So after tearing the notebook down, there is a list of parts that need to be replaced.
1. CPU fan
2. Lid Plastics
3. Keyboard
4. Palm rest assembly
I'm looking into a replacement unit that is dead as a donor, time to start looking!
Rebuild of a H.P. Pavilion ZE5607WM Code name "Project Opie" LOL
This project will be a re-build of a HP Pavilion ZE5607WM, 2.6GHz. 120Gb Drive, 1Gb. Ram.It will need to be torn down, cleaned up and a new palm rest and keyboard installed, along with a fresh copy of XP Home SP3, there are three fans that need to be looked at also, they're a bit noisy. Not a big project overall, but it's nice to still see it running, it's still a very usable notebook. I purchased this one ten years ago? At that time it was $1,000, it has made its way through the family and will be coming back my way for a little while.
I started the first steps of the re-build, I did the initial cleaning of the heat sinks, then I wiped the drive, and am in the process of re-installing the operating system, XP Home SP3, I think I'll stop after the first round of 99 updates, I've had enough computer repair for the day.
Something doesn't seem right with how it is running, I'll need to see if there is a chipset driver that needs to be installed to improve the performance.
Did I mention that I am a nerd? LOL! you guessed eh?
Later!
Me! aka "I CAN Man"
Fixing a Dell Latitude D600
The project for today is this Dell Latitude D600, manufactured in 2003 the power jack and the hard drive need to be replaced. I called on the expertise of a friend to solder the new power jack in, I had attempted it and the connections failed, it's always good to have a talented friend!The laptop had a 40Gb drive in it, that is being increased to 120Gb, partitioned to 40Gb C:/80Gb D:, a far roomier drive for all those things that get installed in the system.
After putting the computer back together, I suddenly had a memory error, a memory card went bad? I was lucky this time, I had an extra 512Mb SODIMM laying around for it! So back to 1024Mb of ram it goes.No real problems here, after the repairs, reinstall the operating system, drivers, and the nearly 1200 updates and it will be done!
For some reason it will still not recognize the power supply? and it will not charge the battery? I know the power jack is installed properly, so no idea what the issue is?
There were no issues with the drivers, they are all still available on the Dell website, THANK YOU DELL!
I should have this one done later in the afternoon, still have Firefox and a rather large program to install on it. I believe I will install Microsot Security Tools on this machine also, it has unattended updating, a good thing for a lot of people!
Still having fun!
Me!
Fixing a Compaq Armada E500
Today's project is an older Compaq Armada E500, it needs a new hard drive, which will mean installing the operating system and all the drivers.
The computer is my Aunt's, not a bad machine at all, and she is used to it. I would have liked to max out the ram, but what I had on hand didn't work, so it will stay at 256Mb for now. I ended up installing windows with a pre-SP1 XP disc, I WILL remedy that problem.
The only issue I had was finding the drivers for her Netopia SWL2300N 3D Reach wireless card (Download drivers here) The drivers were a pain to find, hope this helps!
So after a FEW hours of updating and cleaning, I sent the computer back to my Aunt, it works GREAT now! It does however need a new battery, I tried the "freezing" trick and it did now work.
Have fun!
Me!
Project "Terminator"
I fired up the Terminator today, wiped the hard drive, and am in the process of installing XP-Pro SP3 on it, even with SP3 on the disc there are 99 updates in just the FIRST round of updates. The second round was 52, then 3, then I installed all of the programs the computer needed.I believe I am going to test run this machine with Microsoft Security Essentials, a free program that is supposed to replace anti-virus and malware programs? I guess I'll see? It seems to be self updating also?
So, project Terminator, and Asus Motherboard, AMD Duron 1.20GHz processor, and 1,024Mb of ram. I know this doesn't sound like much, but in its day it was considered to be "bad" LOL!
There are the normal programs that will be installed, Firefox, Open Office, The Gimp, Audacity, Paint.net, Auslogics Disk Defrag, Auslogics Registry Defrag, Auslogics Registry Cleaner (Think I like these guy's?) C Cleaner and so on. Most of these programs are Freeware, so of course they are "FREE!"
I'm not sure what I will use the machine for, I could use it as a file server? but for now, it is a toy to play with! Other than a little bit of cleaning this rig didn't need too much, there is a fan vibration, but I'll take care of that later on.
So, the vibration? It turns out I broke the CPU fan while cleaning the computer, DOH! I was fortunate enough to have another one to replace it with.
After all of the installation, I did all the cleaning and de-fragmenting, a nice little computer to play with, not sure what it will become yet?
I may look into a video card for this one, the maximum memory is 1,024Mb, the video card, even if it was only 128Mr or 256Mb would take a load off the memory of the computer and improve its performance, nothing major, but it would run much better. GPC Computer in G.R. has some used cards, I could pick one up for just a few bucks?
Me!
Two Interviews!
I had an interview last Friday, I will hear either way by this Friday! Then today another company called and asked me to do some testing, an hour and a half later and I am done and waiting for another phone call.
God is GOOD!
My FAVORITE chapter in the Bible:
Psalm 27
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Psa 27:2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
Psa 27:3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
Psa 27:4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
Psa 27:5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
Psa 27:6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
Psa 27:7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
Psa 27:8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.
Psa 27:9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
Psa 27:10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.
Psa 27:11 Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
Psa 27:12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
Psa 27:13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
Psa 27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
God is GOOD!
My FAVORITE chapter in the Bible:
Psalm 27
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Psa 27:2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
Psa 27:3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
Psa 27:4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
Psa 27:5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
Psa 27:6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
Psa 27:7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
Psa 27:8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.
Psa 27:9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
Psa 27:10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.
Psa 27:11 Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
Psa 27:12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
Psa 27:13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
Psa 27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
The Interview
Today is the day! I have an interview with a new company, I'm sure praying about this position, from the description it is something that i would very much enjoy doing. I'll post more later and update if there is an update. Please pray, I want God's will, not mine!
Later all!
Me!
Later all!
Me!
This, that, and the other thing!
It has been one busy week, there was a job fair here in town Tuesday, my brother and I both attended it. My brother received a call today and is starting a job next Tuesday! Praise the Lord!
I have a job interview tomorrow morning with a very good company, I'm sure praying about it. The position is a good one and I have used a considerable amount of the equipment used in the position. It is a job that would make a nerd like me happy, very technical.
Beyond the job search Charles and I have worked on our parents vehicles, Mom's needed front brake pads, rotors, grease seals, repacked the wheel bearings, and an oil change and a lube job. (10 Zerk fittings!) Then it was Dad's truck's turn, oil change, universal joints and a lube job. (Only seven Zerk's on his)
Wednesday Charles and I also did a system restore on his netbook, and notebook, both had some type of bug affecting them, and it was easier to back the files up and start all over.
I've been spending between up to three hours a day looking for jobs on-line, MichWorks, Yahoo Hot Jobs, Career Builder, Indeed.com, and a couple of other sites end me jobs through e-mail each day. Then there are the corporate career sites like Amway, Kellogg, Sara Lee, AT&T, Consumers energy, etc. they all have job postings on their sites that you can apply for, that is how I got the interview with General Motors. Once in a while there will be precious little in the e-mails, but most of the time I find two or three jobs to apply for.
I did some work on the Compaq SR5710F desktop I picked up recently, I added a media card reader. The reader was designed to go in the spare floppy drive bay, this computer didn't have one so I used a bay adapter and put it in the spare optical drive bay. Although it isn't as fast as I'd like, it is MUCH better than nothing!
Lest see? what else? A friend gave me a notebook that has a bad GPU in it, I was excited to get it, there are plenty of other components that I could use. When I opened it up however, I found it had been stripped down, the memory, hard drive and the power supply had all disappeared. The friend who gave it to me was not pleased at all, he didn't know that parts were missing, I'll have to check back on that one.
Time to head off for now, the coffee is calling me loudly already.
Have fun all!
Me!
I have a job interview tomorrow morning with a very good company, I'm sure praying about it. The position is a good one and I have used a considerable amount of the equipment used in the position. It is a job that would make a nerd like me happy, very technical.
Beyond the job search Charles and I have worked on our parents vehicles, Mom's needed front brake pads, rotors, grease seals, repacked the wheel bearings, and an oil change and a lube job. (10 Zerk fittings!) Then it was Dad's truck's turn, oil change, universal joints and a lube job. (Only seven Zerk's on his)
Wednesday Charles and I also did a system restore on his netbook, and notebook, both had some type of bug affecting them, and it was easier to back the files up and start all over.
I've been spending between up to three hours a day looking for jobs on-line, MichWorks, Yahoo Hot Jobs, Career Builder, Indeed.com, and a couple of other sites end me jobs through e-mail each day. Then there are the corporate career sites like Amway, Kellogg, Sara Lee, AT&T, Consumers energy, etc. they all have job postings on their sites that you can apply for, that is how I got the interview with General Motors. Once in a while there will be precious little in the e-mails, but most of the time I find two or three jobs to apply for.
I did some work on the Compaq SR5710F desktop I picked up recently, I added a media card reader. The reader was designed to go in the spare floppy drive bay, this computer didn't have one so I used a bay adapter and put it in the spare optical drive bay. Although it isn't as fast as I'd like, it is MUCH better than nothing!
Lest see? what else? A friend gave me a notebook that has a bad GPU in it, I was excited to get it, there are plenty of other components that I could use. When I opened it up however, I found it had been stripped down, the memory, hard drive and the power supply had all disappeared. The friend who gave it to me was not pleased at all, he didn't know that parts were missing, I'll have to check back on that one.
Time to head off for now, the coffee is calling me loudly already.
Have fun all!
Me!
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