Computer Related > An Old Laptop Computing Issues
Thread Author: Duncan Replies: 36

 An Old Laptop - Duncan
I have an HP G60 laptop. It must be 5 or 6 years old. When new it was running Windows Vista, it is now running Windows 8. It is very slow. After a recent crash my tech savvy nephew got it running again.

I don't use it, other than once a month or so, to download updates.

How much is it worth? Where would I sell it - Ebay, Gumtree?

Should I give it away? Who would want it?
 An Old Laptop - Bromptonaut
I suspect it's worth diddly on e-bay by time it's posted etc.

There are several charities that will take old but working machines for re-use in UK or Africa and other underdeveloped parts of the planet.

www.computersforcharities.org/

computers4africa.org.uk/
 An Old Laptop - Duncan

>> There are several charities that will take old but working machines for re-use in UK
>> or Africa and other underdeveloped parts of the planet.
>>
>> www.computersforcharities.org/

They only want i3 or better.

>> computers4africa.org.uk/

They want stuff maximum 8 years old.

Starting to sound like the tip, unless anybody on here wants it?
 An Old Laptop - Zero

>> They only want i3 or better.
>> They want stuff maximum 8 years old.
>> Starting to sound like the tip, unless anybody on here wants it?

Spec is
Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (32-bit)
Intel Pentium dual core processor T3200
3072 MB (1 x 1024 MB + 1 x 2048 MB)
160 GB SATA Hard Disk Drive 5400 rpm
15.6" Single channel LVDS HD BrightView
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
Up to 1277 MB Total Available Graphics Memory
Lightscribe Super Multi DVD Writer (+/-R +/-RW) with Double Layer support
802.11b/g WLAN
Webcam with integrated microphone
5-in-1 integrated Digital Media Reader for Secure Digital cards, MultiMedia cards, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, or xD Picture cards


Too low spec for me.
 An Old Laptop - smokie
There was a time when a nerd would have bought it to cannibalise or to monitor something (usually only low spec reqd) but the parts are now so cheap, and technology has moved on so quickly, and with the advent of simple machine like the Raspberry Pi, there is not much call for them.

OTOH I can imagine there are loads of people out there for whom that would represent a decent upgrade from their existing kit, and would be very happy with it.
 An Old Laptop - Stuartli
People offer computer equipment to charities, who lay down minimum specifications for it?

They should get real.

Had a six-year-old Lenovo i5 that decided to give up the ghost by burning out its mainboard while being charged - other than that it was virtually as good performance wise as the replacement Dell Vostro i5 3559 that I bought (supposedly refurbished, but in mint condition) for £100 less that the Lenovo.
 An Old Laptop - Zero
>> I have an HP G60 laptop. It must be 5 or 6 years old. When
>> new it was running Windows Vista,

If it was running Vista it must be 8-10 years old and have little or no financial value.
Last edited by: Zero on Tue 28 Nov 17 at 08:40
 An Old Laptop - Hard Cheese
Agreed, Windows 7 started shipping late 2009 as I recall so it must be at least eight years old.
 An Old Laptop - Robin O'Reliant
Buy an anorak and put Linux on it.
 An Old Laptop - movilogo
I have an HP G70 laptop. This is 9-yr old now. It came with 32-bit Windows Vista. The screen hinge broke after 4 years.

I stopped using it and was lying as junk. But then I installed Linux Mint (64-bit) on it and attached an unused TV as display and it is now serving as my desktop replacement (added a £6 keyboard too).

I now use it daily. Runs fast with 3 GB RAM. I also installed Windows 7 on (via Virtual Box) it just to use Microsoft Access. It runs very slow on virtual Windows but majority of time I can work only using Linux and it runs fast (compared with a 9-yr old Windows PC).


 An Old Laptop - Stuartli
HPs seem to be prone to breaking screens. When a friend damaged hers, I got the screen replaced for an all-in £45 at a local computer repair shop.
 An Old Laptop - Bromptonaut
>> I stopped using it and was lying as junk. But then I installed Linux Mint
>> (64-bit) on it and attached an unused TV as display and it is now serving
>> as my desktop replacement (added a £6 keyboard too).

My Bro out law was talking about a recycling scheme for Africa etc that used Linux and which might therefore take lower spec machines. I've got about half a dozen from XP to slow W10 that could go to a good home.
 An Old Laptop - movilogo
A lot of people claim Apple's MacOS is easier to use, less resource hungry without realizing that Linux is just the same and available FREE.

All one needs is the courage to wipe Windows off the computer and install Linux.

Linux works fine out of the box, without having to tweak for hours (which was possibly the case 10 years ago though).

 An Old Laptop - Zero

>> Linux works fine out of the box, without having to tweak for hours

Not the last time i checked it wasnt. About 5 months ago.
 An Old Laptop - Robin O'Reliant
>> Not the last time i checked it wasnt. About 5 months ago.

Same here. I'd install it on an old machine, but I wouldn't replace Win 7 or 10 with it.
Last edited by: VxFan on Wed 29 Nov 17 at 01:53
 An Old Laptop - rtj70
I had Linux running okay on a 486 with 8MB RAM back in 1992 - took a lot of tweaking. Even had to tell the graphic driver when to do horizontal and vertical refresh on my 15" monitor :-)

Okay it's easier to install today and PCs are much more powerful. For a general Internet browsing system it will be okay but for most it's probably not a good enough replacement to Windows or MacOS because of the app. WiNE is still not good enough.

I'm not surprised Movilogo's Windows virtual machine runs slowly on this. He's only got 3GB in total and Windows will want most of that and he's got Linux running as the primary OS. My work laptop has 32GB RAM and runs several VMs at the same time quite nicely :-)
Last edited by: rtj70 on Tue 28 Nov 17 at 18:42
 An Old Laptop - Falkirk Bairn
>>I had Linux running okay on a 486 with 8MB RAM back in 1992.

About 1987 I had a customer running 12 Word Processing Wyse terminals (dumb ASCIIs) - the processing was a PC, 386, 4Mb RAM & 100Mb - Pick Operating system.

Pick had its origins in the Vietnam war when Dick Pick had problems with spares for helicopters & aircraft - he wrote a combined operating system & multi-user database that effectively run on fresh air & supported serial connected dumb terminals. He is on Wikipedia as an early pioneer in low cost multi-user computing - at the time he did this 2/3 terminal systems could be £50K+
 An Old Laptop - Duncan
I have decided to get rid of said laptop.

I can take it to the tip and put it in the skip full of similar gear. How do I remove any confidential stuff on there? Googling brings up various methods, all of which involve inserting a disk - which I don't have. I am reluctant to attack it with a hammer, that seems a little crude.

Some companies offer a cleaning service, for which they charge.

Can anyone describe a reasonably simple, foolproof method of wiping the hard drive?
 An Old Laptop - Bromptonaut
>> Can anyone describe a reasonably simple, foolproof method of wiping the hard drive?

I take them out and keep them.
 An Old Laptop - Duncan
>> >> Can anyone describe a reasonably simple, foolproof method of wiping the hard drive?
>>
>> I take them out and keep them.
>>

Silly question time. If I unscrew all those little panels on the back, which one is the HDD? What does it look like?
 An Old Laptop - Zero
www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-na.ssl-images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41vk9ZhC4lL._SX300_.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2F1000Gb-Laptop-Notebook-Replacement-Drive%2Fdp%2FB003OEWF3O&docid=4fbNLBWzsGyIBM&tbnid=dXvhq7jZgdas3M%3A&vet=10ahUKEwj3nfzOtuPXAhXBiRoKHaODB3QQMwiaAigPMA8..i&w=300&h=223&bih=839&biw=1440&q=laptop%20hard%20drive&ved=0ahUKEwj3nfzOtuPXAhXBiRoKHaODB3QQMwiaAigPMA8&iact=mrc&uact=8
 An Old Laptop - Zero
>> Can anyone describe a reasonably simple, foolproof method of wiping the hard drive?

Attack it with a hammer. Alternately just remove the disk and throw it in the bin, and take the laptop to the recycling. The two will never get reunited and no-one is in the least bit remotely interested in digging your hard disk out of landfill to recover your information.
Last edited by: VxFan on Wed 29 Nov 17 at 10:07
 An Old Laptop - Zero
Take the platters out and use them as beer mats down at Spoons.

Oh you can't, spoons has gone
 An Old Laptop - Duncan
>> Take the platters out and use them as beer mats down at Spoons.
>>
>> Oh you can't, spoons has gone
>>

I wish you wouldn't mock the grieving.
 An Old Laptop - smokie
I forget, is the laptop not working? If it is, there are free downloads which will wipe the disk to US Department of Defense standards. You'd need to be able to write a bootable CD or USB for them though. I'm sure we can help with creating this if needed.

www.killdisk.com/killdisk-home.htm is the one I have used in a company environment

but there are plenty more.

 An Old Laptop - Duncan
That nice Mr Google has sent me a diagram.

h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c02985882.pdf

I am going to shut up about it now.
 An Old Laptop - Clk Sec
>> That nice Mr Google has sent me a diagram.

Are you sure?
 An Old Laptop - Duncan
>> >> That nice Mr Google has sent me a diagram.
>>
>> Are you sure?
>>

I think so.

Page 2-8. No?
 An Old Laptop - Clk Sec
>> Are you sure?
>>
>> I think so.
>>
>> Page 2-8. No?
>>

I couldn't open your link, but had no trouble with Zero's further up thread!

Not to worry. At least I now know what they look like.
 An Old Laptop - smokie
Actually.... I might be able to use it! I have a nascent hobby which is around playing music (on a keyboard) but also using music software to create and enhance music, and do some sequencing. None of which requires a high spec machine. I've been planning on starting this hobby for at least three years now and it' s not one I want to spend much money on (I already have a quite decent keyboard, unused for 3 years!! Any PC may also sit unused for a time!!)

So if you are really thinking of junking it, and wouldn't mind passing it on for free, could I have first shout? I think you are in Surrey somewhere, I'm in Berkshire so not so far away... I could drag along the Killdisk software all ready to go so you can see it has been cleared before use... :-)
 An Old Laptop - Duncan
Sorry. Just promised to a friend who has the same laptop.
 An Old Laptop - smokie
OK, thanks anyway
 An Old Laptop - Ambo
Glad there is a happy ending but the problem must be a common one. In fact, I may face it shortly as I am considering getting a laptop to replace my desktop. Instead of binning the desktop, would it be possibly to use it as an external hard disk drive to make backups? Or use it's disc drive, if the laptop selected doesn't have one?
 An Old Laptop - smokie
You could run the machine on your home network and use it for all sorts of things but I can't think of one (other than as a backup destination) which would be of interest to you!

If your desktop is old there will be no value in any of the internal components, though if it's working you might be able to get a few bob for it on a local sale (on eBay, or newsagents window etc). You'd need to make sure you wiped your personal data first.

You could take out the disk and make it into a external USB drive which you can attach to your laptop to do backups but tbh it would cost a few bob and a moderate size new built-for-purpose USB external hard drive isn't a lot these days.

If you've not got a huge amounts to back up, a decent size USB stick might do it.

But doing a backup is essential, if you value your data at all!!
 An Old Laptop - VxFan
>> I can't think of one

Put a TV card into it and use it as a freeview recorder.
Last edited by: VxFan on Tue 5 Dec 17 at 01:54
 An Old Laptop - rtj70
>> Put a TV card into it and use it as a freeview recorder.

What TV card do you recommend for a laptop? Or are you referring to the ancient PC in a later post? Which is better recycled.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Tue 5 Dec 17 at 01:58
 An Old Laptop - VxFan
Well as I replied to Smokie's post, who in turn replied to Ambo's post about what he could do with his old desktop, the answer to your question should be obvious ;)
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