Laptop. Again

[clrussell]

So last week my laptop would not turn on. Today the computer shop finally gets it in and diagnosed it as a bad motherboard or something and tells me it’ll be as much for the part as a replacement laptop. This is a dell something or another that’s about a year old. I’d just have them fix it other than they said two weeks lead time, and I have three trucks in my yard that need a tuna.

So the all seeing question is what do I get now? I realize I need something quality as I’m flashing Ecm and don’t want it to take a shit mid flash. But this dell was supposed to be super bad ass and it was until I took it out of the case and it would not turn on.

Suggestions? I don’t want to spend a fortune and it last a year, in that case I’ll buy a cheapo and replace it yearly.

Really pissed as I was in the process of buying truck parts and had to let a forum member down. But this laptop is how I pay my bills. #firstworldprobs

The only thing this laptop will do will be flash trucks and email tunes. No video, no internet usage, strictly tuning.

 

[gmduramax]

I just went to Costco and bought the cheapest they had, it worked great for 8 years until it was stolen. Went back and bought another for $200 and it’s been great for a year.

 

[bmc1025]

I love my Lenovo ThinkPad, it is a small touch screen with a solid state drive.

 

[LBZ]

I’ve had 3 dells in the past 12 years and 2 of them are still running. One is a dell mini still running xp which is my tuning laptop. Other than the lame touch pad with the built in right and left click buttons (never again) it’s been a good machine.

Not sure what operating system works best with efi these days but I do know the next machine will have a touch screen. Way to handy!!

 

[JoshH]

I also have a Lenovo that I really like. It is a good size (14" screen, not too big and bulky but big enough that I don't feel cramped working on it or struggle to see the screen) with a touch screen and a light up keyboard. I really recommend the touch screen and light up keyboard.

 

[Chevy1925]

i got a 2005 dell 17" laptop ill send you Corbin :roflmao:

but seriously, id just pick up a 2-300 dollar laptop and roll with it. back it up regularly to a cloud or solid state driver. Im still running all my EFI on this 2005 Dell, still runs XP and it never connects to the internet unless im sending an email. All my files are backed up though and i feel its on borrowed time but the damn thing keeps kickin!

 

[Mike L.]

I like the cheap Dell 17" lap tops.

 

[2004LB7]

I agree on the simple cheap laptop. The manufacturing and technology is not pushed to the limits on them and they seem to last longer. Less heat, last years parts so all of the bugs have been worked out, etc.

I used an old 2nd hand 17" HP laptop for many years. Recently got a replacement. Another 17". Cant stand those tiny 14" sceens with no room to view your content

I'm not on the touch screen bandwagon but I do love my lit keyboard. Makes it so much easier to hit the right key when its getting dark in a vehicle

Efilive runs best on XP, vista and 7. Try and steer clear of 8 & 10 if you can. Almost all now days will have 10 preinstalled and Efilive will work be many have usb errors that can take some time to resolve

 

[PureHybrid]

Mines a Toshiba, been dropped once and slid off the hood of a car too. Had it since '12, was right around $400

 

[clrussell]

Picked up a cheap one today. $230 out the door. Wasnt a single option that didn’t have windows 10. Hoping I don’t have to fight that issue to much.

I’m sure I’ll have more questions if I run into issues.

Thanks everyone got the input. My last one was a 17” this is a 14”. I never thought of the smaller screen until someone mentioned working in the truck with it. My 17 was to big sometimes. Guess I’ll see how this one works out.

 

[2004LB7]

I had to load windows 7 on mine as mine came with 10 and I immediately had compatibility issues with various programs. After being on the phone with tech support and being told 7 wouldn't work, not compatible, etc. I called BS, loaded 7 on it, found the drivers and it has beed working great since.

The problem is windows 7 keys are getting hard to find. Unless you know someone or a business that is upgrading and you can snatch the keys before they are thrown out

 

[clrussell]

I had to load windows 7 on mine as mine came with 10 and I immediately had compatibility issues with various programs. After being on the phone with tech support and being told 7 wouldn't work, not compatible, etc. I called BS, loaded 7 on it, found the drivers and it has beed working great since.

The problem is windows 7 keys are getting hard to find. Unless you know someone or a business that is upgrading and you can snatch the keys before they are thrown out

Explain this key thing to me. I’d much rather not deal with windows 10

 

[JoshH]

The 17" I had previously was a little cumbersome in the truck for me as well. That was why I went with a 14" on this one. It is a little easier to handle inside a truck cab, and I don't feel it is too small to be easily used.

 

[2004LB7]

Explain this key thing to me. I’d much rather not deal with windows 10

All windows require an installation or product key to be entered during the intall. If it is skipped it will install at a 30 day trial and then nag you when its up and sometimes prevent certain things from running until a genuine key is plugged in.

Most computers, especially prebuilt ones from the stores will have a sticker on them that has the key. Find an old computer being thrown out and therr is likely a key still on it. Write down or take a picture of the key as the stickers are sometimes hard to remove.

Laptops will normally be on the underside and desktops will be on the back or side. Sometimes on the top near the back

The sticker will tend to look like this

 

[clrussell]

All windows require an installation or product key to be entered during the intall. If it is skipped it will install at a 30 day trial and then nag you when its up and sometimes prevent certain things from running until a genuine key is plugged in.

Most computers, especially prebuilt ones from the stores will have a sticker on them that has the key. Find an old computer being thrown out and therr is likely a key still on it. Write down or take a picture of the key as the stickers are sometimes hard to remove.

Laptops will normally be on the underside and desktops will be on the back or side. Sometimes on the top near the back

The sticker will tend to look like this

So if I have an older laptop with said key I’ll be able to use it?

 

[2004LB7]

Should be able to. I've done it many times. I think twice I've had to call Microsoft's tech support to unlock the ones that didn't work. Sometimes it will flag one if Microsoft's algorithm thinks you are installing it on more then one computer

Technically OEM installed Windows is only good for the original computer it was installed on but I've had little issues with reusing them as long as there has been some time between installations