Laptop into desktop

I've had my zepto 6224W for about two years now, and it got dropped a while back. The screen didn't survive the fall and it's been hooked up to a monitor in my room ever since. The thing is, for as long as I've had the laptop, it's been pretty prone to overheating. So I'm wondering, is it possible to transplant my laptop into a desktop case? It seems this should fix the heat issues and such, but there'll be a lot of issues I assume. Has anyone here tried it?

 

Some HWMon data to show the extent of heating issues:
Hardware Monitors
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hardware monitor ACPI
Temperature 0 99°C (210°F) [0xE8A] (TZ00)
Temperature 1 97°C (206°F) [0xE76] (TZ01)
Temperature 2 0°C (32°F) [0xAAC] (TZ02)

Hardware monitor Intel Mobile Core 2 Duo
Temperature 0 81°C (177°F) [0x13] (Core #0)
Temperature 1 80°C (175°F) [0x14] (Core #1)

Hardware monitor NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT
Temperature 0 93°C (199°F) (GPU Core)

Hardware monitor Hitachi HTS722020K9SA00
Temperature 0 42°C (107°F) [0x2A] (Assembly)

The gpu got to 98°C before I quit CSS. I'm pretty sure it has been warmer than that though.
Edit: played torchlight for haf an hour, temps spiked up to 111°C.

 

Sure you could put the motherboard in a desktop case, but it would involve a bit of custom work. Depending on how much effort you put into it, you could have a cooler computer that runs completely silenty save for any optical or hard drive.

But also be aware that for a pittance, you can get actual desktop hardware that will blow your processor and GPU away. Probably the best option if you are into gaming.

 

Yeah, it might not be worth the trouble... It's a pity though, since that means I won't be using this laptop anymore really.

 

Take it apart, clean dust and apply fresh thermal paste on cpu and gpu.
Then get a laptop stand / cooler and keep your laptop on it.

I've bought used 15" screen for as low as 40 euros and they aren't too difficult to replace. If the only broken thing is the screen, you might consider replacing it.

 

It shouldn't be too hard to transplant into a micro or mini-ATX case. Like Trottle said though, you would have to do some custom work, if you want all ports available, and you want to be able to mount the cooling system in there. If you are good with that sort of stuff though, it shouldn't be too hard.

Hell, you could even build it inside a cardboard box. I knew someone who did that with some desktop components, and he claimed the cardboard box had better cooling than his Antec 1200.

 

Cardboard box seems dubious at best . I'd probably use some sort of mATX case yeah. I'm wondering if I could put in a different graphics card should the 8600 give up on me... I assume this would mean putting in a different psu?

 

No, you stick with your current power adapter. Also a cardboard box would be a lot easier to do than a mATX case. Grab one of those USPS medium flat rate boxes, take a knife to it, and wire a couple fans to the usb, and you are all set.

 

Check Ebay for a screen.
Or another laptop similar but with a fried board.

Also, clean out the dust/replace thermal compound.

 

What Trottel said. You'll find that it will be MUCH easier to fabricate and work with a cardboard box than a full metal or plastic case. Particularly if the box is stiff, and thick.

Must...resist...obvious...joke...

Anyway, the graphics card is most likely non-upgradeable. It will most likely use proprietary connectors, and will be soldered onto the motherboard.

EDIT: Oh wait, it's a Zepto, isn't it? You could maybe just chuck in something like a 3650 or a 9600M GT, if you are lucky. Do your research beforehand though, and look up the different types of MXM connectors, in the case that it has MXM.

 

I use sata laptop hard drives in desktops all the time lol.

 

Yeah, but you are able to use power and sata cables to connect it to the PSU and motherboard. In a laptop there are only the male ports hardwired onto the motherboard. I wonder if there are any cables out there that could do the job without having to source the components and make it yourself.

 

Upgrading the graphics is usually limited to the options available from the manufacturer, mostly because the BIOS rarely plays nice with anything other than the 2 or 3 discrete variants available for the model.

FWIW, I once dismantled an Averatec with a borked screen, attached it to a piece of sheet metal with extra standoffs from my desktop building days, a drill press to make precise holes, and a layer of neoprene to avoid shorts. Works well enough, but the cooling was a disaster until I made a cardboard tunnel with a 120mm fan tapped into the CPU fan that I mounted at one end to blow air over the parts.
Worked fine until I dropped a book on it one day thinking it was a proper box.

 

Option one:

Buy a new screen on ebay and dismantle your laptop to clean it. Price, cheap.
And you regain full usability of what a latop is supposed to be.


Option Two.

You could build a DIRT CHEAP brand new DESKTOP with the equivalent of what you have in that laptop.


Unless you are bored and want to enjoy messing around with the laptop to dirty looking ghetto cardboard box desktop transplant, (I can understand that) follow option 1 or 2.

 

Dude, clean out your laptop...no way its getting that hot unless the fans are out or the vents are clogged with dust. Compressed air is your friend.