Always pick your laptop open in the middle (PSA)

[Dorientje Woller]

1 hour ago, Rowan Amore said:

Since we don't all live where you live, the "blunt" answer I gave my WTF reaction to just seemed kind of pointless.  However, if it's in the EU, your own mishandling (and opening your laptop incorrectly may fall under that) isn't covered.  A lot of people don't even read a laptop manual.  Mine didn't even come with one.  

The EU consumer guarantee (and also the manufacturer's warranty) isn’t some get out of jail free card for any broken device. If you drop your phone in the toilet, spill a coffee on your laptop, or otherwise damage your device through your own neglect or stupidity, you’re on the hook for any and all repairs. 

 

Forget one major point: EU laws aren't laws, they are guidlines and adaptable by each member of the union. EU rules on the other hand are the law and are the same in each territory of the EU. I know, it confuses most of the people in the EU. So, in your case, if a hinge broke of because you opened or closed your laptop under normal use and you lived in my country (even if you bought that laptop in an other member of the union), it will become harder for the manufacturor to deny you a repair under warranty for mishandling the device due to the fact that the manual was missing and that we expect that the descent lifetime of minimum 2 years under normal use. First rule as costumer in my country is still: RTFM, and if the manual is missing, return the product back to the retailer and demand one, so that manufactorers can't claim that you have mishandled your the product.

[Dorientje Woller]

36 minutes ago, Love Zhaoying said:

I've followed one particular refrigerator "restorer" on TikTok, who also showed that not only are the really old models "indestructible" (still work with minor repairs), that are MORE efficient (cheaper to run) than new models. I find this confusing, and figure it must be due to using bigger (more expensive) compressors, better (heavier) insulation/shielding, etc.  If I find and dig into their page, I'm sure I will find the answers. 

Anyway, I thought about getting a vintage model a few years ago and bought 3 "dorm" models instead - fridge, freezer, and a second smaller fridge *for "meats" for the dogs). I  trashed my "new fridge" so make space in my kitchen.  They run quietly at the opposite end of the house, so I no longer hear kitchen fridge noises from my bedroom.

 

Same here, bought a 2 years ago a new microwave, stopped working just out of warranty because spinning the plate was not spinning because the bottom on which the plate is resting was corroded (literally a gaping hole), although I cleaned out the microwave on regular intervals. Took my previous one out of the basement, repaired the contact point of the door for a small fee, and it still spins, cook and grills like before even it's nearly 20 years old.

Edited April 26 by Dorientje Woller

[Arielle Popstar]

29 minutes ago, Dorientje Woller said:

Forget one major point: EU laws aren't laws, they are guidlines and adaptable by each member of the union. EU rules on the other hand are the law and are the same in each territory of the EU. I know, it confuses most of the people in the EU. So, in your case, if a hinge broke of because you opened or closed your laptop under normal use and you lived in my country (even if you bought that laptop in an other member of the union), it will become harder for the manufacturor to deny you a repair under warranty for mishandling the device due to the fact that the manual was missing and that we expect that the descent lifetime of minimum 2 years under normal use. First rule as costumer in my country is still: RTFM, and if the manual is missing, return the product back to the retailer and demand one, so that manufactorers can't claim that you have mishandled your the product.

If anything like here in Canada, the new way is to reference the download link for the manual from the Quick Start pamphlet that does come with the new laptop. Collecting on the warranty however, even if having bought an extended one, is a fiasco. 

[Kimmi Zehetbauer]

21 hours ago, Rowan Amore said:

When I recently had my laptop in the shop, the owner mentioned that a large portion of his business is repairing hinges on laptops.   He made the same comment as the OP.  Use 2 hands, one holding the base in the center and the other opening the top from the center.  Just like most anything made, things are pretty much designed to fail.   Why is it that there are still refrigerators from the 60s working while we've had to buy 2 in less than 20 years? 

I still have an old 60s fridge, non-smart TVs, old school stereos and other goodies.  My house is as dumb as it can get and I had family telling me I should get smart speakers and such.  Don't want a spy speaker anywhere in the house plus it can't handle SL!  Recently a cousin who lives in another country come over and saw my old stereo stuff and said "my phone can do that!"  My system sounds better, plus I even have hooked up to the computer so if I'm listening to a performer in world, I tap into his stream and sounds loud and proud!

[AmeliaJ08]

22 hours ago, Arielle Popstar said:

And forgotten login passwords.

Is that even possible to 'fix' these days? most Windows log in accounts are Microsoft accounts (online), it used to be relatively simple to crack a local Windows account password but most people don't use local accounts now.

With Bitlocker etc as well I don't fancy that job!

 

 

[Rat Luv]

This thread has got me worried now 🥶 Should I leave my laptop screen up all the time, even when it's off, and not fold it shut? 😬

[Fraser Lisle]

3 minutes ago, Rat Luv said:

This thread has got me worried now 🥶 Should I leave my laptop screen up all the time, even when it's off, and not fold it shut? 😬

Nahh. Just be careful if it feels a little flexy in the lid.

Even if hinges do break (it's actually usually the chassis itself that breaks, the hinges tear out of the moulded in mounts) it's not an expensive repair usually, can even do it at home if you have a screwdriver and gentle touch.

[Love Zhaoying]

23 minutes ago, Rat Luv said:

This thread has got me worried now 🥶 Should I leave my laptop screen up all the time, even when it's off, and not fold it shut? 😬

That's fine, you may have to dust it occasionally. This is what I do for both my home and work notebook PC's. Or, just open/close from the top center, not the sides.

[Extrude Ragu]

Lenovo laptops have some of the worst build quality ever. The screen *is* literally glued to the hinges.

Wanna see what my old lenovo laptop looked like?

Yes, I did actually use my laptop like that back in the day I had to push the exposed wires against the sheered off screen to get it to start

 

 

[AmeliaJ08]

40 minutes ago, Extrude Ragu said:

Lenovo laptops have some of the worst build quality ever. The screen *is* literally glued to the hinges.

Wanna see what my old lenovo laptop looked like?

Yes, I did actually use my laptop like that back in the day I had to push the exposed wires against the sheered off screen to get it to start

 

 

Holy moly 😂

The Lenovo Thinkpad line still seems to be reasonable quality, they make carbon laptops that are pretty nice. I prefer an aluminium laptop just because of the stiffness and usually no issue with hinges although I have seen a lot of more recent Dells etc that have aluminium cases but still with plastic hinge mounts bonded to the aluminium, very silly!

I do some laptop repair and I have to say Acer are my least favourite but they do mostly sell cheaper models, can't complain too much when the price is very low.

Either way though replacement parts for most laptops are cheap and people could probably do a lot of their own repairs, they're not as scary to work on as some think.

 

 

[Claireschen Hesten]

3 hours ago, Rat Luv said:

This thread has got me worried now 🥶 Should I leave my laptop screen up all the time, even when it's off, and not fold it shut? 😬

These days I leave it up all the time since I very rarely pick it up, move it around or anything else that would need it folded shut. in the long distant past i never found repeatedly putting the lid up and down alone caused any damage, the one laptop i had where the casing cracked and broke was because I had cat that liked to sleep on it

[Arielle Popstar]

7 hours ago, AmeliaJ08 said:

Is that even possible to 'fix' these days? most Windows log in accounts are Microsoft accounts (online), it used to be relatively simple to crack a local Windows account password but most people don't use local accounts now.

With Bitlocker etc as well I don't fancy that job!

I found this page https://passper.imyfone.com/windows-10/bypass-windows-10-login-screen/ but haven't tried the ideas yet. In past I either reinstalled a version of Windows or went Linux but have one now I would like to try getting past the Login. Fingers crossed.

[Kathlen Onyx]

Wonders if this could have just been a "peeve" instead of entire useless thread. I guess this could be classified as the weekend thread.

Edited April 27 by Kathlen Onyx

[Love Zhaoying]

12 minutes ago, Kathlen Onyx said:

Wonders if this could have just been a "peeve" instead of entire useless thread. I guess this could be classified as the weekend thread.

We could pretend it's Second Life related! Like, "OP needed a new PC or had to fix theirs to use SL".

[AmeliaJ08]

1 hour ago, Kathlen Onyx said:

Wonders if this could have just been a "peeve" instead of entire useless thread. I guess this could be classified as the weekend thread.

What's useless about it?

[Kathlen Onyx]

2 hours ago, AmeliaJ08 said:

What's useless about it?

It on the same note as "PSA, don't use your CD player on your computer as a cup holder"

[Arielle Popstar]

22 minutes ago, Kathlen Onyx said:

It on the same note as "PSA, don't use your CD player on your computer as a cup holder"

I've found some helpful tips on running and maintenance of the tool required for participation in the world of Secondlife.