Laptop recycle.

[dlpriest]

I was wondering exactly what I should do with my old Dell Inspiron 5150 laptop, had it for a few years now and it's no longer of any use for any sort of gaming or otherwise.

I'm planning on constructing quite an expensive desktop and I was wondering if there was any way to include this little laptop that has served me very well in the past. I struck upon an idea.

The internal components when free of the chassis are really quite small, that is a given being it a laptop but then I began to think, could the entire laptop be made into a window mod?

The LCD connects to the motherboard via a roughly 3" cable turning the LCD panel around I can put the back of the LCD panel against the back of the 5150 motherboard. Basically what I want to do is fabricate a brand new aluminum side panel for my case, big enough so that I can have three access panels on the side that can be opened simply by turning a few thumbscrews. My hope is to mount the internal hardware of the laptop inside the desktop with brackets in such a way that the LCD would be where a window would normally go. Lengthening the keyboard connection so it could have a seperate access panel on the side panel below the LCD, and a small access panel beside that one for all the laptop ports (Wiring them all to a homemade board)

I plan to liquid cool the desktop components inside so there is plenty of room above the video card(s) for the laptop components, with there being no CPU heatsink.

I think I might be the only one who can picture what I'm trying to accomplish here, hopefully when all is said and done if the idea seems plausible I hope to have the laptop keyboard used only in an emergency situation.

To accomplish this I'd like to take a normal USB keyboard and install a toggle to switch between (this is a very redneck way to do this) 2 different USB cables, one running to the laptop one running to the back of the desktop.

And a similar way to switch video on my monitor, from laptop to desktop.

Here comes the kicker.

Somehow I'd like to get the laptop to monitor and display the following information about the desktop.

Temperatures, fan speeds (Going to need case fans as well as the water cooling), Water flow rate (I imagine I can find some sort of sensor to test this)
System information, ram usage, cpu usage ect.

It's 7:19 AM here, I've been awake for awhile, the caffeine pills have me in their cruel grasp, I beg many pardons for the incoherent nature of this entire post.

Any ideas? Scrap this idea? Feedback very much appreciated.

[The Black Pumpkin]

Sounds awesome!

I think I know exactly what you're trying to accomplish here. (Of course, you could always send the laptop to me... )

The only truly tuff one I see is getting the laptop to display the info, and that's because I despise software!

[chedabob]

thats an ace idea. you gave me an idea. now if only i could get that god damn hunk of junk working i have downstairs.

[The Black Pumpkin]

I assume the hunk is a laptop? I've had a little luck with laptops. Lemme know if I can help.

[fragged]

Tis a good idea

I've wanted both a screen on my side panel and an external laptop to display temperatures etc but never thought to combine them

Also I found this link a couple days ago, hope it helps Invent Geek LCD Window Project

-Fragged

[chedabob]

my laptop needs a power supply, but i begrudge paying £40 for one cos it has a proprietary connector and requires 18v input.

thats deffo a plan. i could wire up something to control it, and then mount it under my plexi.

[dlpriest]

There are guides out there that will show you how to turn your old laptop battery into a power supply, researched this when my old 5150 motherboard began having power input issues.

By the way, the Dell Inspiron 5150 is probably the most notorious system for motherboard failure..due to a couple of design flaws that overtime actually chisel away motherboard components, for a laugh type "Inspiron 5150 motherboard" into google and browse away.

[Logic Zero]

A bit offtopic but does anyone know if its possible to change just the laptop screen into a standalone screen (aka a normal monitor that plugs into a pc)?

Could be a variation but handy for other things

[Airbozo]

A bit offtopic but does anyone know if its possible to change just the laptop screen into a standalone screen (aka a normal monitor that plugs into a pc)?

Could be a variation but handy for other things

I would also love to know the answer to this question. anyone?

[dgrmkrp]

i'd say it's possible... as long as the control unit for the screen ca either be replaced with a stanalone pcb or if it is a standalone pcb.. cause in a laptop they might save space and use the mobo's pcb to wire the lcd.. actually, i'm 99% sure they do that... so we can't just borrow the screen.. a bit of electronics might be needed... still, if anyone has a laptop to experiment (i'm waiting to get one first.. should be in a week or two..hopefully.. back to school.. err.. university) if i get my hands on an lcd... it's going down, baby >: )