Finding redemption from the biggest mistake of my life!

[Ansab001]

3 years ago i am ashamed to say i bought an alienware laptop..(I can here the gasps, feel the frowns while your readining this.) 2 years ago i got the over heating issue and since then external fans have been my best friend. But finnaly it overheats just too much.

The laptop has a 2.3duo proccesser(Alienware Area-51 m9750)
4gig ram
2x Geforce go nvidea gtx 470 cars
and 2x 250gig hard drives connected in raid.

What I would like to do is salvage these parts and build a desktop to give to my nephews. I was wondering

1) Is thier any point? Cost of mother board, case etc be worth it?
2) Can it be done?
3) Are any of these parts good even for today?

I spend as much on this laptop as i have done the PCS i bought. It actualy makes me angry at myself knowign how foolish i was to buy from alienware. Unsuprisingly next computer based thing i buy wont be from alienware

Any help or advise would be great.

 

[Tom DWC]

Well it is technically doable but not very practical really. Most laptop parts are of a different form factor to their desktop equivalents and as such compatability would be a major issue. For a 3 year old laptop the spec is still pretty good and I agree that it would be a shame to waste it.

If the laptop's overheating it could be something as simple as an accumulation of dust in the air vents and fans or perhaps alot more serious.

So basically:

1. In my opinion, it's not worth it.

2. Technically yes, but it would involve alot of modifications that only an enthusiast should really attempt.

3. Aside from the overheating issue it's not bad at all.

 

[Ansab001]

its a design flaw, which alienware didn't do anything about and only found out AFTER i spend 600 odd pounds on repalcing the graphics cards and the latop fans. It has no dust (used compressed air to clean it yesterday)

I would love to be an ethusiast, but i think this transfermation may be a heck of leanring a curve unless someone can tell me how it can be done?

I know ill need
a case
psu
colling fans
a motherbaord the is compatibale with the processor and graphics card.
Windows 7

 

[Tom DWC]

Yeah building a desktop requires the case (fans usually included) a power supply, motherboard, hard drive, memory, processor and graphics card where integrated graphics are not available.

The trouble is, with the laptop, many parts are likely to be integrated onto the motherboard and the processor, memory and graphics card(s) are laptop models. They won't be compatible with a desktop motherboard. You could re-use various parts, such as the hard drive (though you would have to accomodate its smaller size) but again, it's not as straightforward. You'd also have to consider the additional expense of the new parts to use with the few reuseable old - isn't that a bit counterproductive?

It sucks that the laptop had that design flaw and personally I think you should have been refunded the initial cost when it was discovered but apparently not. It sounds like you've spent alot of money on it already so consider whether it's worth spending any more.

 

[petebere]

If overheating is your main concern and you don't want to upgrade the components, how about getting one of the laptop cooling pads and connecting the laptop to a nice big monitor, keyboard and a mouse?

Here is an example of the cooling pad, you can get a more powerful one if required
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-N1...TPT8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1295685347&sr=8-1

 

[Ansab001]

I alreayd use a cooling pad and i'm afriad it has no effect anymore

 

[Freeley]

I'm no expert but i would've thought that it would be a lot simpler to sell the laptop and use the money to go towards a cheapish desktop. Perhaps stick it on fleabay and see what you can get.

 

[Ansab001]

Selling would be ok IF the laptop didnt close after 15mins being on. Espcaily with a top of the range cooling pad. The design flaw is too much, I wish PCS had a feature where you can send in your old laptop and they can use bits of it to build a new one with better cooling. But has anyone ever turned a laptop to a desktop? Or does anyone know a good step by step source or guide on the net?

 

[Freeley]

Maybe get a local computer engineer to give it the once over and see what's causing the problem - if it's something cheap to fix get it done and sell it. Otherwise put it down to experience and move on.

 

[Ansab001]

I think its putting down to experiance.right now im using a 230v fan to cool it, (its a room fan for hot summer days) If anyones reading the advice i'd pass on is if you want to replace a desktop with a laptop get it from PCS

 

[vanthus]

Yeah flogging a dead horse i think,forget about it as the peeps are saying & get a desktop from pcs.