Lap Top RIP?

[gabkwong]

My 8-years old lap top will not boot up past screen message "F10 - ROM based setup". Is the HD toasted and has become my newest paperweight? Time for another try to Fry's?

[HudsonHawk]

Could be the hard drive, could the the hard drive controller. The Harddrive should be easy to replace but you will have to reload everything you had. If its the controller you are pretty much hosed. That will be built into the system board and cant be replaced without replacing the whole thing.

[gabkwong]

... If its the controller you are pretty much hosed. That will be built into the system board and cant be replaced without replacing the whole thing.

I think you are correct. I've googled that someone had the same problem and even after replacing the HD it still did not work. Thanks.

[ken o]

It died 3 years ago but has been on life support.

[EricJ]

At 8 years old, it will cost you as much to fix, if you can get parts that old, as buying a new one that is 10 times faster with 50 times more hard drive space.

[OZMDD]

...or you could buy a Mac. I'm typing on my 6 year old macbook right now, and the only service that has ever been done is an upgraded/bigger HD and more memory, which were both done when it was a year old. Still running the same software it came with, other than the $29 upgrade to Snow Leopard. Never crashed, never locked-up, and its gone to work with me me every day. Just saying...

[trickyrix]

...or you could buy a Mac.

...at 5X the price of a nice HP or Dell... just sayin.

[OZMDD]

5x? You buying at rent-to-own places? It's barely 2x, and that won't get you the well-optioned PC laptops. As always, you get what you pay for.

After you've bought your 2nd or 3rd laptop to my one MacBook, the deal seems less desireable.

[trickyrix]

I bought a nice 17" HP laptop last year for $600... the comparable Mac Book was over $2500... so I guess maybe my math was off. Let's call it 4X the price.

[goofygrin]

I don't think a $600 HP anything is comparable in any way to a MacBook.

Look I used to be in the "mac = overpriced" world, but since I've switched... I've had FAR less issues.

For most people a refurb (through apple, standard 1 year warranty, same as new) 13" air for $1400 fully decked out will last them for at least 3 years and since it's fully metal bodied and solid state it will continue to be faster than a $600 laptop you get out of the dell outlet.

[VFR750]

My 8 year old Dell is still trucking.....was $950 back in 05. I have had to replace the keyboard twice.

[TexasStig]

My 8 year old Dell is still trucking.....was $950 back in 05. I have had to replace the keyboard twice.

If OZMDD posted that there would be an onslaught of off-color "what keeps getting on your keyboard?" Jokes.

[OZMDD]

Texasstig - You know the answer.

Rick - seriously, your $600 laptop isn't even close in spec to the $2500 Macbook Pro. I don't doubt that it compares favorably on paper to the entry-level $1200 macbook pro, but that was my initial point. You have to look beyond the really simple stuff like RAM and processor speed, since they are not apples-apples (pun intended).

That's like saying the ZL-1 Camaro is equal to the Ferarri 599 since they have 4 wheels and similar hp. They are both excellent, but not the same.

[TexasStig]

Arguments that will never be settled satisfactorily:

Track Day vs. AutoX
Apple vs. PC
Less Filling vs. Taste Great

[trickyrix]

Just one last gasp here... I like Apple stuff. I have an iPhone and iPod. I had a Mac way back in the day that got me through college and well beyond. On System 7, no less. I've always loved the MacBooks because they ARE very slick. Well put together. Lots of nice features, etc etc etc. However, I can't justify blowing that much money on a large-screen (17") laptop. Granted, I'm not doing any high-level computer animation or video editing, but still... I think their pricing is waaaaaay out of line when you look at what you can get on the PC side.

Wait, is that like saying I'm not racist because I have a black friend?