| Ever buy something second hand, get it home, and | | | | abrupt stops, which could have possibly caused it to |
| realize that there was something wrong with it, that | | | | become airborne. Now I know this is a worst-case |
| is probably going to haunt you until the day you | | | | scenario, but I want you to think about the laws of |
| either sell it, give it away, or throw it away? Well, | | | | probability, specifically the one having to do with the |
| hopefully this article will keep that from happening if | | | | three circles, and the hundred marbles. Eventually, |
| your in the market to buy a used laptop. | | | | those three marbles will role outside the third circle, |
| With the advent of new technologies, much more | | | | and then Murphy's Law will prevail. |
| powerful laptops have become available, and at more | | | | Assuming that the machine was at some point |
| reasonable prices. Computer manufacturers have | | | | mobile, and some, if not all the required devices were |
| made so many advances, that it has completely | | | | plugged into it, and the user had to slam on the |
| revamped the market for used laptops. Previously, if | | | | brakes; we can also assume that the machine went |
| you were in the market to purchase a used laptop, | | | | flying. When machines are caused to inadvertently |
| you would have no choice but to settle for a | | | | fly, experience has shown that they don't land very |
| machine whose computing power could not handle | | | | well; and they usually land on their side, and/or |
| the software overhead of the newest programs. So, | | | | possibly a side that has connectors coming out of it. |
| to be able to handle the "high-overhead" of the | | | | And those connectors are not meant to be used as |
| newest programs, the need to upgrade became | | | | landing gear. So, after-the-fact, what you will have, is |
| imperative; creating a new market, which consists of | | | | a female connector that looks just fine from the |
| a whole new generation of used laptops, which are | | | | outside, but the devil is in the details. And there is |
| much more powerful than ever before. | | | | really no way of telling unless you have a flashlight, |
| Students, who are required to stay on budget, have | | | | and a magnifying glass, and you know exactly what |
| found it more cost-effective to purchase a used | | | | you're looking for. |
| laptop, rather than a new one. A student, or | | | | Once a USB, or Ethernet connector has been |
| consumer, can now find a used machine that will | | | | damaged, there is really no cost effective way to |
| accomplish the same required amount of computing | | | | repair it, except to purchase a PCMCIA card, that |
| as a brand-new machine, and in many instances for | | | | replicates the device that has been damaged; and |
| only a little more than half the price of a new | | | | that will unnecessarily tie up a PCMCIA slot. |
| machine. | | | | So, what I recommend when you're out looking to |
| However, as with any piece of used electronic | | | | buy a used laptop, is that you bring with you, a set |
| equipment, there are drawbacks; as some laptops | | | | of connectors. Bring a mouse, to plug into the |
| withstand "normal wear and tear" better than others. | | | | connector where the mouse goes; a USB connector |
| The models that have proven themselves to become | | | | to test the "feel" of the connector where the USB |
| known as bulletproof, usually command a higher price; | | | | connectors go in; a RJ-11 jack, for checking the |
| and conversely, the more proprietary a machine is, | | | | telephone line receptacle, and basically any other |
| the more apt it is to be found in the lower percentile | | | | connectors, that would be related to any other |
| of the respective price range. | | | | devices that you plan to be plugging in to that |
| Irregardless of what strata of used machine you are | | | | particular machine. What you will be looking for is two |
| in the market for, there are certain things that a | | | | things. First, does the connector stay in after you |
| perspective used laptop owner should be aware of. | | | | push it in? Do you hear a characteristic "click"? Gently |
| Most electronic, and electrical, troubleshooters learn in | | | | tug on it to see if it pops out too easy; or does it |
| the course of plying their craft, that the features | | | | stay in like it is supposed to? You want it to stay in. |
| that are most likely to go first, on any piece of | | | | And second, does the connector go in smoothly and |
| equipment, are the ones that receive the most | | | | snugly? If not, look for another unit. |
| ergonomic interfacing. To put that in more laymen | | | | If the power supply for the machine is available, |
| terms, what gets handled, pushed, pulled, turned, and | | | | check the feel of the power connector going into |
| slid; is usually the first suspect that you look at, after | | | | the power receptacle on the back of the unit. If it |
| a failure. | | | | feels like it wants to fall out right after you plug it in, |
| Having said that, there are some important points | | | | than that will be problematic when you have the |
| that one should keep in mind when looking at a | | | | machine in a mobile environment. Make sense? You |
| prospective used laptop; the first of which, is | | | | want to make sure that the connectors, once they |
| whether or not you are purchasing the machine on a | | | | are inserted into their respective receptacles, will stay |
| as-is basis, or not. If you are purchasing the machine | | | | there. Lest they will be falling out when you're trying |
| from a reputable store, that offers a return policy, or | | | | to get things done, and causing unneeded |
| a limited warranty, then at least you have the grace | | | | aggravation. |
| of taking it home, and giving it the once over. If | | | | On the subject of what you will be in possession of, |
| however, you are purchasing the machine from let's | | | | data-wise, on the machine, after you own it; plan on |
| say an individual, or a store who maintains an "as is" | | | | reinstalling the operating system. But before you do |
| policy, then it's buyer beware. | | | | that, you should invest in some type of software |
| The first point of review should be the condition of | | | | which "wipes" the drive or files, instead just deleting |
| the display. With the machine off, and the screen | | | | them. The difference between wiping, and deleting, is |
| dark, look at the screen from off to the side; inspect | | | | that when you wipe a drive, or file, the procedure of |
| it for any scratches or aberrations, then with the | | | | wiping actually writes, and rewrites, over the |
| machine on, and the screen lit up, give the display a | | | | specified area on the drive, to make any previous |
| good looking over. What you do not want, is to get | | | | data un-recoverable. |
| it home and realize that there is a blem on the | | | | As part of the deal, if you can, you should also try |
| screen; because if you bought it on a "as is" basis, | | | | and get two disks. The first, would be for the |
| you will have to look at that defect for a long, long | | | | operating system that is already installed on the |
| time. So check, and double check the screen. | | | | machine, so you can reinstall it, thereby giving |
| The next thing you want to look at are the | | | | yourself the benefit of being able to start from a |
| connectors; where the mouse, Ethernet, USB, and | | | | clean slate; and the other disk should be the OEM |
| power connectors go into the machine. Laptops | | | | (Original Equipment Manufacturer)disk, for whatever |
| specifically were designed to be mobile unlike their | | | | brand, make, and model machine it is, which contains |
| desktop counterparts. So that means they are going | | | | the drivers for the proprietary peripherals, if any, that |
| to be carried, stuffed, un-stuffed, and accidentally | | | | come with the machine, such as sound card, modem, |
| dropped, kicked, and banged. | | | | display adapter, drives, and so forth. |
| If the machine was used, for navigation, say possibly | | | | Following this simple plan of performing a limited |
| with MapQuest(TM), or Randy McNally(TM), or any | | | | number of semantics prior to purchase, hopefully, will |
| other popular GPS software, then there is a good | | | | allow you to sidestep any aggravation from recurring |
| chance that it was required to ride shotgun in the | | | | problems after purchase. |
| passenger seat of a moving vehicle, and subject to | | | | |