Hey, I need a new laptop, my HPG61 motherboard fried after just two years and a month after the warranty ran out. So repair is out of the question, as is me ever getting another HP laptop. So Therefore, I am asking for help trying to pick one out. My only requirements are: Ability to run Trainz,sims 2/ 3, A decent hard drive, and windows 7. Also, The lower the cost the better. No MACS! thanks for your time.
Just a quick question about laptops
- Thread starter K4driver
- Start date
You could always get a replacement or refurbished motherboard? a lot cheaper than a new laptop, and probably cheaper than a repair, have a look on eBay.
I'll avoid recommending any laptops though, no experience as I stick to desktops for anything more complicated than browsing.
I'll avoid recommending any laptops though, no experience as I stick to desktops for anything more complicated than browsing.
Good point, the exact motherboard is on Ebay. I am about 95 percent sure it is the motherboard. I mean the laptop would boot up, the fans would start, the screen would show the Windows 7 Logo, Then I would get a screen saying windows 7 something...Then given two choices, boot normally or boot in safe mode, either one would shut the computer down, and not start back up for an hour, and it would still do the same thing after a hard reset, Battery/AC power, and all that.
Well, I know of a place you can get one now for a mere $3,200...hehe.
Seriously, it seems that some of the ~$1000 laptops can run modern Trainz pretty well. The key is having discrete (as opposed to integrated or shared) graphics. And, of course, a decent processor.
Look at this recent thread for some pointers. Lenovo makes decent < $1000 laptops though Dell and others have good ones too, and I think some of those are mentioned as well. I've had very good luck with Acer's non-gaming laptops and the extra crapware they install isn't as bad as most other manufacturers, so they get good performance for what they are; although I probably would never game or sim with a laptop unless I absolutely had to, I'm confident enough in Acer that they would be my first choice, but certainly not my only.
Seriously, it seems that some of the ~$1000 laptops can run modern Trainz pretty well. The key is having discrete (as opposed to integrated or shared) graphics. And, of course, a decent processor.
Look at this recent thread for some pointers. Lenovo makes decent < $1000 laptops though Dell and others have good ones too, and I think some of those are mentioned as well. I've had very good luck with Acer's non-gaming laptops and the extra crapware they install isn't as bad as most other manufacturers, so they get good performance for what they are; although I probably would never game or sim with a laptop unless I absolutely had to, I'm confident enough in Acer that they would be my first choice, but certainly not my only.
Well if you feel confident and the motherboard isn't a lot, go for it, but here are a couple of things to try first.. I would pull the HDD to recover any data and test it just make 100% sure that it isn't faulty. Then I'd try a disk recovery.
I'd try reflashing the BIOS (if you can) before totally writing off the motherboard. If the BIOS is corrupted (not likely, but possible,) then all sorts of problems can result. Worst case is you could corrupt the BIOS of an already-fried motherboard.
I already got the hard drive out, and copied the files I need (Thank you SATA usb cord) Well I Would need to order a laptop keyboard at least, Because I cannot get the keyboard cord to go back onto the motherboard. Like I said, It shuts off before I can do much of anything, I never really figured out how to get to the BIOS screen though, so I may try that before I order the motherboard.
johnwhelan
Well-known member
Sounds like a software problem to me as well. I suggest reinstalling the operating system.
If you don't have the disks but have the serial number, sometimes they stick it on the side or bottom of the machine, you can borrow some one else's disks but use your number. Belarc will give you the number as well.
Cheerio John
If your laptop is gone so to speak, I would suggest if you have the money and time build your own custom computer I have not be happy with my Dell
, it runs great just can't put what I want into it. So I plan on this summer to dispose of it or just keep it for web browsing and build my sweet rig.
Then you know what is in it and its the way you want it to be.
schweitzerdude
Active member
Re laptops
My 2 year old Sony Vaio has integrated graphics and an i3 processor, Windows gaming experience of 6.0 and runs TS2010 reasonably well, except I have a lot of urban environments so I've reduced draw distance.
Yesterday I went to Fry's and said "show me a laptop for $1000 or less with dedicated graphics". They showed me a nice Samsung with dedicated graphics and a i7 processor. I said "show me the Windows gaming experience rating" and it was 6.6. Wouldn't you think it should be 7+? (scale is 1 to 7.9)
Not worth $1000 or so to go from 6.0 to 6.6 IMO.
My 2 year old Sony Vaio has integrated graphics and an i3 processor, Windows gaming experience of 6.0 and runs TS2010 reasonably well, except I have a lot of urban environments so I've reduced draw distance.
Yesterday I went to Fry's and said "show me a laptop for $1000 or less with dedicated graphics". They showed me a nice Samsung with dedicated graphics and a i7 processor. I said "show me the Windows gaming experience rating" and it was 6.6. Wouldn't you think it should be 7+? (scale is 1 to 7.9)
Not worth $1000 or so to go from 6.0 to 6.6 IMO.
What was limiting it to 6.6?
schweitzerdude
Active member
to mrreet re gaming rating
The overall rating was a little under 5 since it the overall rating is limited by the lowest individual rating. Maybe the Aero part of the rating, maybe the hard drive in a laptop is not as fast as in a desktop. I just didn't pay attention since my focus was just on the gaming rating.
Makes no sense to me that a laptop with a i7 CPU with dedicated graphics shouldn't be a screaming game machine.
Or perhaps it is and the Windows experience ratings are flawed.
The overall rating was a little under 5 since it the overall rating is limited by the lowest individual rating. Maybe the Aero part of the rating, maybe the hard drive in a laptop is not as fast as in a desktop. I just didn't pay attention since my focus was just on the gaming rating.
Makes no sense to me that a laptop with a i7 CPU with dedicated graphics shouldn't be a screaming game machine.
Or perhaps it is and the Windows experience ratings are flawed.
i7 in a laptop is a significantly different beastie from i7 in a desktop, and there are many dfferent sockets and i7 versions these days.
Any i7 with an M in it's name is a mobile version, thus consuming much less power, on a different socket with probably less bandwidth. An i7 on Sandy Bridge is different from a mobile i7 on Sandy Bridge which is different from an i7 on nehalem which is different from a mobile i7 on nehalem. To make it more confusing I believe there may be more than one nehalem laptop socket available as well.
Any i7 with an M in it's name is a mobile version, thus consuming much less power, on a different socket with probably less bandwidth. An i7 on Sandy Bridge is different from a mobile i7 on Sandy Bridge which is different from an i7 on nehalem which is different from a mobile i7 on nehalem. To make it more confusing I believe there may be more than one nehalem laptop socket available as well.
A computer is going to be limited by it's biggest bottleneck. You could have the fastest poccessor and memory in the world but if it can't read data off the harddrive any faster the computer wouldn't be much faster