Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

ADMINISTRATION & HELP => COMPUTER TECH HELP FORUM => Topic started by: mick on January 09, 2007, 04:42:36 am

Title: Laptops
Post by: mick on January 09, 2007, 04:42:36 am
Work through out a bunch of Laptops the other day. I grabbed 6 old Toshiba 4030CDTs, I have got em working, but they only have 12gb hard drives in em. I am hoping to end up with at least one I can use to just watch DVDs on.

My problem is that they all reinstalled windows 98 ok, but they only have celeron 433 chips or something. No matter what I try they will not recognise D: drive when I try to play a DVD. I get the error message "drive not ready".

Any ideas guys? or should I just chuck em out?
Title: Re: Laptops
Post by: ChickenWing on January 09, 2007, 06:20:19 am
When you re-installed Win98, did you also install drivers for the DVD-Rom?  Check in Control Panel > System> Device Manager  and see if it is listed and and what it is listed as. 

 

In order to watch DVD's you will need to install a DVD decoder as well, it is probably with the DVD-rom software pack.   Windows does not have a DVD decoder built in. 
Title: Re: Laptops
Post by: mick on January 09, 2007, 07:08:22 am
Thanks mate, I have figured out that they are pieces of crap. Only cd rom drives, not dvd drives/players.

Not worth wasting my time over, internet connections/broadband/sharing etc  not possible/disabled. Some dont even have the ports required for sharing. Only dialup connection possible.

MIght chuck em on ebay and use the money toward a modern cheap laptop. Someone might pay a hundred bucks for the 6 just for parts.

Intersting that the so called IT dept has left the hds intact with all sorts of info that would be interesting to our competitors.

They play cds ok, but thats all.

Will keep one as they have ms office installed which my pc doesnt have. Be handy for letters etc. Excel might be handy for beekeeping.

Id give em away on here, but not worth the postage. Heavy buggers.



Pity, I was gunna be happy with being able to watch a dvd out in the sun.
Title: Re: Laptops
Post by: Jorn Johanesson on January 09, 2007, 07:18:18 am
hey Mick

times run fast in IT world. An old Laptop as you descibe do not have a build in DVD drive, but just a CD drive. And as such it can not play DVD's. If you want to you should install a DVD drive in the Toshiba, but I am afraid of that you can not by such an animal.
Title: Re: Laptops
Post by: mick on January 10, 2007, 02:54:52 am
Thanks Jorn, they are rubbbish, not worth any more headaches!

ALTHOUGH if there was a way I could use one as just a monitor in the bedroom, that would be good. I might be able to figure out that much. Hang it on the wall and relay DVDs to it. I think that might work!
Title: Re: Laptops
Post by: mick on January 13, 2007, 04:39:34 am
I have cracked the bastard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Almost gave up then I thought to try windows 98 boot disc and try to install windows 98 over windows 2000.

So far it is working!!!!!!!!!!

It is formatting the hard drive to instal windows 98, then all I have to do is install xp over that and I will have a Toshiba 4060 that works like a charm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the break Huey...........I know you have been busy, but Im glad you got around to me.

I can see no reason why it wont succeed, fingers crossed.

To be able to watch a movie outside in the sun, or in bed, be able to connect it to my 350d and take  night sky pics and download them and stack them.........oh the posibilities are endless all  would be something I would really enjoy, especially without paying hundreds for a laptop.

I could even connect a webcam and film my exploits at the hive for all my fans :) ;) :( :-X :-\ :-* :'( :-D :shock: :mrgreen:

Its still working!!!!!!! installing windows to C drive

Yes past the start up disc!

go baby go

Yes I saved the handbook from 6 years ago with the product key!!!!!!!!! keep going my little beauty

Oh no pc card driver issue ahhhh just click everything

Still going!

go baby go

set time zone

Oh nooooooooo need monitor drivers...please mr windows, use your own. Cool it did that.

Woooooooooo welcome to windows

It worked!!!!!

Tomorow just need to find some toshiba display drivers and all is finished!
Title: Re: Laptops
Post by: buzzbee on January 13, 2007, 06:26:18 am
Mick,
XP may have those drivers built in.
                                          Ken
I never thought about win 98 install. I did that with a couple machines but used 95 since it didn't really see the other operating system. Have Fun andgood luck!
Title: Re: Laptops
Post by: mick on January 13, 2007, 09:30:00 pm
Everything now updated and installed, cooking with gas!

End resuly is I saved myself $700 dollars! Gotta love a lazy IT department that throws things in the bin without removing the operating systems!