I am not really looking to spend money on it, but if there’s a way to get some good use out of it, I’m open to the possibility. I flirted with the idea of posting it on craiglist or ebay, but I have no idea how much it’s worth, and google was no help. It’s a Lenovo Thinkpad T21 (or T23). ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2007, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-broken-laptop/418117/2 "2007-09-05T15:33:06Z")
Figure out how to yank out the hard disk, stick it in a USB enclosure, and use it for making backups of important files. ---
**Author:** ![TonyF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de053/32.png) [@TonyF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonyF)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2007, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-broken-laptop/418117/3 "2007-09-05T15:42:30Z")
If only the screen is damaged, you could probably hook it up to a dock and use it as a desktop machine. That will help reclaim some of its value, either to yourself (you could get it set up as a server) or to a buyer (hey, it still functions). ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2007, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-broken-laptop/418117/4 "2007-09-05T16:06:24Z")
We took our hard drive out and now use it as an external hard drive. I’m sure you could give the rest of the computer away to someone to use for parts? Do you have freecycle where you are? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2007, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-broken-laptop/418117/5 "2007-09-05T16:16:40Z")
I wrecked the screen of my laptop a couple of years ago, and already had another one, so I gave it to a friend who added an external monitor and keyboard, and uses it as a spare PC in his office. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2007, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-broken-laptop/418117/6 "2007-09-05T16:44:06Z")
What to do with a broken laptop … what to do with a broken laptop … what to do with a broken laptop … earlai in the morning. [/singing] ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2007, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-broken-laptop/418117/7 "2007-09-05T16:48:24Z")
Err! Earworm! Damn you, **twickster**! ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2007, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-broken-laptop/418117/8 "2007-09-05T16:54:25Z")
[QUOTE=LunaV] Err! Earworm! Damn you, **twickster**! [/QUOTE] You started it. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2007, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-broken-laptop/418117/9 "2007-09-05T17:48:59Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] What to do with a broken laptop … what to do with a broken laptop … what to do with a broken laptop … earlai in the morning. [/singing] [/QUOTE] That’s exactly what I heard when I read the title. (What the heck is a skupper anyway?) ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2007, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-broken-laptop/418117/10 "2007-09-05T21:14:37Z")
broken laptops go for decent money on eBay. Make sure to buy a utility that thoroughly scrubs the drive. ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2007, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-broken-laptop/418117/11 "2007-09-05T21:47:33Z")
Surely there is somewhere you can purchase another LCD screen. I had a bad one and Dell came out and replaced mine. I would imagine I could order one and replace it myself if I had to. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2007, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-broken-laptop/418117/12 "2007-09-05T22:44:32Z")
Remove the screen completely (if this can be practically done without killing it), format the hard drive and set it up as a MythTV media centre. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2007, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-broken-laptop/418117/13 "2007-09-05T23:39:09Z")
[QUOTE=LunaV] Last year I dropped my laptop onto a moving treadmill [/QUOTE] You should have waited until the engines created sufficient airflow over the wings to create lift, _then_ let go of it. ---
**Author:** ![JustAnotherGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/58f4c7/32.png) [@JustAnotherGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustAnotherGeek)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-broken-laptop/418117/14 "2007-09-06T00:02:23Z")
[QUOTE=LunaV] Last year I dropped my laptop onto a moving treadmill and severely cracked the screen. [/QUOTE] It wasn’t… . . . _hooked up to a model plane_ **was it?!?!?!** :dubious: Damn you, **Mangetout!**!!! Preview, preview, preview… ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-broken-laptop/418117/15 "2007-09-06T03:30:47Z")
[QUOTE=sandra\_nz] We took our hard drive out and now use it as an external hard drive. [/QUOTE] What a cool idea! Could you elaborate on how to do this? I had a creaky old laptop that gave up the ghost last month. A week or so ago I took it apart for the hell of it, but I kept the hard drive (which I believe still works; I think it was the AC adaptor that crapped out); how difficult would it be to turn this into an external USB drive? It’s only 6 GB; not much use for a computer, but I have great uses in mind for a USB drive this size. It appears to be about 2.75" x 4" x 0.5". Here are some photos to show the general size and connector types: [One](http://information-bureau.com/daily/070905/drive1.jpg) [Two](http://information-bureau.com/daily/070905/drive2.jpg) Granted, it’s pretty old. I bought it refurbished in 2002. Is there a way to turn it into a USB drive? I know some of those connector pins are bent, but I’m pretty sure I could get them onto the appropriate jack. (When answering, please keep in mind that I know _nothing_ about how the inside of a computer works. I had to inspect the device several times to figure out that it was, in fact, a hard drive.) ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-broken-laptop/418117/16 "2007-09-06T20:24:37Z")
No, sorry…no model planes or experiments were involved with my laptop-treadmill meet…just sheer idiocy! My computer-savvy uncle has offered to help me break it down to sell parts on ebay, so that’s the route I’m taking. I considered another screen…but it’s something like $200, and I already have a laptop I like that’s quicker. Thank you for the ideas! ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-broken-laptop/418117/17 "2007-09-06T21:40:43Z")
[QUOTE=Paintcharge] That’s exactly what I heard when I read the title. (What the heck is a skupper anyway?) [/QUOTE] Scuppers are the holes around the edge of the deck that let the water flow out when a wave breaks over the deck or water otherwise gets on it. If they’re clogged in a storm, water can pile up on the deck, which is a _bad_ thing. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-broken-laptop/418117/18 "2007-09-06T23:34:10Z")
[QUOTE=jackelope] What a cool idea! Could you elaborate on how to do this? I had a creaky old laptop that gave up the ghost last month. A week or so ago I took it apart for the hell of it, but I kept the hard drive (which I believe still works; I think it was the AC adaptor that crapped out); how difficult would it be to turn this into an external USB drive? It’s only 6 GB; not much use for a computer, but I have great uses in mind for a USB drive this size. It appears to be about 2.75" x 4" x 0.5". Here are some photos to show the general size and connector types: [One](http://information-bureau.com/daily/070905/drive1.jpg) [Two](http://information-bureau.com/daily/070905/drive2.jpg) Granted, it’s pretty old. I bought it refurbished in 2002. Is there a way to turn it into a USB drive? I know some of those connector pins are bent, but I’m pretty sure I could get them onto the appropriate jack. (When answering, please keep in mind that I know _nothing_ about how the inside of a computer works. I had to inspect the device several times to figure out that it was, in fact, a hard drive.) [/QUOTE] That’s a standard-or-garden laptop hard drive; to convert it into an external USB drive you need a [2.5" enclosure](http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817155704), into which you plug the drive (bent pins won’t be a problem if you’re careful) and then plug the drive into your computer via a USB cable, which will be supplied with the enclosure. The great advantage of a 2.5" drive is that it requires no additional power supply; plug it into a USB socket anywhere and you’re ready to go. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2007, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-broken-laptop/418117/19 "2007-09-07T04:20:14Z")
Fantastic! Thanks, **Dervorin**. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2007, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-broken-laptop/418117/20 "2007-09-07T22:46:41Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] What to do with a broken laptop … what to do with a broken laptop … what to do with a broken laptop … earlai in the morning. [/singing] [/QUOTE] Clicks and taps and beeps are a-flurry, hard disks spin in a mighty big hurry, LCD’s gone way past just blurry on the dead…think…pad ! 😉 ( Rogers and Hammerstein both are spinning in their graves. ) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-broken-laptop/418117.md?page=2)