Fixed up an old laptop

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chrisc

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Having been repairing and upgrading computers for some years, I get given people's cast-offs.  Most are useless, a good PSU and sometimes memory.  Who wants a 1Gb HDD today?

This one, a Dell Latitude E6420 with an i5 processor, dates from 2012 and had Windows Vista (ugh) on it, 2Gb RAM, a 256Gb SSD (nice), a flat battery and the owner had lost the power cord (Mains to power adaptor)

Also, the inside had been coated with a rubber surface.  This had deteriorated into a sticky mess and was quite unpleasant to use

The power cable was dead easy.  It is a clover connector, nothing unique

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Next was the battery.  Took it to pieces and nothing wrong with any of the cells.  It is a 12 volt lithium-ion pack.  Charging them first at 4.5V, then 9V, then at 13V made them come right in two days

The surface was fiddly.  The coating could be dissolved by wiping it with alcohol and gently scraping with a stiff plastic card, like a credit card.  It took 4+ hours to remove the goo.  Better but blotchy

So I got a pad of the same consistency as a green kitchen washing block and wiped this from left to right over the whole surface.  It now is completely smooth and has a brushed aluminium appearance

Then the RAM (DDR-3 1600) was upgraded to 16Gb with stuff lying about

Lastly, Windows 10 was installed.  I then discovered the sound did not work, so fitted a USB device.  However, USB audio to a DAC is 100%

It boots in 20 seconds, programs start within a few seconds and it jumps to it (thanks to the 16Gb). Not bad for an old lady

Not perfect (it froze on me twice) but at a cost of R0, a bargain.  I might have a go at the trackpad, this is a different type of plastic, but a bluetooth mouse works just fine

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