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HP 15f-010dx - i3-4010u - Laptop Broke - Fell in Water - But was repairable! 10 years old (2014).

Overview of My HP 15f-10dx

Why a Cheap Laptop?

I've owned several laptops in my lifetime, and the HP 15f-010dx was a budget choice at around $399 back in 2014. I never really spent much on laptops, as I wasn't into gaming or anything computationally intensive. However, I found Windows 8 to be horrible on this slow machine. The i3-4010u CPU was sufficient for my needs, but the operating system felt sluggish. The main feature going for it was the 'touchscreen,' which surprisingly turned out to be very useful.

Specs

  • CPU: i3-4010u
  • RAM: 8 GB (original factory was 4 GB)
  • Storage: 500 GB HDD (upgraded to 256 GB SSD)
  • OS: Windows 8.1 (swapped to Linux Mint)

How to Enter BIOS

To access the BIOS, start the laptop and immediately click the ESC key. This will show the Boot Up Menu, and you can press F10 to enter BIOS.

Battery Drain When Powered Off

The battery drain I experienced is not due to the Linux OS but likely a setting in the BIOS. I've been testing by disabling boot options from the Network Adapter and CD-ROM to see if that resolves the issue.

How It Became a Linux Machine

I've always kept a Linux machine alongside my Windows laptops. Before the HP i3 became my main Linux rig, I had a Gateway Core2Duo T5250. When I upgraded to an HP i7 in 2016, I no longer needed the HP i3 for Windows. Switching to Linux made the HP i3 useful again, especially since Windows 8 was painfully slow.

2021 Water Accident

My HP 15f-010dx refuses to die, which is impressive given its history. All it took was a new motherboard, and it was up and running again.

Water Incident

A few weeks ago, I accidentally dropped my Linux rig into a pool of water, fully submerging it for about 10 seconds. I was hopeful that, since it was off, some data and components might be salvageable. After disassembling it and letting it air dry for several weeks, I tested the components and was delighted to find the HDD fully functional, so all my data was safe. The RAM, LCD panel, and keyboard were also okay, but sadly, the motherboard was fried.

Donor Laptop

By chance, I had an identical laptop with a busted LCD and broken keyboard, so I began swapping in parts and managed to assemble another functional Linux rig! The donor laptop had a larger 500 GB HDD, which I kept, and I did a fresh install of Lubuntu. I also doubled the RAM since the donor had an extra 4 GB.

It was kind of fun to take apart both laptops and Frankenstein together a functional one. I’m relieved I didn’t have to spend a couple of hundred bucks on a new rig. I hope to keep this revived Linux machine for at least another 5-7 years.

Update - 4/24/22: SSD!

This little laptop that could just won’t die! I scored a free 256 GB SSD and installed it, giving the machine a new lease on life.

Performance Boost

SSD all the way! Even a basic-spec SSD like the Inland outperforms the old-school HDD.

Update - 8/2/22: 8 Years and Running Strong

The SSD has revitalized this laptop, making it run faster now than it did in 2014. I use it for light computing tasks, and it could keep working for many more years. The next things that might fail would be the BIOS battery and possibly the Li-Ion battery.

I’m hesitant to invest further into this machine, and when the Li-Ion battery finally dies, I’ll likely leave it permanently tethered to its charging cable and make my HP i7-6700k my new Linux rig. Ironically, I recently had to buy a new Li-Ion battery for the i7, so I'm invested in that machine lasting another 6-8 years.

Update - 7/24/23: 9 Years and Still Going Strong

They really don’t make laptops like they used to—this HP from 2014 has outlasted my newer 2016 HP, which has gone through three batteries. The original battery in the 15f-010dx is still holding up, even after its dunk in water!

At this point, I may have to accept that this HP could last me 20 or more years. I might just keep it until around 2034. Amazing!

Update - 10/31/24: A Decade of Excellence

I'm typing this blog update on this very machine.  It's now a decade old and still running perfectly.

 

 
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