Just "adopted" 2 Laptops

Today I "adopted" a Dell Inspiron E1505 & a Apple MacBook Pro Model#: A1260. Neither has a power adapter or charged batts. The apple may have had a little left in it because when I pressed the PWR button, the HDD spun up for about 2 seconds but no lights. Both are going to need adapters. Just not liking I may be buying adapters for Laptops that may not work!!! The Dell is missing a CTRL key and one of the other letter keys is just holding on. I may try to get the Mac up and running first just going by the condition of both. Any insight on either laptop folks??? Am I wasting my time?

 

That is really hard to say. Neither machine is particularly new but I have older laptops that are working just fine. Keyboards are cheap so that should not be an issue. You really need to get them charged somehow and see what you have.

 

I agree BCB!! I think i'm going to work on the Mac 1st only because the condition is in better shape.

 

I'm very lucky in as much I get given old laptops from time to time from customers who are renewing their computers. I don't deal with Macs, but the Dell you have could turn out to be a good little machine. It's not as old as some I have refurbished. Check out the links below before throwing it in the trash..

POWER ADAPTOR
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-AC-Power-Adapter-Cord-for-Dell-Inspiron-6400-E1505-/270491781009?pt=Laptop_Adapters_Chargers&hash=item3efa910791

NEW KEYBOARD
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_sac=1&_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=Dell+Inspiron+E1505+KEYBOARD&LH_PrefLoc=1&LH_BIN=1

Memory (RAM)
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=Dell+Inspiron+E1505+Memory&_sacat=0&_odkw=Dell+Inspiron+E1505+KEYBOARD&LH_BIN=1&_sac=1&_osacat=0&_from=R40&LH_PrefLoc=1

Dell Inspiron E1505 Specs
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins6400/en/om/specs.htm#wp1073114


For under $10 you can get a power adaptor. To help you make a decision >

• Do a visual check for damage to the laptop as a whole.
• Are any screws missing from the underside or are the screw heads badly damaged.
• Is the lid/screen misaligned with the main body of the laptop.
• Are the screen hinges loose/is there any movement where there shouldn't be.

Sorry I can't advise on the Mac...

 

WOW Frank!!! I didn't think it would be so cheap to get the replacement parts for the Dell!!! The laptop is missing 1 key and 1 other is about to fall off but from the links you have sent to me, it look as though it just may be worth the small fee to replace the keyboard! The battery pack has a dent in it which doesn't mean it won't take a charge, I just do not have the pwr adapter to check it...yet. That is first on the list. Once I get the adapter, I can see what the laptop will do. If it does come up, and the hardware seems sound, then I'll look into the keyboard replacement...then the batt if needed. The rest of the case seems sound with no missing screws (doesn't even look tampered with) and the screen is intact. I'll just approach this one step at a time. Like you, being a Windows person my whole life, I don't know much about the Mac either but I will make that my 2nd job once I see where the Dell is going. Thanks for your help my friend You can all look forward to me posting for more input as my project evolves !!

 

Best of luck Sarge, but a word of caution, first do you know where they both came from and are the people trustworty?
If previous history is not known, I only ask that as a search of any documents, pictures, or other data once they are up and running, which should be done, shows anything that can be called a prosecutable offence in law, should be reported and details of previous ownership passed on to the law.
It clears your own back if it is reported straight away.
If you know the people well and everything is above board ignore what I said, but for anyone buying or obtaining a second hand computer, it is a point worth considering.
If you find something really nasty, it may just be enough evidence to successfully prosecute a paedophile, and if reported as soon as it is found will of course clear you of any involvement.

After that, why am I never lucky enough to be given even one free laptop, never mind two.

Nev.

 

Thanks for the idea. I would have done that Seems I won't have to worry about that with the Dell....HDD was removed. Now my attention is for the Mac. BTW, the 2 laptops were from a friend that had them in his closet for the last couple of years. His son "Looked" at them once (guess thats where the HDD from the Dell went) and he said the HDD's were wiped and the OS's reinstalled.

 

HDD's

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?LH_ItemCondition=4&_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=2.5+sata+hdd&LH_PrefLoc=1&rt=nc&LH_BIN=1

 

Thanks Frank but here's my delemma....If I buy a PWR adapter AND a HDD for the Dell, I'm still not sure if it works! Can I try just plugging it in without the HDD installed to see if the BIOS comes up at least? At least that way I can see if there is any hope or not.

 

Hi again, Good to know that they are from someone you know, and that as far as the Mac one is concerned the system should be clean.

but unless you can borrow a correct voltage charger/power supply for either, and you can bet the Mac will be entirely different from the Windows laptop, you will have to buy one for each.
However, if both laptops come out as deads, you may still be able to sell them again and at least get some of your money back.

As far as the PC without a hard drive, yes you should at least get the bios tell you it can't find a bootable volume.

AlsoDragnet is correct, you can download and burn a Linux disk and boot it from the disk to prove the rest of the laptop works.

Nev.