Reusing laptop parts in mini ITX

[Kanped]

OK, so I have a horrible Dell laptop that has a decent processor and decent RAM / HDD etc., basically stuff that wasn't made by Dell.

Will these parts fit into another motherboard like a mini ITX / Micro ATX board? Also, is it possible to attach the laptop's screen (ribbon connector) to another motherboard?

I have googled this but I didn't find any simple, straight answers.

 

[hmmblah]

OK, so I have a horrible Dell laptop that has a decent processor and decent RAM / HDD etc., basically stuff that wasn't made by Dell.

Will these parts fit into another motherboard like a mini ITX / Micro ATX board? Also, is it possible to attach the laptop's screen (ribbon connector) to another motherboard?

I have googled this but I didn't find any simple, straight answers.

Depends on the model. Usually no, laptops use different sockets. As far as the screen goes, it's possible but highly unlikely. You can search around and see if someone has figured out the pinout for the screen, but I'd be surprised.

 

[jamesriley94]

Depends on the model. Usually no, laptops use different sockets. As far as the screen goes, it's possible but highly unlikely. You can search around and see if someone has figured out the pinout for the screen, but I'd be surprised.

Could you not just use the video out port rather than the screen? The laptop should have an HDMI or VGA port on the side?

 

[Kanped]

I spent £50 on a new screen about 2 months ago and was hoping to use it. Dell has this thing where there's a chip in the power supply that tells the laptop it's 'genuine Dell'. That chip breaks after a little while (I'm on my 3rd Power supply in 2 years) and then the CPU is fixed at 800MHz, the battery doesn't charge and you can't change the battery. So, yeah, I really want to ditch the motherboard.

It's a Dell Studio, bespoke Dell MoBo/BIOS. RAM is DDR3, Core i5 CPU. That's pretty much all I know. Do they even sell other laptop motherboards? Better off getting a low-spec laptop and putting these parts in it, maybe?

 

[jamesriley94]

No - Parts are very rarely compatible as the motherboards BIOS wont support it.
What parts would you even want to put in? The processor and RAM?

You'd just end up being left with something like an i3 and 4gb of RAM anyway, and a voided warranty on a new laptop.
Be better off selling the cpu and RAM if you can (not that you'll get much for them) but then getting a new laptop.

This may be of interest:
http://test.overclock3d.net/showthread.php?t=44682

 

[006409]

Better off getting a low-spec laptop and putting these parts in it, maybe?

no not really, as you will be very lucky to find a laptop that will accept the same motherboard. People like Dell make case to fit the motherboard so nothing else will fit. usually the only thing you can upgrade on Dell laptops is the ram and wi-fi card and if your lucky maybe you graphics but thats only rarely.

About the CPU you can flash the bios so you can overclock it but your on your own there as each laptop is different.

If u do manage to put it in a case (baring in mind as its a laptop it wont be to atx specs so youll have to mount it yourself) it doesnt have a normal sized PCI-E lane so you cant blot on a 'normal' graphics card and the heat-sink mounts are non-standard.

hopefully that will help you get your head around what needs doing before you rip it apart

PS i agree on the crappy Dell chargers ¬.¬ tho the new ones are slightly better

 

[Kanped]

Yeah, doesn't look like there's much I can do, then. I think there is a hack to get the CPU back to regular speed. I guess I'll just get another one for portability (or maybe try to build a portable mini ITX machine; a friend of mine is pretty good with wood/plastics, could get him to make me a little case) and keep this one for the bedroom with the power cable permanently attached. I guess it does still pretty much work. Thanks anyway, guys.