Disfunctional Screen

cokids · #1 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 12:27 PM

I have a MSI Wind U100 netbook. This AM I had it on my lap and my dog got entangled in the cord and pulled it off my lap onto the floor (one of the drawbacks of the small formfactor, I think), and the screen no longer works. It has a visual crack....not an actual one...but the screen has lines in it as though cracked and patterns of color dispersed within the 'cracked' sections.

The drive is still working. Is there a way to 'fix' the screen, so that I can continue to use this little miracle or not? I have connected it to my large monitor, but that will only work in certain circumstances. Called my repair guy and he says that replacing the screen may be as expensive as replacing the whole machine!

Is there a way to port the contents of a drive from a netbook to a new netbook, so that I don't have to reinstall all of the program-ware?

I'm hoping someone tells me there's something I can do about the screen to get it working again, but I don't expect it! Thoughts?

If I can't fix it, I'll be reading reviews like a fiend in prep to buy a new one. Guess for the price, it's almost the thing to do!

Beth

scratchdesk · #2 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 12:41 PM

Well you can "fix" the screen by replacing it if you so desire. Take a look here:
msi wind u100 screen, Computers Networking. Great deals on eBay!

As far as backing up your hard drive and or moving it to another netbook, that can also be done with a little know how or some extra money. I'm not sure what drive the wind has but I assume there is an adaptor out there that one can buy that'll allow you to use the drive as a secondary/ portable hard drive. That way you can get your information off it. Or if it has a VGA output you can hook it up to another monitor and send everything you want to save to a backup location/ CD/ DVD.

Hope that helps.

ThisIsNot · #3 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 01:04 PM

The issue might be a bad connection between the monitor and output of the netbook. The only way to be sure of this would be to disassemble the netbook and make sure the video cable (usually a ribbon) is intact and that it makes a proper connection with the motherboard and monitor.

The issue might also be due to a busted graphics card. Your netbook should be able to output through VGA despite the condition of it's built-in monitor. Simply toggle through your different function keys to get the correct output (you want your netbook to just output to the monitor). A busted graphics card would mean further dismantling the netbook along with soldering (we are talking about integrated graphics).

Given the costs of new LCD panels, the time it takes to disassemble the netbook, the time it takes to narrow down the problem, and the time it would take to install a new component; I think it would be better if you just started saving up your money now for a new netbook. You could spend $100 on an LCD panel and a countless number of hours installing it (and initially narrowing down the problem) or you could just buy a new netbook and hard drive enclosure. You should be able to pop the hard drive out of your MSI with relative ease. There are hard drive enclosures that go for about $20. You would put the hard drive in that and it would turn it into an external USB 2.0 drive. Then just copy all the files over to whatever netbook/storage device you want.

cokids · #4 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 04:30 PM

yup, I think it's time to start reading reviews. I connected the netbook to a desktop monitor earlier today and it worked fine, so I think the graphics card is still intact. It's just the monitor that is damaged. But I don't have the skill to fix it, so it looks like I'll be buying new.

Beth

Suggestions for new?

ThisIsNot · #5 (**permalink**) 02-03-2010, 06:13 PM

At least you can still use the MSI as a net-top. It may not be the best solution but it can definitely work as a secondary non-mobile basic computer.

Well, what are you looking for in a new netbook and where would you like to buy it. I ask this because some people will only buy products from Best Buy (due to their many store locations giving them nationwide warranty access), Amazon.com, or directly from the manufacturers.

I suggest you look through the other posts made here by people asking for netbook recommendations and then get back to us.

ericinboston · #6 (**permalink**) 02-04-2010, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThisIsNot

At least you can still use the MSI as a net-top. It may not be the best solution but it can definitely work as a secondary non-mobile basic computer.

Exactly...either use it as a secondary pc hooked up to an external monitor or sell it for a quick $100 (or whatever) to someone that could use it for the same external monitor functionality.

You could also use it as a simple file server...store lots of your files on it and connect to it over your home network. You could even stream music via iTunes if you install iTunes on both netbooks (like I do..but 1 machine is a desktop).

To make it a simple file server, simply create folders on your hard drive (MSOffice for example of a folder)...then right click on the folder and choose Security...and make it shared...and make it read-only or read/write depending on what you want. Now that machine will share anything you stick in the MSOffice folder. Now, go to your other machine and connect to it over your network. This can be done about 5 different ways depending on the operating system so be sure to get back to use on what OSes you are using. Of course this can be Googled to for a quick 5 minute setup.

-Eric

ericinboston · #7 (**permalink**) 02-04-2010, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cokids

Is there a way to port the contents of a drive from a netbook to a new netbook, so that I don't have to reinstall all of the program-ware?

Basically no...not in the Windows world.

You always need to reinstall software applications on Windows environments.

Grab yourself Macrium Reflect Free: Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download

This application will backup your entire drive (OS and everything). Now in your case, the "image" it creates won't help you with applications because you are not purchasing an identical machine...however, the "image" will have everything...so:

1)install Macrium on your broken computer and backup your broken computer with Macrium to an external drive
2)install Macrium on your new computer
2b)connect the external drive to your new computer
3)on your new computer, double click the backup "image" (on your external drive) and you will see the entire contents of your old pc...you may now browse your backup "image" as if it is another hard drive...very very handy so you can go and pull out documents/data that you may need.

-Eric

cokids · #8 (**permalink**) 02-04-2010, 02:04 PM

Solution: I found an MSI Wind U100 on ebay for a reasonable price. It is already preloaded with PS 7, MS Word (2003) and some other programs. The PS alone make the Wind with only a DOA warrantee on it worth it's weight, I think. And, I will be able to continue to use the 6 cell battery I bought for this netbook. I think it's a win-win situation, but I'm not sure, so go at it and tell me why it isn't!

Anyone got directions for getting the drive out of this old machine and making it an external drive? I have already used it as a drive hooked up to an external monitor. Worked just fine!

Beth

Beth

cokids · #9 (**permalink**) 02-04-2010, 02:06 PM

Oh, and I hope to just save files to an external drive and then port them to the new computer. Taht won't work for programs, but for files it should be just fine!

cokids · #10 (**permalink**) 02-04-2010, 02:10 PM

Oh, and did I say that this was a trade show machine that is only 6 months old (and explains why all the programs were already installed on it). I'm hoping it got just enough of a work-out to show that it was working just fine, but isn't worn out! Scares me, but it's too late! I bid and won today!

Beth