completely off topic - laptops

[unlucky]

I have a few questions concerning laptop parts. On my laptop i had a floppy drive that came with a cable that let you plug it in the parallel port at the back. This let you have a cd drive actually slotted in + the floppy drive aswell on the parallel. This cable seems to fit the cd drive aswell as they are the same pin set outs atleast. What i want to do now the laptop is actually broken is use the cd drive or floppy drive on a pc. My problem is when the floppy drive is on the parallel port it doesn't detect any ideas or drives that will let it detect. + considering the hardrive (whcih is really small + light) is the same connection could i use that on the parallel port aswell. 4gb of portable storage . Finally is there any cheap plausible way of getting laptop screens on a pc ?????

 

[mallrat37]

First thing to remember is that laptops and desktops, have different architecture - with regards to using a laptop screen on a normal pc, I wouldnt put any bets on you getting it working... I have never heard of it being possible.

Secondly when connecting devices to the parallel port you will need some kind of drivers installed so windows knows what is going on - but the first thing to do if the hardware isnt automatically detected (im presuming windows XP here) is to manually run the add ne hardware wizard from control panel, that way you will at least see if anything is piced up, also look in your hardware profile for items with a yellow asterisk.

Hope this helps

 

[unlucky]

yes i knew the screens a long shot unless it happens to be an screen with rgb etc anyway windows isn't autodetecting through that add new hardware so i'm trying to find drivers i'm guessing i need a IDE/ATAPI to parallel driver

 

[DJWillis]

Is it a dell laptop? There parallel drive bay is not really parallel but more of a custom fudge so I doubt it will work on a PC.

 

[Chip]

Used to build laptops for a living

I wouldn't even bother. Although the CD-ROM is most likely IDE, the pin config is probably different. Laptop hardware is pretty damn shoddy anyway. Those CD-ROMS break all the time. I have to assume your PC already has a CD-ROM that's a good deal faster than the one in the laptop, so what's really the point?

As to the LCD issue, it can be done, just not easily or without some decent technical knowledge. If you had to ask, you shouldn't try it.

The real question here is: What's wrong with the laptop? Perhaps it's fixable.