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Is an 7 year old laptop likely to fail anytime soon?

  • 24-05-2016 4:41pm
    #1
    Bog Butter
    Registered Users Posts: 757 ✭✭✭


    Hi. A laptop is a necessity for me for the next couple of years, i'm in college doing a masters part-time. I'm currently using a Packard Bell that has been going since 2009.

    The only issue with the laptop is that the WiFi is dodgy. When I use a cable to connect to the router it works fine. Other than that it seems to be a great machine - I can do without WiFi.

    However, should I get a new laptop for fear that it might fail anytime soon? I do back up my work in the cloud. I still would be fearful of laptop failure though. The only reason for this would be that its an old machine. How likely is this? It's not used for much else.

    Any advice is appreciated, thanks.

    Edit - please excuse the grammatical error in the title!


Comments

  • #2
    bonzodog2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,261 ✭✭✭bonzodog2


    Probably not, but shit happens. The hard disk might fail, consider cloning to another for OS backup. If it gets hot (hot air coming out all the time/fan running continuously), get fan outlet de-fluffed. Some laptops are easier than others to do this.
    temperature monitoring software is free - try Coretemp/Realtemp/Speedfan.
    Always use on hard surface.


  • #3
    Bog Butter
    Registered Users Posts: 757 ✭✭✭Bog Butter


    Great advice, thanks.


  • #4
    mopi
    Registered Users Posts: 293 ✭✭mopi


    It's a how long is a piece of string question, personally I wouldn't trust it but if you set-up a good backup system -- and verify that it backs up what you think it backs up -- then you could minimise the risks. The hard disk is probably the weakest link so a decent backup procedure really is essential.


  • #5
    The_Honeybadger
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,216 ✭✭✭The_Honeybadger


    I still have a dell from 2009 that's running like a dream. I put an ssd and a new battery in it last year and it performs like new, far better than my newer toshiba that I have for work.

    It was a massive spec when I bought it in 2009 but outdated now obviously. I figure that if it has lasted this long I'll stick with it, I back everything up as well just in case.


  • #6
    Bog Butter
    Registered Users Posts: 757 ✭✭✭Bog Butter


    I actually replaced the hard drive some time ago and the battery more recently.


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  • #7
    Alanstrainor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,157 ✭✭✭✭Alanstrainor


    The most important thing is that you have all of your data backed up. And if not all data, then at least everything related to college. Once you have that you can gamble on this machine for as long as you like.

    As for whether it's a good idea, I suppose there's nothing wrong with it. Have some cash ready to replace it with something cheap to get you by if it does fail catastrophically.


  • #8
    Akrasia
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,676 ✭✭✭✭Akrasia


    mickeyk wrote: »
    I still have a dell from 2009 that's running like a dream. I put an ssd and a new battery in it last year and it performs like new, far better than my newer toshiba that I have for work.

    It was a massive spec when I bought it in 2009 but outdated now obviously. I figure that if it has lasted this long I'll stick with it, I back everything up as well just in case.

    Most laptops I have had that have failed have been through accidental damage, or wear and tear on the power input or screen hinges

    I had a HP NC6220 which I got off ebay that was working like a dream 5 year later until someone spilled beer all over it at a party

    I had a dirt cheap ASUS that was running perfectly, as new until my daughter poured a tub of yoghurt over the keyboard and my wife decided to wash it off with water

    On the 'law of averages', if for example you are going to have one random accident every 5 years year while using your laptop, a 5 year old laptop is overdue for something happening to it. (although buying a brand new laptop would just mean that the accident happens to the new laptop instead of the old one)


    But I have had other laptops where the power input detached from the circuit board. i managed to get it soldered back on, but it wasn't the same afterwards and parts started to fail soon after


  • #9
    MrAbc
    Registered Users Posts: 195 ✭✭MrAbc


    Just to mention also, there's no need to go without wifi, if you have a spare USB socket.

    You may have this sorted already, but for anyone else in the same boat...

    There are some really tiny USB wifi adapters available... no trouble to have it connected permanently even when mobile.

    Just for example, about 18 months ago I connected the following to an ancient Acer 5620z which only ever got a weak, unreliable connection via its internal wifi antenna. Gave a faster, rock solid connection.

    There are no doubt cheaper, faster ones available by now to match the speed capabilities of newer routers -- eg compare info on 802.11n and newer 802.11ac.


  • #10
    GenericName
    Registered Users Posts: 104 ✭✭GenericName


    I have a laptop bought in 2010 which was, in its day, a reasonably high end machine (Asus 8943G) which has been running 24 hours a day for the last 2 years as a Plex Media server. It's actively working for at least a few hours ever day.

    I did a little cheapish preventative care though. First, the thermal paste between the CPU and the heatsink can be expected to dry up within a few years and my machine was running hot with the fan at max all the time, causing the CPU to be throttled and thus lowers performance. I cleaned and added new thermal paste. The fan went back to normal after that. Also, the hard disks are among the more likely components to fail first so I cloned the disks and replaced them with cheap, but new disks. If you cloned to a SATA SSD you'd see a nice performance boost too.

    In my case the Ethernet port died along with the touchpad and one of the USB ports so there are worrying signs. After the hard disks, the next likely point of failure is capacitors on the motherboard. If I saw any starting to bulge I'd ditch the laptop. So your mileage may vary. Something will fail sooner or later but if you have real-time syncing to the cloud for everything that's important to you, there's not a lot of risk. You could be up and running with a new laptop same day if it failed on you. If it was me I'd ditch it just for my eye's sake. I'd hate to be working on a laptop display from 2009. Things have improved a lot.


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