Nerd/Boffin Technical corner. Page 48

Just a note on the quality of laptops. I use one most days at work. Not at a desk but in factories on machines. It's a precarious enviroment to say the least.
So over the years I have had many laptops as they have been knocked off machines and resting places.
Ususally it's one drop from a high place onto a concrete floor and it's the end of the laptop. But I have a DELL that is silver in colour and it has been dropped/knocked off at least 10 times and still works perfectly.
The corners are cracked and 2 keys are missing due to it's adventures but it has survived everything. I don't know if it's luck or good build but I am swayed to the latter.

What do you do Stephen, out of interest?

I am an electrician. But that term over the last 20 years has become generic for anyone that works with wires. So my title now is often reffered to as Automated systems engineer. (but I'm still a hairy arsed sparky)
I design and build computerised automated controls for machinery. Machines that make things.
Only last week I was contacted to ask if I would go to the Heathrow airport baggage handling system as apperently, it is in a right mess.
I have declined as they didn't want to pay enough.

Veeery interesting. Seems you're in the same business as me, although I'm not an engineer.

Oh dear, have dropped my Samsung Galaxy Europa onto concrete and now when it starts up, the screen is blank. It can receive calls. What to do, other than bin it? I've tried staring it whilst holding down various combinations of buttons and/or volume control, as suggested online; but no joy.

Quote: Nogget @ March 31 2012, 7:12 PM BST

Oh dear, have dropped my Samsung Galaxy Europa onto concrete and now when it starts up, the screen is blank. It can receive calls. What to do, other than bin it? I've tried staring it whilst holding down various combinations of buttons and/or volume control, as suggested online; but no joy.

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Probably whatever illuminates the screen has broken.

I expect it is worth contacting your retailer or Samsung for a quote for a repair.

My laptop is regularly losing its internet connection and it can't reestablish a connection until I restart the router. Nothing wrong with the router, though, as other devices stay connected, but my laptop can't get an internet connection even though it is connected to the router. I've tried troubleshooting (much use the windows troubleshooter is, suggesting I look online for a solution) and restarting the wireless adapter and computer, but nothing will fix it except restarting the router. Any ideas what's wrong with it?

What type of router is it?

Sky

Quote: Harridan @ April 1 2012, 12:59 AM BST

Sky

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...mmm I know the old BT ones are a nuisance they don't give out the dns details until you reboot them, might be the same with those. Do you have a spare router you can try?

No, annoyingly. Just seems odd that I only have this problem on many laptop.

Quote: Harridan @ April 1 2012, 1:06 AM BST

No, annoyingly. Just seems odd that I only have this problem on many laptop.

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what OS does your laptop run?

Windows 7

Quote: Harridan @ April 1 2012, 1:15 AM BST

Windows 7

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....mmmmm Tricky.

Have you done the standard Spy ware and malware scans?

Yeah, and recently did a major system clean up. Been happening about once a fortnight for ages. Not a big issue, but the router is in someone else's room so I can't always pop down and restart it. I was just wondering if this was a something with an easy fix, guess not!