overhaul old laptop

[mcloud]

hello all, I have a HP pavilion zd7000 laptop, ya old lol.

I'm wanting to overhaul it with updated components, hard drive, motherboard, ram, CPU.
all components that's win 7 compatible.

Not sure if any laptop components will fit, or if a need specific types, and was looking for some help,
choosing the right ones.

Ive taken apart laptops so its no prob, I'm just stuck as to which components I could use.

Im not looking to get the latest and the greatest, just that which will get me a fast and reliable laptop for windows 7 x64.

Thank you
God bless

 

[ignatzatsonic]

That thing is 10 years old.

Hard to imagine this would be a cost-effective project.


Unless at least one of the following things is true:

1: you don't care what it costs.

2: you do care what it costs, but have access to the necessary parts at very low cost.

3: you don't care how much labor is involved.

4: it's a hobby. it doesn't have to make sense financially.

The only thing that might make sense is getting an SSD, but I doubt an SSD would even install in such an antique.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

mcloud,
Welcome to sevenforums. I would say build a desktop system instead or purchase a new lappy. We're here to help but this is tossing good money for bad to try updating a 10 year old lappy.......it's a dead dog and I would just recycle it.

 

[LMiller7]

The problem with upgrading a laptop is that so much is proprietary. The motherboard is designed for a specific model series and getting anything else to fit will be very difficult. The only motherboards that will fit will be an exact replacement on one that is very similar. A more modern motherboard could likely be installed but it will be difficult and expensive. A task for an expert looking for a challenge where cost is not a consideration.

The only things that can be easily upgraded in a laptop are hard drive, RAM, and CPU (to a lesser extent). And the upgrades will always be restricted by the technology of the original system.

Buying a new laptop will be cheaper and give better results.

 

[Berton]

Some of the replacement motherboards I priced for HPs were in the $380 bracket, for not much more the clients just bought new Notebooks/Laptops. There's very little sense in refurbishing older Notebooks due to the cost, not very effective considering what new ones cost now and having the latest OS. Also to consider if it can accept enough RAM to run the latest.

I just rehabbed a Dell Inspiron 600m by installing Linux Mint 13 on it, couldn't go newer because of the non-support of the Centrino system. It is too good to just throw out and didn't cost anything for the OS which included drivers for the important things, sound, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, etc.

 

[strollin]

From what I read on the net, that laptop was pretty high end in it's day but, as everyone has pointed out already, being 10 years old, it's not going to be cost effective to upgrade it.

It can take a max of 2G of RAM and uses an IDE HDD so no chance to install an ssd. The one bright spot is that it does use a discreet graphics card but not sure if you could find a suitable card to go in there.

 

[AlGme]

Thanks
​

 

[mcloud]

I do have computers background, but haven't overhauled laptop before, I figured that it was probably useless to, but that is what i was trying to find out.

I've taken this laptop apart before, it was pretty easy so figured i would at least check

That laptop cost me 2 grand at Best Buy back in the day.
To bad that laptop components aren't more universal like desktop

 

[Berton]

Size is a definite limiting factor with Notebooks/Laptops, not so much with Desktops.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

The cost thing is tough I know as I still run my HP4 laserjet printer from way back it cost me almost $1,400.00 usd out the door, but it's a printer and the lappy just has no upgrade potential unlike desktops and they can easily paint you into corners by design as well as the major manufacturers really don't want you upgrading but rather trash and buy new. This is why we love to direct people to quality cases, psu's and the like, in theory if purchased correctly they will last a upgrade or three.