How long before my laptop gives up....

[Chrissie Smiff]

the ghost completely?

A few months ago my laptop, which isn't that old, developed a yellow line running through the centre of the screen. My guarantee had just run out and I was advised that it would be as expensive to repair as to buy a new one. A few weeks later another one appeared, just over an inch from the first. Today I now have another one towards the right of my screen.

Does anyone know if my laptop will suddenly go altogether, or will I have enough warning to go out and buy another please?

[WendyPusey]

Dave says that you probably won't get any warning, just that the screen will go completely one day. Best thing is to start looking for a new one now before it gets to that stage.

[borobabs]

Gosh how longs the average life of a laptop then if yours is just our of guarantee????

[WendyPusey]

Some laptops will last for years. Dave has one that is 6 years old, and apart from the fact it is very slow, it still works OK.

[Chrissie Smiff]

Thanks Wendy and Dave

I know Babs - my feelings exactly. I had problems with the disc draw too, quite early on. It kept popping out. I rang their help line and he supposedly tightened it remotely. It was better afterwards but still popped out occassionally. Then, after the guarantee ran out it wouldn't play any photo discs etc. It would only recognise my discs like Autoroute etc.

I haven't a clue what to replace it with. I need a large screen because I use it all the time and I need a lot of memory but I really don't want to pay a lot this time. This one was quite expensive and expected to last me some years :(

[Chrissie Smiff]

We were posting together Wendy. That's what I was hoping my laptop would do!!

[borobabs]

Oh well fingers X my new one last bit longer than coujple years, I got acer from PC world cost me £279 in sale reduced from £599 3 mg 17" screen

[Chrissie Smiff]

Sounds like a bargain Babs. Hope you enjoy it

[Chrissie Smiff]

I have to go now but any advice re cheap, large screen, large memory laptops would be welcome They need to be able to change from Vista to XP without too much expense as well.

[TrevorFranklin]

The main problem with laptops and their screens is the connection between the screen abd the base of the latop.

This is normally a wire running through the hinge and in cheaper models, tends to crack.
If this happens, DO NOT throw it away, turn it into a desktop PC by just plugging a monitor into it.

I have found no problems in the brands of HP and Dell with this problem, but a lot of the cheaper models (inc. Samsung in my college), all seem to develop this problem

[borobabs]

Oh great stuff Trevor dont hold out much hope for my acer then ;;

[MarionH]

My monitor has a very sad wobble - most of the time it has to be propped up or set in a certain position otherwise it will fall one way or another. I bought a stand to give it a hand - it seemed cheaper to do that than try and get it repaired! The cost of repair would have been almost half the price of a new laptop - and it's a Toshiba so they don't have to be cheap!

[Chrissie Smiff]

Thanks Trevor but my laptop is an HP Pavilion and definitely wasn't cheap.
Don't worry Babs - my next one will be cheap :D
If they are only going to last a short time anyway the cheaper the better as long it has the specifications that I need.

[borobabs]

Well I went with the cer as this main comp is one and its been smashing since I got it last year , so no qualms with them and any had no problems at all with it so fingers X laptop will be the same ;;

[Chrissie Smiff]

Thanks Babs. I will look at Acer. Hubby has a cheap one too and he hasn't had any problems so far either. Well, not since he got rid of Vista on it :D

[borobabs]

I got this one from pc world have look on site ,,acesr aspire opps just looked for you and none left of the one I have the one theyhave now is smaller in everything than mine at same price so dont get that ;;

have looked around and boy I was lucky here is the one I got ''

Acer Aspire 5920 T5750 2GB 15.4" Laptop - Tesco.Direct

but mine had 3 g ??? and was 279 looked all over and they are coming in at 379 +++ on other site , least you can read up spec from that link

[Northern Light]

Oh great stuff Trevor dont hold out much hope for my acer then ;;

Babs our Acer laptop lasted 6 years before we chucked it out and then only cause it was too slow lol..

It was bought for using on the boat and withstood force 9 gales and 20ft seas as well as being soaked in seawater when I left it on a sand bank. It frequently fell off the shelf in the wheelhouse lol..
If the modern Acers are anything like the old ones you will have it for a few years..

[borobabs]

Brilliant stuff Light thats good Im not going sailing or on sand banks ;;;lol

[Northern Light]

I wish I still was lol..

[Chrissie Smiff]

Thanks Babs and Light. I will check out the Acers