Laptop issues

[captain_slinky]

Any idea how difficult/expensive it would be to replace the screen on a Dell laptop? Even if it's just temporary... need to retrieve some files off the hard drive.

Comments

[hallerlake.livejournal.com]

Plug it into an external screen and copy files off?

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

That is proving to be... problematic. The laptop already had issues, and the shattered screen just confounded the issue. Thought I might kill two birds with minimal rock depletion, but if I can't even get it to come up on the external monitor... maybe I just need to bag it :(

[aurora77]

Ouch. Maybe a video card issue on top of it?

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

Yeah... the more I get in to ti, the more I'm sure that file retrieval is the best I'm gonna be able to do.

[hallerlake.livejournal.com]

Can you dismount the hard drive and plug it into a separate puter (or an external drive enclosure)

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

That's the next move... gonna see if I can borrow (or purchase) an external drive enclosure. Reluctant to just pop it in to my computer because it was "Acting all weird" before they broke the screen.

[rogh-sensei.livejournal.com]

Forget the enclosure. Get one of these.

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

Indeed a very nice device... but I'm looking at either $40 for that, or $10 for a cheap-ass USB enclosure.

Me thinks a trip to Fry's is in my future!

[pete23.livejournal.com]

if you need files from the drive, just open it up, extract the disc and shove it into a USB caddy?

or connect an external monitor?

fixing an LCD screen - even temporarily - sounds like the Hard Way^TM.

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

Ultimately, I'd like to get the whole computer fixed up for the owner. File retreival is kind of a "Plan B"

[pete23.livejournal.com]

souns like plan B is becoming plan A:-(

[nealbailey.livejournal.com]

I would go to a library and hijack a monitor with the permission of the librarian. Or a Best Buy, and promise to buy your next computer there if you can jack in just for visuals for five minutes.

[teegin.livejournal.com]

http://www.laptoprepair101.com/laptop/2006/02/22/troubleshoot-fix-laptop-video-problems/

[nani-ka.livejournal.com]

Talk to freak. He has the equipment you need already to hook the old drive into any computer via IDE/USB....