Custom laptop hardware build based on existing case?

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GreenAce92

Member
I don't know why but I have this keyboard problem. I recently bought a wooden keyboard, it seemed cool, almost opposite, because computers are supposed to be digital/modern and yet I have a wooden/analog keyboard.

Anyway, despite the coolness of the keyboard it sucks for typing, for building websites and programming, the key layout is terrible.

I have had this Presario CQ60 laptop for a few years now, such a great buy! I bought it from a woman on Craigslist for $120.00, it's honestly one of the best things I've ever purchased as far as "bang for buck" goes. I installed Linux on it and upgraded to 4 GB of RAM. It has been such a productive machine and I love the keyboard.

The problem is that it is a single core machine, so it has times when it hangs up. Of course I can't use it to do anything more than using Text editors and browser / general movie watching. The other problem is that the hard drive is a 7200 rpm drive and it is hot! It is installed right on the left side of the mouse pad and my palms sweat as a result. I hate that. It's not the CPU overheating or anything it is the hard drive.

So, after all of what I have written, I wonder if one could build this computer with modern specs like i7, 8GB+ RAM, and position the drive somewhere else / use SSD.

I am also wondering if I could just hook this computer up to a workstation and use the keypad/mouse pad as my input.

I'm serious about the keyboard thing, every key is nicely spaced and the depth of the depression is great. Quick typing.

Any thoughts?

I'm not saying that a manufacturing company would buy dies/a plant just for me and also I'm not suggesting that I am competent enough to just design my own motherboard let alone have the machine-precision of an automated plant to make it myself.

Maybe it is possible to keep the frame and fit parts in?

I don't know. This is a replacement keyboard part so maybe I could just get a frame for it 3D printed.
 
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GreenAce92

Member
For now I decided to get a SATA male to female extension cable. This way I can take the hard disk drive out of the computer where the palm is and move it elsewhere.

The laptop is used pretty much as a desktop, always plugged in, and hardly moves so the drive being outside doesn't seem like much of a problem to me.
 
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GreenAce92

Member
Hello Jaytech,

Thanks for the link, it was an interesting read.

That docking station slot idea was crazy haha, wonder how it stayed on with the screen being closed.

Yeah my processor/mobo is usually if not always under 60C, if not doing much around 53 C. It is the hard drive that is really hot, and my left palm rests right over the HDD while typing. So... I'm going to see how the SATA extension cable works out. I'm concerned about motion but seeing as the laptop is usually on a desk, maybe I'll be okay.
 
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GreenAce92

Member
Well that was pretty much a waste of an expense.

It turns out that the body of the laptop still gets warm (where your palms rest as you type) despite removing the drive which does get very hot. And the additional random shut offs due to the hard drive being disconnected is not really a good thing. So... I'm trying something else now, some cardboard on top of the hand rests of the laptop. Sadly, I can still feel the heat getting through the cardboard.... ahhhhhhhh this is madness.

I should just get a real keyboard. But I have to touch them and try them out. Oh well. 12-inch extension is pretty short.
 
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