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My Laptop Bit the Dust Today :(

  • Thread starter thunderfoot
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thunderfoot

Deleted Due to Inactivity
Former MSFC Member
Earlier this evening, my faithful five year old laptop finally expired. It is as bad as losing a loved pet. However, I have backups of most of my work and the stuff I do not have on thumb drives is safely uploaded here at MSFC. I am typing this on my new Dell Inspirion One 23 all in one home PC. Best Buy here in D'Iberville had a sale on them today. Screen res is 1920 x 1080(!) Along with Windows 7 Home Premium, this will take some getting used to. May not be around for a bit while I reconfigure everything. Apologies are due to you, Huet. I will get those files to you ASAP.
 

Hellkite

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Sorry to hear that my friend at lest you got a replacement and have not lost all your data
 

swilson0907

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Sorry to hear about your laptop.

Question, what kinds of signs can warn you that a laptop is getting old and might expire? And is there anything that can be done to really prevent it?
 
T

thunderfoot

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Former MSFC Member
Sorry to hear about your laptop.

Question, what kinds of signs can warn you that a laptop is getting old and might expire? And is there anything that can be done to really prevent it?
Well, smoke pouring out from every possible opening indicates there may be a problem with overheating, lol.

Really, the same things which indicate a desktop is about to expire are also pretty good indicators a laptop is about to expire as well. Laptops are not really made for gaming on, despite what Alienware/Dell would have people believe. Their size usually limits hardware configurations and upgrades. Smaller vidcards with smaller VRAM capabilities can be a serious drawback for hardcore gamers. These same limitations also lead to difficulties in performing upgrades to things like CD drives and RAM upgrades. The increased capabilities of a 2.0GB RAM chip which is 667MHz DDR brings increased heat with little or no possibility of additional cooling to go along with it. The plus side to this is it is much easier to move a laptop around than a desktop, or a standup unit like my new 'puter. Everything is a trade off, I suppose. Increase one at the expense of another.

EDIT: Well, Just tried installing my A2 from the disc and - no go! I wonder if I just installed a zipped copy of my game if I can get it to work?
 

Majestic

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Each has their advantage and dis-advantage, I am much prefer a desktop over a lap-top basically for the reasons Thunder has just mentioned above, plus I can't stand that poor excuse for a mouse those lap-tops have.

I am really sorry to hear for lap-top expired Thunder, but 5 years old, that's pretty ancient in Computer years. :lol: Most Computers for me generally don't last much past 2 years, which is the age this one is coming too now, actually it's birthday is next month. It's good that you found a replacement so quickly and had the funds to do so.
 

swilson0907

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Well, smoke pouring out from every possible opening indicates there may be a problem with overheating, lol.

Really, the same things which indicate a desktop is about to expire are also pretty good indicators a laptop is about to expire as well. Laptops are not really made for gaming on, despite what Alienware/Dell would have people believe. Their size usually limits hardware configurations and upgrades. Smaller vidcards with smaller VRAM capabilities can be a serious drawback for hardcore gamers. These same limitations also lead to difficulties in performing upgrades to things like CD drives and RAM upgrades. The increased capabilities of a 2.0GB RAM chip which is 667MHz DDR brings increased heat with little or no possibility of additional cooling to go along with it. The plus side to this is it is much easier to move a laptop around than a desktop, or a standup unit like my new 'puter. Everything is a trade off, I suppose. Increase one at the expense of another.

I think that my laptop's fan doesn't work, or I never hear it but I feel alittle heat from that spot. Come to think about it though, I have never really heard the fan. Even with this there isn't any smoke, its a pretty good Toshiba and I like it alot and its going on its third year and it is Windows Vista.

I have never owned a desktop, just laptops and my original laptop has a problem with half the screen staying black so I got this Toshiba after getting tired of having to toggle the screen (moving it) just to get a full working screen. That was a Compax Presario laptop. This Toshiba is my second. I don't really know what things indicate a desktop is about to expire because I've never wanted to think about it so I'd won't be afraid to find out something is about to happen.

There are a few things that my computer has done that makes me wonder if it has a problem at times but sometimes I think they are juse Windows Vista problems or if they are just with the program.
1) Sometimes it shuts down unexpectedly. Sometimes well playing Star Trek Armada II, other times well just being online. I just think it happens because the laptop might be too hot so I wait a few seconds and restart it.
2) Sometimes when restarting the laptop it shuts down again prior to even getting to the Windows Vista loading screen.
3) Sometimes it takes forever to shut down and since it is Vista, the circle that spins as the computer is shutting down (or when Vista does anything) just keeps spinning and spinning and spinning. Its done this for like 15 minutes before I do a forced shut down and then restart the system to make sure everything is alright, never really has caused a problem.
4) Sometimes when the system is loading everything in my task bar, some icons (programs) choose not to run and others like Frostwire Freeze of loading with their banner just stuck on my desktop, actually only Frostwire is the program that does that.

Right now, that is really all that I can think of except for the occasional Windows has stopped responding problem, or AIM and Internet Explorer not responding but I think that has something to do with AIM incorporating Facebook IM because when AIM freezes up it is showing someone has logged into Facebook plus when it happens, both AIM and IE8 freeze. The other problems I consider Windows Vista errors, am I wrong?

EDIT: Well, Just tried installing my A2 from the disc and - no go! I wonder if I just installed a zipped copy of my game if I can get it to work?

I'm not sure how this works on Windows 7, but for Vista, I have had problems installing some games from the disc onto my computer. But for all the games including Star Trek Armada I and Armada II, I had to run the installer programs 3 different times before the games actually installed. They would show the install screens and then not install after all options were chosen. I just kept trying the different install programs on the disc and also didn't use teh auto installer instead I went right itno the disc to view the files, have you tried that? Maybe you could try installing the game in a compatiablilty mode for an earlier version of Windows?

Edit:
Each has their advantage and dis-advantage, I am much prefer a desktop over a lap-top basically for the reasons Thunder has just mentioned above, plus I can't stand that poor excuse for a mouse those lap-tops have.

I can agree that they both have their advantages and dis-advantages, I only like the fact that laptops are portable and I can take it almost every place I go. For the mouse pads on laptops, for both of my laptops, I have used both a wireless mouse and also the mouse pad. On my Compax Presario, the mouse pad in one spot started to fade and even though my Toshiba is all black including the mouse pas, it feels like one spot is fading too. Both times it is in the spot that I use the mouse pad the most. Can mouse pads be replaced or are they once their not working well or faded that is just it and its done for good? Well I will admit that I have used the mouse pad more on the Toshiba more than I do the wireless mouse.

I am really sorry to hear for lap-top expired Thunder, but 5 years old, that's pretty ancient in Computer years. :lol: Most Computers for me generally don't last much past 2 years, which is the age this one is coming too now, actually it's birthday is next month. It's good that you found a replacement so quickly and had the funds to do so.

I actually have heard or read some where that laptops usually last 3 - 5 (5 is pushing it though) years before you have no choice to get a new one. That I would have to say could easily be the case because before my Compax Presario needed replacing, I had owned it for 3 - 4 years.
 
H

Huet

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Former MSFC Member
Armada should work from a zipped up version, at least it does on my laptop (also windows 7). Believe it or not my "main" installation of armada 2 is around 5 years old and has migrated across 4 different PCs and 2 laptops lol.

Don't worry about a rush on the files, take your time, I'm not planning on going anywhere :thumbsup:.

It strikes me that perhaps karma reared it's head after the hard drive failure joke in the battlefleet thread lol
 
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Katala

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Former MSFC Member
It is a sad thing when ones laptop dies TF, I'm sorry it passed away on you :cry2:
I can only hope mine does not pass away on me anytime soon with my kids taking it to its limits with their graphic intense games, I would feel the loss greatly:silence:
But it is good you were able to get a replacement so soon and you have not lost your hard work :D





There are a few things that my computer has done that makes me wonder if it has a problem at times but sometimes I think they are juse Windows Vista problems or if they are just with the program.
1) Sometimes it shuts down unexpectedly. Sometimes well playing Star Trek Armada II, other times well just being online. I just think it happens because the laptop might be too hot so I wait a few seconds and restart it.
2) Sometimes when restarting the laptop it shuts down again prior to even getting to the Windows Vista loading screen.
3) Sometimes it takes forever to shut down and since it is Vista, the circle that spins as the computer is shutting down (or when Vista does anything) just keeps spinning and spinning and spinning. Its done this for like 15 minutes before I do a forced shut down and then restart the system to make sure everything is alright, never really has caused a problem.
4) Sometimes when the system is loading everything in my task bar, some icons (programs) choose not to run and others like Frostwire Freeze of loading with their banner just stuck on my desktop, actually only Frostwire is the program that does that.

Right now, that is really all that I can think of except for the occasional Windows has stopped responding problem, or AIM and Internet Explorer not responding but I think that has something to do with AIM incorporating Facebook IM because when AIM freezes up it is showing someone has logged into Facebook plus when it happens, both AIM and IE8 freeze. The other problems I consider Windows Vista errors, am I wrong?

Alot of people I know in Australia who have those particular type of laptops have had the same issue no matter what windows they ran, it is due to an overheating issue with the laptop itself usually. Though I'm not saying this is the problem in your case, its just a possibility.

I run Windows Vista Home 32bit on my compaq presario (will be 2years old next month) and have had no such issues but it also incorporates an AMD cpu which I have found runs cooler in the long run than its intel cousins :p my laptop actually shuts down faster than Majestics PC which is running Windows Vista Ultimate 64bit as is my PC which also shuts down faster than Majestics PC :lol2:
(we only run AMD PC's)



I actually have heard or read some where that laptops usually last 3 - 5 (5 is pushing it though) years before you have no choice to get a new one. That I would have to say could easily be the case because before my Compax Presario needed replacing, I had owned it for 3 - 4 years.
It really depends on how it is treated and what it is used for, some laptops I know have lasted longer than 5years, mine probably wont, even though it was bought specifically for doing MSFC admin stuff and basic web browsing etc... My kids use it for games and to be honest the games they play on it require high end graphics etc, which slow it down a little even on a hot day (this is when they either have to shut it down to cool down or run the external cooling pad) so I dare say they are shortening the life expectancy of it on me :cry2:
 

swilson0907

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Joined
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Messages
156
It is a sad thing when ones laptop dies TF, I'm sorry it passed away on you :cry2:
I can only hope mine does not pass away on me anytime soon with my kids taking it to its limits with their graphic intense games, I would feel the loss greatly:silence:
But it is good you were able to get a replacement so soon and you have not lost your hard work :D



Alot of people I know in Australia who have those particular type of laptops have had the same issue no matter what windows they ran, it is due to an overheating issue with the laptop itself usually. Though I'm not saying this is the problem in your case, its just a possibility.

I run Windows Vista Home 32bit on my compaq presario (will be 2years old next month) and have had no such issues but it also incorporates an AMD cpu which I have found runs cooler in the long run than its intel cousins :p my laptop actually shuts down faster than Majestics PC which is running Windows Vista Ultimate 64bit as is my PC which also shuts down faster than Majestics PC :lol2:
(we only run AMD PC's)


It really depends on how it is treated and what it is used for, some laptops I know have lasted longer than 5years, mine probably wont, even though it was bought specifically for doing MSFC admin stuff and basic web browsing etc... My kids use it for games and to be honest the games they play on it require high end graphics etc, which slow it down a little even on a hot day (this is when they either have to shut it down to cool down or run the external cooling pad) so I dare say they are shortening the life expectancy of it on me :cry2:

Sorry to hear about how your kids are treating your laptop.

My old laptop, as I said was also a Compaq Presario, if I remember correctly, a V5000 or something like that. It originally was Windows XP but I just had to have something that my friends didn't do I upgraded it to Windows Vista Home Premium three months after Vista was released. I never had "Vista Problems", it was a 32bit version and now I am running on my Toshiba Satellite L350 Series Vista Home Premium 32bit again, thought it was best to stick with what I knew best, Vista LOL.

I now have an Intel Centriono processor when I too when I had my Compaq Presario had AMD. I was always hearing bad things about Compaq PCs and Laptops and also HP especially after HP bought out Compaq, from what I understand, HP makes Compaq computers now and just keeps the name Compaq. Well I always heard good things about Toshiba's so I thought it would be good to get plus unlike my Compaq, this laptop is 17.5" long and has a Number Lock Keypad, the part I like the most.

Alot of people I know in Australia who have those particular type of laptops have had the same issue no matter what windows they ran, it is due to an overheating issue with the laptop itself usually. Though I'm not saying this is the problem in your case, its just a possibility.

Is there by any chance a way to prevent the over heating issue that I mentioned? I usually leave my laptop on all night and it doesn't overheat during that time. When I wake up, it is running cooler and I don't really feel any heat, I think its because its idle and I'm not using it at the time.

One lase question, is there any special cooling pads for Toshibas or will anyone do? Also how much do they usually cost?
 
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