Another computer 'what would you do' ?

[Scott Douglas]

I've got my daughter's old (2006 BIOS) laptop computer which my wife had hiding in a coffee table she decided to replace. The computer wouldn't turn on for her. Battery was totally dead so I got it going by using the A/C adapter it came with.

It's an HP dv6000.
It's running Win XP, has an AMD Family 15 Model 72 Stepping 2 Authentic AMD 1607Mhz processor.

It has a 93 GB hard disk in it.

Everything about it is out of date. The firefox browser isn't supported any longer and when I go to update it, it says the processor won't support the latest version.

I'm pretty sure the battery is toast since it's been down for so long. I had to reset the BIOS system time as it was at 2006 and zero minutes.

What I'm thinking is, much as I'd like to use this machine, it is just too dated to make a go of it.

Thinking of taking the HD out of it and just chucking the rest, even though it has a pretty picture.
I would put the HD is a case and use it as additional storage for my pictures.

What would the collective do?

[legion]

Put Ubuntu on it.

[abisel]

Well, I have never had good luck with HP products. And Dell never floated my boat either, although I have owned a few Dell desktops.

Then a year ago, I built a new desktop from individual components and built a PC to my liking. No more spinning hard drives either. All solid state and they are fast. Fast booting and faster applications.

Then for a laptop, I went with an ASUS and never looked back.

It might be time for you to step up to something like this:


https://store.asus.com/us/item/201804AM060000008/A47070-ASUS-ROG-Strix-Scar-Edition-GL703GS-DS74-17.3%E2%80%9D-Gaming-Laptop%2C-GeForce-GTX-1070-8GB%2C-Intel-Core-i7-8750H%2C-144Hz-3ms-display%2C-16GB-DDR4%2C-256GB-PCIe-SSD-%2B-1TB-SSHD%2C-Windows-10

I got this ASUS for graphics applications and gaming applications. What you get would depend on what you want the computer to do.

[HardDrive]

Originally Posted by legion

Put Ubuntu on it.

Beat me too it.

[Scott Douglas]

The Ubuntu site says it needs a dual core processor which this doesn't have.

We've got two HP desktops which I've had pretty good luck keeping going.
Not really in a position $-wise to spend on a new computer.
I just hate getting rid of stuff but maybe I can still use the HD out of it.

[Scott Douglas]

I've got one of these that has another old drive in it:

https://www.sabrent.com/product/EC-UK30/ultra-slim-usb-3-0-to-2-5-inch-sata-external-aluminum-hard-drive-enclosure/

Guess I could spring for another one.

[id10t]

I could make it work w/ a Linux distro. If you have the geek skills, you can too. I'd start with Debian stable and go from there, and set it up for use in the garage or front porch to surf web, stream music, and view PDF files.

[JackDidley]

+1 for linux. On another computer, Go here, Download and download LiLI. This will let you install almost any linux distrobution you want to a flash drive. Boot the old laptop from the flashdrive and take linux for a test drive. Find one you like and install it to the laptop. There will be several linux choices with LiLi and you can go to Distrowatch.com and select from a bunch of linuxes there. Best part is they are free. Tahrpup is a very easy to use linux.

[RKDinOKC]

If you aren't geek savvy enough to already know the solutions given above, you will spend more time and money than it is worth to do anything with.

Security erase the hard drive, the give to Staples for recycling or give to one of the geeks above that will pay for shipping.

If you give it to any friends or family that are not geek savvy, they will expect you to support it.

[stomachmonkey]

Don’t be me and think you can save every old computer.

You’ll just end up with 30 or so past their prime boxes taking up space till you finally acknowledge reality and chuck em.

And fwiw, that hard drive is almost certainly some old unreliable POS.

[JackDidley]

Originally Posted by RKDinOKC

If you aren't geek savvy enough to already know the solutions given above, you will spend more time and money than it is worth to do anything with.

Security erase the hard drive, the give to Staples for recycling or give to one of the geeks above that will pay for shipping.

If you give it to any friends or family that are not geek savvy, they will expect you to support it.

May spend some time but the only cost is a flash drive or a CD. I have time so I do not mind playing with different form of linux. I keep finding newer/better distros.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Don’t be me and think you can save every old computer.

You’ll just end up with 30 or so past their prime boxes taking up space till you finally acknowledge reality and chuck em.

And fwiw, that hard drive is almost certainly some old unreliable POS.

This.

Old computers are just not worth the effort. New ones are just cheap.

[Gogar]

Cmon man what’s your time worth?

That thing is target practice.

[IS300]

apples to apples

[oldE]

Originally Posted by JackDidley

+1 for linux. On another computer, Go here, Download and download LiLI. This will let you install almost any linux distrobution you want to a flash drive. Boot the old laptop from the flashdrive and take linux for a test drive. Find one you like and install it to the laptop. There will be several linux choices with LiLi and you can go to Distrowatch.com and select from a bunch of linuxes there. Best part is they are free. Tahrpup is a very easy to use linux.

I have to second the Distrowatch suggestion. However, Full Disclosure: my son manages the site.
Years ago he gave me a circa 2005 vintage LG laptop which wouldn't load whatever the current Windows system was. It has Mint installed on it. Like the unit the OP has, the battery is long dead, so it has to be plugged in, but the old beast keeps booting up when I ask it to. It is the only machine I have which has a CD/DVD drive.

Best
Les

[sugarwood]

93GB hard drive is worth less than $0
when a new 128GB SSD is $25

Sell it on Ebay.
Let some other fool waste his time on it.

[Seahawk]

Dude: Used laptops are ridiculously cheap.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=used+laptops&t=ffsb&atb=v72-6__&ia=products

[SpyderMike]

I have done this to a few similar laptops - turn it into a Chromebook or free and it will be fine:

www.neverware.com

[Deschodt]

Generally the best bang for $ is adding memory and replacing HD with SSD... And sticking with the old OS if you ahve the disk, the minute you put a modern OS on a 10y old machine it's gonna crawl.

But invariably, this is throwing good money in a pit, you are better off spending a little more for a new machine.

I've recycled some old laptops like this for the garage, to connect to an endscope, or an ODB2 reader, or porsche specific software...

[Icemaster]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Don’t be me and think you can save every old computer.

You’ll just end up with 30 or so past their prime boxes taking up space till you finally acknowledge reality and chuck em.

FTW.

I've a Lenovo or 2 I'll ship you if you really want something. Pay the shipping and it's yours.

'Cause I just realized I'm in the same boat as SM. Last count, 11 laptops, three tablets, don't know how many cell phones. I swear they procreate.