FOUND: small, cheap, windows laptop

DoctorIt · June 28, 2005

Small and cheap, ability to run winxp
(doesn't have to be fast, but has to run winxp)
budget: ~$150

Yes, I said it, I want a billy gates laptop. Blech. But I have no choice. If anyone has an old one sitting around that is small, I'll take it. Small is key, it is for motorcycle travel, strictly to run mapping software for my GPS. Unfortunately there is NO way to make it work with my powerbook, long story. But the short version is, it's cheaper and more reliable to buy a crappy old laptop than to try and make it work with MacOS, or to buy a GPS with more internal map memory.

There are so many on ebay, I'm overwhelmed, and half of them are good chance of DOA anyway.

If anyone has one they don't totally want to part with, I only really need it for the next couple months as well. lease? loan?
:dunno

robscomputer · June 28, 2005

At $150 budget that really limits your choices. My work laptop, a Dell CPx, PIII 500Mhz, just runs Win XP but anything slower might cause more issues. I think you can find these CPx's for under $500 but not close to $150. There are also Thinkpads, which might sell for cheaper, not 100% sure. You might be able to grab a PII 300Mhz but then you run into problems of even running Win XP.

BTW another possible choice, if you can find the Win CE version of the software you need?

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1163978&sku=j162-1000&CMP=ILC-FPM14B

Finally, I'm sure you know this already but have you tried using a Windows emulator software?

Rob

DoctorIt · June 28, 2005

we're talking used and abused laptop here. Dell is selling NEW laptops for $500 right now, so I don't think $150 for a 2 year old PC laptop is asking for too much. WinXP is a wish, win2k will work just fine.

Its a long painful story, but no, emulators will let the software run, but it will not communicate with the GPS. I've beat this to death on the motorcycle forums with other Mac/GPS nerds. Boils down to the software and communication routes being proprietary to the maker (Garmin) and they don't want to bother supporting Mac. This sucks, but it's not like there's a whole lot of choices out there for good GPS units.

Thanks for commenting though.

Tim Kirkwood · June 28, 2005

I have a gps unit that I used on my laptop. I upgraded laptops last winter to a new sony with win xp. Now that gps no longer works. It only works in win 98, I have also beat it to death trying to work around it and get it to work but to no avail.

I know the troubles your facing. I hope you get it working.

Sorry I could not be of better help

, just wanted you to know I feel your pain.

Tim

robscomputer · June 28, 2005

Ok, I have another idea. You can call some of the surplus shops and they usually have old notebooks. Sometimes these get snapped up quickly since Cisco guys use them for the serial connection.

Try this shop, they will ship smaller items out. I didn't see any notebooks listed on their site but you can call.

http://www.weirdstuff.com

Another shop is this one, I've been to this place and they have really old notebooks. Again it's better to call.

http://www.surpluscomputers.com/store/Main.aspx

Hope this helps,
Rob

ziggy53 · June 28, 2005

$200?
If you can go $200, check out:

http://offleasecomputer.com/index.php

luckyrwe · June 28, 2005

I have a Panasonic Toughbook with Windows 98 that will run NetStumbler, then you can export than to mapping software. I use the com port for GPS input and the wifi card for the wardriving. I paid $150 for it, there are plenty out there.

Unfortunately saying, "Must be cheap" and "Must run XP" you are contradicting yourself. All my XP boxes get at least 1GB of ram nowadays.

ajgauthier · June 28, 2005

you could cave in and buy a handheld PC - more than $150, yes, but you can get them with GPS in them...have you looked at that avenue?

If you don't find anything - we have this "$199 Computer Store" here in Tucson, I bet in MA you could find something like that, probably in Springfield or Worcester. (Are you at UMass? That's my alma mater)

Adrienne

DoctorIt wrote:

Small and cheap, ability to run winxp
(doesn't have to be fast, but has to run winxp)
budget: ~$150

Yes, I said it, I want a billy gates laptop. Blech. But I have no choice. If anyone has an old one sitting around that is small, I'll take it. Small is key, it is for motorcycle travel, strictly to run mapping software for my GPS. Unfortunately there is NO way to make it work with my powerbook, long story. But the short version is, it's cheaper and more reliable to buy a crappy old laptop than to try and make it work with MacOS, or to buy a GPS with more internal map memory.

There are so many on ebay, I'm overwhelmed, and half of them are good chance of DOA anyway.

If anyone has one they don't totally want to part with, I only really need it for the next couple months as well. lease? loan?

DoctorIt · June 29, 2005

ajgauthier wrote:

you could cave in and buy a handheld PC - more than $150, yes, but you can get them with GPS in them...have you looked at that avenue?

If you don't find anything - we have this "$199 Computer Store" here in Tucson, I bet in MA you could find something like that, probably in Springfield or Worcester. (Are you at UMass? That's my alma mater)

Adrienne

I already have a GPS. Sell it and trade for a handheld PC? No way, they can't take the abuse of being mounted on a motorcycle.

Yeah, I'm a UMass, it's already my alma mater twice, but for some reason I'm still here

Thanks for all the suggestions gang, I'm well versed in whats out there. I can google with the best of you. I was just hoping/wondering if someone had something lying around that they would be willing to let go for a song.

It's not that big a deal that I would put major effort into anyway. If I load up detailed maps sparingly, for example, just around the major metro areas I'll be in on my long trip, I can actually cram quite a bit in there. It has a basemap, so as long as I stay on major routes in between where I load the detailed maps, I'm all set anyway. This would have been a cool addition.

Charlie Brown · July 4, 2005

id be willing to let my vaio go for 225, 150 is a bit less than id want to let it leave for though. pm me if youre interested and ill give you the details.

charlie

DoctorIt · July 4, 2005

Charlie Brown wrote:

id be willing to let my vaio go for 225, 150 is a bit less than id want to let it leave for though. pm me if youre interested and ill give you the details.

charlie

I appreciate it CB, but after another weekend of runs to Home Depot (finishing off our new house), even the $150 is more than I can spend on "toys".

So for the moment, I've dropped the idea. I'll load up what I can fit in my GPS memory, and bring an atlas. I should just be happy to have my bike and be able to take a week off to ride it once the house is buttoned up and we're moved in... hopefully very soon now!

gsgary · July 5, 2005

Half the fun of motorbike travel is getting lost and finding new places that you would have missed, just last week we got lost in Norway ran out of petrol right at the side of a lovely waterfall, then a Dutch couple pulled up on another GS and we ended pulling into the same motel and had a great night, we meet them about another 4 times on are way down Norway

Regards
Gary

DoctorIt · July 14, 2005

it appears by leaving this thread up, i found EXACTLY what I was looking for from a lurking dgrinner

FOUND: small, cheap, windows laptop

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