Use caution with the registry, you export and import the entries and as I said, this can be messy! Copying entire hives over is not good either.

I have a hard time recalling a program that will write new registry entries in a case like this. That's a new one for me, they just give errors (or nothing) in my experience.

 

I know its a few days old (new job is keeping me off the interwebs), but...

I was just trying to give a few suggestions that would only take a few minutes. I've had bad miscellaneous hardware (usually memory) fail in bizarre ways that actually manifested as motherboard failures.

Any word yet Jim?

Also, I had no idea so many techies drove diesel trucks. LOL

 

I hate HP's low end stuff, but I've got 3 HP laptops and they are all good.

 

Registry stuff is easy if you know what your doing.

I was stating it was an option.

 

This is a good idea to try, but computers will generally post with bad ram. Not always, just generally.

Wireless cards are rarely integrated anymore, Video is the only one you cannot really be sure of anymore.

I'd try this as well though, Especially removing the hard drive.
I've seen bad hard drives stop post.


Destroys your battery!!!

I suggested this to him due to computers being so cheap now.
He can buy almost the exact same computer new for the same price it would cost to fix it.
for 400-500 dollars you can get an i3-i5 and 4 gigs of ram.

I thought this was his bench laptop, that one needs a serial port.
Guess its a good thing its not. I'd be sending him my old 95 machine. I like that computer.

 

We sold quite a few USB to serial adapters as there are lot of plants use old protocols around here. It is amazing how much hardware just will not interface with those adapters. We actually started stocking a serial card.

 

I know you've received a lot of input on this, but I will say X2 on the statement above. With the way technology is moving, you can get a much faster/more powerful computer for less money these days. Trying to fix an older computer is likely to cost you as much money as a new one would cost(or at least a big chunk of a new computer). I have worked with various software licenses (including some complex licensing in GIS software) in my job for the last 6 years, and all that I have worked with are super easy to install on a new system with the same license. You'd just need to check on these things:
1) Do you still have the installation software (Cd's or files), or can you get them from the company, for the version of the software you have (most software companies upgrade their software and no longer provide the older versions - you'd have to check into this)
2) Will the version of software that you have run on the new operating systems (most likely Windows 7)

Then it is a simple matter of reinstalling the software on the new machine with your existing licenses and you're back up and running.

If you have files or documents stored in the old computer (not software related files - but Word documents, pictures, contact lists, etc. Your software related files will be installed when you reinstall the software.), you can usually take your old computer to an IT/computer store that does file recovery and have them connect to your old computer and copy the files onto either 1)your new computer, or 2) an external hard drive, which you can then plug into you new computer and copy over.

We do this all the time when we upgrade our computer systems. New computer, same software and licenses. Reinstall the software using the same license keys, then copy the hard drive contents over and you're good to go. Sometimes it becomes complicated if the software will not run on the new OS's, but most of the time we don't have that problem. But we pay yearly maintenance on our software and receive the software upgrades as they come out with them, so we are always up-to-date with the latest and greatest. Your situation may not be the case.

Just my 2 cents. Good luck.

 

I have been in and out of elitebooks quite a bit... that was definatly a high end laptop at the time but as you mentioned it is a bit old at this point.

It is not hard to move the necessary data to a new laptop (I do it all the time, IT is my day job). I might even have one of those laying around, I'd have to look.

If you want you can call me (I believe you have my number, if not pm me)

Richard

EDT: I will note that the elitebook W series has a replaceable graphics card....

 

Most manufacturers have 2 lines of equipment... Consumer and Business... Most of the time the Consumer level equipment is availible in stores and looks and feels cheap and plastic-ish... mostly because they are. Don't expect a consumer Laptop to last more than 2-3 years. I tend to get at least 4-5 out of the business level stuff.

I only reciently upgraded because of speed issues. I still have my 5 year old Dell Latitude D820 in perfect working condition... I use it for interfacing with my BMW and other tasks.

For Dell the Business lines include the Latitude and Precision laptops (I prefer the Latitudes) and Optiplex and Precision Desktops.

For HP the Elitebook series are their business level laptops. They are some of the best laptops made today. The down side is that they are more expensive for what you get.

I recommend Dell Latitudes for laptops up to 15" (best value available), but for a 17" I prefer the HP Elitebooks (I am working on one now).

Richard

 

I been doing this over 18 years. I know whats going on.

All my laptops are 5 years or older though. =)


I have one HP that is 7 years old and used daily, and this one is 5 years old.


There are more than 2 grades of laptops.

3 to 4 actually.

It comes prevalent when you have to sell the friggen things everyday. I never realized how many piece of **** computers there were out there for you to buy from all the brands.

 

I mostly deal with HP and Dell ... in the past I have learned the perils of buying cheap... remember emachines ...

I was mostly speaking about the ones I stick to... I have also been doing this for almost 20 years.... I actually have a nice hardware collection including a box of 8" brand new floppys (some missing) and every intel desktop proc from the 8086 to P4 except the 80186 and I think I have most of the coprocessors too.

Uh oh... did I just let my geek show....

Richard

 

Ugh, I cannot stand dell.

 

The Dell business line has always served me well... good support too (consumer support and business support are completely different).

I'd be curious to hear you insights... but maybe by PM... we are getting a bit off topic....

Can you get off topic in an off topic thread....

Richard

 

Off topic is the OBS forum specialty.

We can off topic and off topic off topic while off-topicing the first off topic.

 

Yeah.....see, it just happened! Got off topic by talking about getting off topic! See how easy it is! LOL!!