I took 2 laptops to a repair shop today

[Marthe48]

One needs a fan replaced. I cleaned it when I got a fan message, and it was ok for a few days. Then I got the message again and didn't want to chance it.

The other one is a Dell Inspiron. The hinge disinegrated in 2015 and we got the screen/lid replaced. It disinegrated again last spring. I babied it, but made the mistake of setting it on a wobbly spot. It fell about 8" on the broken hinge and I got a blue screen. So that one, They will transfer the info for me. They do recycling, and would remove the harddrive if I recycle. Not sure yet what I want to do.

While I was looking for the carrying case, I found a Gateway laptop. My husband might have got it at a yardsale. Ha. Just when I think I've discovered all of the tech gear, there is always more.

At least I have the tablet he got me. And my phone. And a desktop in the basement. And a smart tv. lol

[mcknzAlex]

1. Time to get a new one

Both my Acer and HP laptop still works but most of the time there's a lagging problem.

[Marthe48]

3. A new one for you?

If the tech can get the HP fan fixed up, it should do me for awhile. Merry Christmas to you!

[csziggy]

2. Get the harddrive and buy a external case for it

Something like this but get the repair shop to check that the connections are correct for your drive. You can transfer the data off the old drive, then use it as extra storage or to transfer stuff from one computer to another.

I have ones for various age hard drives so I can dreg data off old computers. In fact, I need to dig one out to take the last of the data off my Dad's computer. I'll give the computer away but not the drive until I am sure the data is off and the drive thoroughly wiped.

[Marthe48]

4. Thanks for the idea

My husband took all the hard drives out of computers we used and they are stored in the basement.
I have 2 external harddrives and I was going to buy another especially for the Dell.
On some of the computers that we used that still work, I get messages if I go online that Microsoft or Google has stopped or will stop supporting that version. Not crazy about the forced obsolescence.
I need to brush up to get the most use out of the equipment I have. My husband loved buying the stuff and working on it. Sometimes we'd have 4 or 5 computers online for just the 2 of us. Lol

[csziggy]

5. I'm not up to date on computer stuff

For several years around 2000 my husband and I collected old computers from family, got some in working condition, installed basic operating systems and programs and gave them to people who couldn't afford computers.

Then I used that knowledge to build my own. The last two, I picked out the parts and had someone else assemble. I'm going to do that again soon - the computer I am using now is over six years old and isn't quite up to what I need today.

My Dad unloaded his old computers on me, but I donated them - without hard drives - to the local Goodwill. They have a recycling program so if they can't use the parts, they get torn apart and the metals are reclaimed.

The hard drives get put into enclosures so I can try to save whatever I can. Dad exchanged stories and pictures with some of his friends that he didn't share with his daughters, so a lot of the stuff is family history. No one wants a 100 MB hard drive any more, for some reason.

I also got some collectible stuff from Dad - he had bought a Texas Instrument TI-99 for Mom which was never taken out of the box. He saved his first computer, a Commodore, with all the parts, and the manual for the Wang computer he leased in the 1960s. I need to find a computer museum to give those things to!

[Marthe48]

6. you and me :)

When I was looking for a carrying case, I found a Gateway laptop I forgot about. I turned it on, it works and connected to the Internet. It is very slow, but it'll do until I get my laptop back. I have a tablet, but it is small, and very touchy. I spend as much time readjusting the screen as I do using it. lol

You should look on eBay, some of the computer equipment is collectible.