Laptop Replacement Suggestions ?

[expresso]

I think my laptop is on its way out -

any laptop suggestions - ? i dont want a large screen one

my current laptop is Dell - it was better than my previous one but not great either -

its either over heating at time i hear the fan running - i replaced the battery once - and new charger cable - i used a dell one - and its showing its unknown adapter

when booting its been going to a white screen warning about the adapter charger - i can continue to boot - or enter the bios to not see this screen again - i havnt done anything yet - but it has happen a bit more often now - i wonder next time i try it unplugged to see if it still does it -

but it may be a good time to start looking for a replacement in the meantime

any suggestions - its just used for charging and browsing really - desktop is used 90% of the time

thanks

[Burgerman]

Who is in charge of your laptop?
Your dell power supply or cable is likely a fake. Theres millions. You can set to detect this geniune OR NOT in the bios...

If fans are going all the time or its getting hot then you have either a MISCONFIGURED BIOS or you have a misconfigured operating system. It should idle at 1% CPU at worst and 0% at times. And all the power settings should make it idle at a couple of hundred mhz not ghz... And at low like .4v only.

And there should be so little heat that the computer is cold everywhere and no fans running at all. This can be the power saving settings, a load of unessassary junk running for no reason other than you have not configured it properly or a lot of incorrect bios settings. If its not stone cold just surfing or emailing etc then this stuff is whats wrong.

It should only get warm if you are gaming or ripping movies or using adobe premier editing or something. Then the fans WILL run.

You wont like my laptop suggestions. $$$$$ with 5 years dell business warranty next day at your house fix or replace.

[Burgerman]

GO BACK and read it FULLY before replying!

[expresso]

no i wont - i dont need that

all i need is a basic fast quiet small laptop to charge my chairs and use when i am not at my desktop


its dell unit - if its fake - thats that - as long as it works -

but this gave me issues - started with the original dell unit when purchased it - so i figured it was on the way out - wasnt starting a charge etc,

i got an replacement - NON Dell at the time - worked fine for over a year or more i believe - and same thing started -

so this time i got an Dell one same as original - i cant say its real or fake - its the same unit - it charges but i get this white screen during boot up at time warning about it

it has been acting strange for a while - the whole thing - at times it can go blank for no reason - it seems as if it goes to sleep - after trying to reboot it - it comes back at the sign in screen - it didnt have to reboot - and sometimes i just have to reboot

so something may be going on other than the adapter - i checked the power sleep settings nothing strange there -

the last time i opened my last laptop - to do something i forgot what it was - i killed it and trashed it - it was old anyway -

this one - i am not sure when i got it - could be over 5 years i think - if not more

[Burgerman]

Theres nothing in it to "wear out". If it works when it was new, with the stock bios settings it CAME WITH, and the operating system set up as it was when new, then it will work the same today. But you have changed something maybe many things. And thats why its doing strange stuff.

And you did not read my post!

What model is it?

[expresso]

GO BACK and read it FULLY before replying!

fans are not on all the time - but i do hear them at times - and i am not really doing anything stressful - could be the air flow is not good either

i done nothing to this laptop - the way i got it new is the way i left it - i do the updates and dell software checks for updates - to bios etc, i install what it says i need too o

thats it

maybe i should just reset and let it reinstall windows on its own - or reset the bios to default etc,

[Burgerman]

Yes.

Then enter bios after setting defaults, and DISABLE adapter genuine check!

The laptop you are wanting is probably the one you alrady have it just needs properly configuring.

[expresso]

Theres nothing in it to "wear out". If it works when it was new, with the stock bios settings it CAME WITH, and the operating system set up as it was when new, then it will work the same today. But you have changed something maybe many things. And thats why its doing strange stuff.

And you did not read my post!

What model is it?

read your post - but i already posted before you finished

i dont play around with the laptop - i dont touch it because its my back up to my desktop -

who knows over the years - i might have done something not realizing -

things do wear out - fail or no longer work as new over time -

Dell inspiration model

[Burgerman]

When they fail to run, or the screen is black. Thats how you tell its worn out. They dont degrade. They fail suddenly. Transistors work or they dont. Except for dust in CPU fan. Hit the lots with a vaccuum cleaner. But that just limits max cpu speed.

[expresso]

Yes.

Then enter bios after setting defaults, and DISABLE adapter genuine check!

The laptop you are wanting is probably the one you alrady have it just needs properly configuring.

i will do that next time i use it - i try it later maybe - it gave me the option to disable that option - i didnt do anything yet and just continued to let it boot

[expresso]

When they fail to run, or the screen is black. Thats how you tell its worn out. They dont degrade. They fail suddenly. Transistors work or they dont. Except for dust in CPU fan. Hit the lots with a vaccuum cleaner. But that just limits max cpu speed.

it seems thats what will happen - as i am using it - sometimes - i hear the fan ramp up or just run - the screen goes blank - nothing works - i use the power button to bring it back if i hold long enough

it comes back to the sign on screen - and sometimes it dosnt and does a reboot

so something is wrong - i get the updates and install them from Dell - thinking its a fix for this issue maybe - but who knows

[Burgerman]

Vaccuum cleaner the coller slots and reset everything. Bios safe or default. Software reinstall the ORIGINAL configuration and drivers.

[expresso]

i will try that later

its not dirty in there - i changed the battery a while back and was very clean actually - i did install more memory also i think - if i recall - its been a while

or i was planning to do that but never did - have to check the specs - but the battery i did replace for sure - and maybe that was not a Dell brand - could be the reason its giving me that message -

but still dosnt explain the blank screen at times -


i will do the reset - bios and disable the message -

[Burgerman]

Blank screen can be caused by many things. Like misconfigured drivers or power saving or sleep/hybernate settings or many other things.

Enter dells bios based complete hardware test.

It tests everything. Especially memory which take ages. You may have a bad memory module. Tests screen, motherboard etc too. If i passes that you have a configuration or setup problem.

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-u ... or-servers That may not be the right link for your laptop. But if not then go to the correct support page for yours.

[expresso]

i done that before but dont know if i did a full test or quick one

will do it again -

will reset bios to default

i also reset the PC to factory once before and i though it solved it but i guess not


i dont touch the laptop - i just use it - i do the recommended dell updates - windows etc, thats it

i checked the power saving first thing - even if i have it for the screen to go to sleep - not the PC - it shouldnt go blank when in use - i feel its video related somehow - graphics on some web sites trip it up sometimes

i will do another reset after going to default first and disable the message in the bios - and take it from there

also the mouse hasnt been great on the mouse pad - been harder to use - and not stable or precise - i never like those mouse pads - but makes it easier than using external mouse - external does work better i tried it once

[Burgerman]

Dell drivers are frequently crap. And chipset drivers. Those allow jumpy mouse and black screens. Install the drivers that WORK not the latest ones that dell sends automatically... YOU drive the computer.

Then once good drivers stop messing with new ones! Unless you keep track and roll back if they cause issues such as you have. I had a bad chipset or graphics driver from dell that did all of your issues. Nothing wrong with the hardware. It either works or it doesent.

[expresso]

Dell drivers are frequently crap. And chipset drivers. Those allow jumpy mouse and black screens. Install the drivers that WORK not the latest ones that dell ends automatically... YOU drive the computer.

Then once good drivers stop messing with new ones! Unless you keep track and roll back if they cause issues such as you have. I had a bad chipset or graphics driver from dell that did all of your issues. Nothing wrong with the hardware. It either works or it doesent.

i didnt buy a computer to have to do work to get it to work - if they built it - they supply what it needs in terms of updates to there hardware etc, - i may have a drive update program to find them -

[Burgerman]

ALL computers are dumb. All that automated crap is for dummies or daft housewives. In a futile attempt to automate stuff that needs someone to properly control or monitor and decide or roll back drivers etc if problems arise. If you dont want to configure it properly you should buy something designed for dummies like an apple. With all the self impos restriction that it involves. YOU must drive a PC be it a laptop or a desktop or it wll never work PROPERLY and you end up as you are now.

[expresso]

i guess i need driving lessons

[Burgerman]

Sounds like it. Buying another laptop will not fix your problem. Other than starting from scratch till you let it screw up all over again.

[expresso]

thats correct - lasted a good 8 years - i can consider that OK

but i am not rushing to buy a new one - i feel i am headed that way

i dont want to be without -

i will try a reset - default bios settings - etc

run the test full - to see what dell says

[Burgerman]

If hardware passes test. Definitely go back to all original drivers. And your issues will be gone. Update each one ONE AT A TIME and test for day or so. Then when you get to the ones that cause issues remove and roll back. And MAKE A NOTE!!!

[expresso]

i would have to go to device manager and check each one there ?

if i do a full reset - factory - should be fine ?

[steves1977uk]

If it's not sensing the charger correctly, it usually means the DC charging port is buggered. Dell uses an extra pin inside the DC jack barrel that tells the laptop what type of charger is being used.

Steve

[Burgerman]

No idea what you ean by full reset.
If you mean restore to day 1 then that will work. Or reinstall windows. And add new dell drivers one at a time and test. Esp graphics, and chipset and anything mouse.

First thing I ever do on a brand new PC or Laptop is format it and redo the partition layout to get rid of all dells hidden wasted space with their crappy original setup as its full of bloat and dell everything that I dont want. And I use DIFFERENT operating system anyway. As should you.

[expresso]

yes a factory restore

i can install the LTSC i use on my desktop also

and take it from there - then install office and validate it with the cracks - and thats it

start fresh - as long as my PL 8 software works - thats all i really need on that thing - i dont do much on it - too slow for me - its decent but not as good as desktop


if doing a new one today - i wouldnt know with those new chips from intel or AMD which is the one to get - too many names and confusing models

[Burgerman]

It doesent much matter. All of them are faster than anything you will ever use them for and so all will be the exact same speed.

What does matter? M.2 nvme pcie and how many. And 8gb or better ram. You dont need 16gb. Anything heavy? Remote desktop, to your new PC.

You can clone your desktop to your laptop in one go.

[expresso]

it has 8 gig already

i was planning to add another one - since i have a free slot - i cant remember if i did it now - when i did the battery or not

it has SSD drive - not sure its M2. kind

here we go with the cloning - sounds easy and simple and i am sure it is - i never really done it - it would be faster for me to just boot into the windows 10 and install from scratch - then install office and thats it - validate it - done

i bet that would be faster to me than to try a clone -

[Burgerman]

I can clone one PC to anoher in 7 mins. Done.

[expresso]

dell self test passed the full test


only the webcam didnt - but i realized it have it covered -

updated bios -

disabled the warning about the adapter

we see how it behaves -

power is set to Dell recommended - just changed the sleep PC to never -

dont want it going to sleep while charging etc, - screen yes - goes off after 15min on battery or AC power


now if i still experince the Blank - black screen effect when in use - then its something else i need to check -

i will blow some air in the ducts next chance i get

the mouse pad i never liked - its not stable as i move the mouse - it tends to move when i want to hit enter - and clicks on something else -

have to get it just right - and its hard to press - not as easy as some others - which had a little left and right pad below the mouse pad - so you move the mouse around and then click the bottom pad - had it on my HP - that worked better than one big pad

but over time - those left right pads worn out also -

a very long time ago when i had an IBM model

it has a little red dot in the middle of the keyboard - with left and right clicks lower down

at first seemed strange but once i got the hang of that - it worked very well -

if it would work today - i cant say - my hands etc are not same as it used to be 20 years ago