[xor-logic]

Let me start by saying that I know very little about computer hardware.

In my home I've a pair of identical Gateway NV53s. They're not in horrible condition - one was replaced because the dog knocked it off the table and broke the part that connects the HD to the boards, and the other had already developed significant problems with the power jack at that point,so we just went ahead and replaced that one with a desktop when I replaced the first with a new laptop.

That was less than a year ago. Tonight, on a whim, I opened one of them and removed the hard-drive, a 320GB SATA2 drive that I'll find an enclosure for and use as a backup.

While I had it opened, I pulled out a pair of DDR2 ram cards - unfortunately my new laptop uses DDR3 ram, so I don't know what to do with those.

I also removed the wireless adapter.

Now, to my question:
As long as I'm ripping parts out of this thing, what else do you think or suggest I might be able to salvage? All of the parts SHOULD be in working order.

Could I salvage the optical drive? The LCD panel perhaps? The graphics are integrated, so no luck there.

Would it be possible to perhaps remove the trackpad intact? God knows what I would do with it though.

TL;DR:
What would you suggest I try to salvage or recover from a (nearly) working-condition Gateway NV53 laptop?

[no2pencil]

Check on ebay & see what the parts go for.

Myself, I would repair the dc jack & sell a functional laptop. Don't forget to format & reinstall the OS.

It's hard to say what is 'usable' because my definition is based on what I see in the US market.

[xor-logic]

I'm actually less interested in selling it - more in seeing if I can make any use out of it.

[modi123_1]

Okay - do you have a project in mind, or are just holding on to parts "in case inspiration hits" you? If it's the former then what project are you looking to do? If it's the latter then perhaps *NOT* ripping out the parts from their currently convenient storage and protection enclosure is a good idea and just putting them on the shelf.

It's hard to recommend what you should do with bits when you are being vague on the nature of the re-purpose.

[jon.kiparsky]

I'm not sure what use you're going to make out of a disembodied trackpad, unless you're putting it in another machine that for some reason needs one and by some coincidence takes that exact trackpad.
Maybe it's for your trackpad museum?

[modi123_1]

You can make a necklace!

[xor-logic]

modi123_1, on 06 July 2012 - 01:57 PM, said:

Okay - do you have a project in mind, or are just holding on to parts "in case inspiration hits" you? If it's the former then what project are you looking to do? If it's the latter then perhaps *NOT* ripping out the parts from their currently convenient storage and protection enclosure is a good idea and just putting them on the shelf.

It's hard to recommend what you should do with bits when you are being vague on the nature of the re-purpose.

It's more the latter, and at the moment I'm not necessarily planning on ripping the parts out. I just want to figure out what I could easily reuse from that computer in another one, or perhaps in a different project.

jon.kiparsky said:

unless you're putting it in another machine that for some reason needs one and by some coincidence takes that exact trackpad.

I'm not horribly interested in the trackpad, for that exact reason - I don't anticipate that it would be easily recycled. I'm asking which components could easily be installed in another machine or adapted to a fun or interesting project (ideas welcome).

[modi123_1]

Well.. sure I guess.. If you have another model of that laptop come in - sure the parts might be helpful to build a new one.. but between laptop models and brands - probably not. Yeah the hard drives and ram might be useful.. but outside of that.. meh. Depending on if the model's wifi card is a proprietary format or not.. it might be useful (check out it's connector after a google search or two).

The lcd screens - well plenty of people have stuff written about projects for them.

They are not really great as a secondary monitor, but things like making a wacom cintiq could be fun.

http://www.tabletmod.com/
http://jeelabs.org/2...-an-lcd-screen/

[Fredex]

Old laptops are more durable as compare to the new models nowadays, so it is better to upgrade them to have better performance.

[ShinryuuKai]

Honestly the NIC card is about the only salvageable thing, and the processor but those are likely soldered well and good, the RAM is just out of style now so it's useless to try to hold on to them for a newer model PC; retro style doesn't exist in PCs. You could also yank the fans and wires, those are easily recycled through machines, and you can order sample microcontroller boards to hook into those lcd panels if you're interested in that stuff.

[no2pencil]

ShinryuuKai, on 05 November 2012 - 11:57 AM, said:

Honestly the NIC card is about the only salvageable thing, and the processor but those are likely soldered well and good,

The cpu on a processor is in a zif socket, same as a pc. The actual nic port is soldered to the board, however the chipset is actually on the board, & is part of the entire logic board. It is certainly not removable. The wifi however is a socket & is removable.

[calvinthedestroyer]

I scrap out old laptops from time to time. They don't get much. The circuit boards are small and lightweight.

You say it's DDR2? That's not that old, like No2 said, get the DC jack repaired and sell it to someone who could use it.

Most of the laptops that I scrap out have pc133 ram, or are covered in glue.

That, or some one ran it over with a truck.