Buying a used laptop, what would you look out for?

[Deja Q]

I've found a decent Toshiba laptop for $300 used. P III/500, 256MB RAM, 24x CD, 10GB HD. 14.1" TFT screen. Maybe I'm forgetting something, but what sort of obvious questions should I ask? (apart from asking for a lower price, like $200 or $250)

Thx!

[Gothic Sponge]

1. Make sure the battery still can be charged

If not, make sure Toshiba sells a replacement.

[McKenzie]

2. that spec should work fine for internet stuff

Laptops, in general, are less cost-effective to buy and repair compared to desktops. Check that there aren't too many dead pixels on the screen. If the OS disk is genuine Microsoft and not a Norton Ghost image file the OS is worth a few dollars. If it's an image file you can't use the OS on another machine.

[BlueJazz]

3. Might want to check on the price of a new hard-drive and

make sure that all the disks that came with it are all there.
I talk about the HD cause after 5 years it sounds like the HD is nearing it's useful life...?

[juajen]

4. I have used Toshiba laptops for over 8 years

They are good, reliable machines and Toshiba makes replacement parts. I replaced one because I killed my first one with coffee. Hint: If you spill anything in your laptap, reach for the plug first, disconnect and then turn upside down so the liquid will run out. Let dry out completely, one or two days; then plug in and see if it runs. If not, take it to a repair shop. My husband temporarily killed the one I'm typing on; it needed a new keyboard, $100, and the repair shop charged me $50 for putting it in. I thought $150 was a bargain because I was looking at replacing it completely. I love Toshiba.