this post was submitted on 26 May 2026
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is a laptop whose display is working no more still of any use ? (hear-me.social)
submitted 1 day ago by codewizard@hear-me.social to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml
36 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

@asklemmy is a laptop whose display is working no more still of any use ?

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[–] HiddenLayer555@lemmy.ml 7 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago) (1 children)

The way I see it, it's basically downgraded to a desktop (assuming it has a separate display output). People use laptops like that as desktops and even home servers all the time.

The two major things to look out for is you probably want to configure it so that closing the lid doesn't put it to sleep, and if possible, detach the battery and just run it off the charger to prevent the battery from puffing up from being constantly charged.

Hell, detach the screen entirely and you basically have a DIY modern Commodore 64.

[–] prime_number_314159@lemmy.world 2 points 15 hours ago

Some laptops let you set a maximum charge for the battery at 70 or 80%, which is better for long term storage, and still offers the backup power supply if needed.

[–] SkaveRat@discuss.tchncs.de 37 points 1 day ago (1 children)

sure.

You can attach an external display. Or turn it into a small home server

[–] unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de 5 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Or as an always online syncthing node

[–] Xaphanos@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

With a built-in ups.

[–] unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Yup, many laptops even have a sim card slot so with that you could even configure it to fall back to mobile data in case of a power outage that also takes out your homes wired internet.

I have a thinkpad at work that has been in that role for years. Its the central syncthing node for like 10 other laptops and computers. It then also does regular automated backups to off site storage in case anything bad happens with the syncthing setup.

[–] Agent641@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago

ultra low profile headless server with built in UPS? Heck yeah!

[–] h54@programming.dev 8 points 1 day ago

If you have an external monitor, turn it into a halftop.

[–] MonkeyDumpster@lemmy.org 2 points 20 hours ago

i have a macbook pro from 2019 and the display has some defect and all the colors are inverted. i installed ubuntu and used it as a desktop for awhile.

[–] dessalines@lemmy.ml 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

If you run any services (jellyfin / a media server, torrents, document storage, etc), have them run on it.

[–] codewizard@hear-me.social 2 points 1 day ago (2 children)

@dessalines sounds interesting, but how does something like jellyfin work on a laptop without any display ?

[–] tophneal@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

You use the laptop to run the server that dishes up the content for the client devices that have working displays to watch on

[–] codewizard@hear-me.social -2 points 1 day ago (3 children)

@tophneal too nerdy stuff for me.

[–] shrek_is_love@lemmy.ml 9 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Now I'm curious why you chose that particular username πŸ€”

[–] patatas@sh.itjust.works 2 points 23 hours ago

building inspector maybe

[–] dessalines@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 day ago

You won't be able to do this then. You'd need to learn your way around linux, servers, ssh, etc to be able to run these services.

[–] tophneal@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I’m afraid if the display is actually dead then most of the options to keep the laptop computing will likely be β€œtoo nerdy” for you. Pretty much all of them will involve using it as a headless server.

[–] RampantParanoia2365@lemmy.world 0 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

....what the fuck are you on about? Have you never seen an HDMI jack on a laptop before?

[–] tophneal@sh.itjust.works 2 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 20 hours ago) (1 children)

Nah you’re right, I was mid-first cup. HDMI, usbc dp are both potential options to use video out. I’ve been corrected. Rude as fuck way to do that though.

[–] RampantParanoia2365@lemmy.world 1 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

I suppose that was rather rude if you're like, going by what words mean or something. I apologize.

[–] tophneal@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 hours ago

I appreciate your apology and hope you’re having a good day today

[–] coolfission@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

To make it easy, start off with plugging your old laptop into external monitor. Install RDP, VNC, ssh, ftp depending on your OS. Install tailscale and join the network. Now with another computer, connect to that same network with tailscale and then you can connect and see your laptop screen with RDP. Or if you want VNC you can get a β€œdummy” hdmi adapter or try installing software for dummy monitor output. After that, use wired ethernet to plug old laptop in router, set to never turn off (recommend removing laptop battery beforehand) and there you go, you have your own personal server you can access anywhere including your phone! From there, look into self-hosting with apps like jellyfin, immich, etc. tons of great resources online.

[–] sexy_peach@feddit.org 9 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Could also maybe be repaired

[–] codewizard@hear-me.social 1 points 1 day ago (2 children)

@sexy_peach that costs an awful lot of money, and the investment is really not worth it considering the age of the machine.

[–] sexy_peach@feddit.org 1 points 1 day ago

Then ignore this idea

[–] luthis@lemmy.nz -1 points 21 hours ago

It costs like $100 to order a replacement screen, depending on the model.

[–] GiorgioPerlasca@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Replacing a display in a laptop is a routine operation for IT companies hardware teams. So it should be easy to find a shop that replaces the display.

[–] MalReynolds@slrpnk.net 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Totally, assuming of course it's a business class laptop (indeed if it's a thinkpad or similar most anyone can grab a $50 screen from China, find a yt tutorial and have a go themselves with a fair chance of success). On the other hand if it's a glued together ultra thin consumer POS, it's likely more than it's worth to get it fixed.

[–] IWW4@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 day ago

It depends on why it stopped working. If the display doesnt work because it got dropped chances are other parts of it are broken as well.

Assuming everything else is functioning properly and it has an HDMI/VGA/DVI etc, than it can be connected to an external display.

[–] Soulphite@reddthat.com 3 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Yes, you and a group of your closest friends could have a grand ole time at the local park playing Frisbee with it.

[–] shrek_is_love@lemmy.ml 1 points 23 hours ago

Or baseball!

[–] SkaveRat@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 1 day ago

I'm using an old broken netbook to prop open my living room window

[–] lemonhead2@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

u might be able to buy the display cheap and fix it. I've previously bought the same model on ebay

[–] mumblerfish@lemmy.world 0 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

I used a laptop with no screen and no harddrive for a while, mainly for presentations during teaching. The laptop plus a usb with linux and the pdf on it, hook it up to the projector. Worked fine. I think I also stripped if from most of the ram.

[–] codewizard@hear-me.social 0 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

@mumblerfish the projector acted as the display ?

[–] mumblerfish@lemmy.world 1 points 20 hours ago

Exactly. Showed presentations for my students on it.