compaqportableplus
Veteran Member
Found these beautiful "Robins Egg Red" palmrest inserts new-old-stock! Never seen this color before so I had to have them.
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Dell Inspiron 8000
- Thread starter compaqportableplus
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compaqportableplus
Veteran Member
Also, has anyone ever shoehorned one of these epic QXGA (2048 x 1536) that some of the ThinkPads had in one of these Dell Inspiron 8000/8100/8200, Latitude C800/C810/C840 or Precision M40/M50 laptops? I would love to have a QXGA in one of my Dells. I think the display would physically fit just fine, but I'm not sure if it would get along with any of the video cards. I think the Radeon 9000 or Quadro4 700GL would have the best chance of working with it, if any would.
The 1600 x 1200 UXGA is more than enough, but the QXGA is unreal and I think I would really like it.
The 1600 x 1200 UXGA is more than enough, but the QXGA is unreal and I think I would really like it.
compaqportableplus
Veteran Member
Another update on this laptop:
I replaced the fans as they were starting to grumble and would slow-down on occasion. I took the fans from the parts Inspiron 8000 I bought, re-lubricated them and used those and they work great!
While I had the laptop apart, I wanted to repair the flakey left button for the trackpoint, which has been driving me mad ever since I rebuilt this unit with a the new shell. I compared this palmrest assembly to the once that used to be on this laptop and realized the old one was in better shape, so I decided to reuse it on this laptop again. It too also seemed to have a flakey left trackpoint button. So I took the switch apart and cleaned it, and I now have a perfect left-click on my trackpoint!
Next thing I've got to do is replace this awful 30GB 4,200RPM drive because it's dreadfully slow. I did a benchmark and it's BAD. Here's a screenshot of the results.
You can really tell on the boot times. This machine should definitely boot Windows 2000 faster than it does.
In the OP, I had a 160GB in here, but I eventually moved that to my 8100, although I’m considering moving it back to the 8000. Or I may just buy another drive.
I replaced the fans as they were starting to grumble and would slow-down on occasion. I took the fans from the parts Inspiron 8000 I bought, re-lubricated them and used those and they work great!
While I had the laptop apart, I wanted to repair the flakey left button for the trackpoint, which has been driving me mad ever since I rebuilt this unit with a the new shell. I compared this palmrest assembly to the once that used to be on this laptop and realized the old one was in better shape, so I decided to reuse it on this laptop again. It too also seemed to have a flakey left trackpoint button. So I took the switch apart and cleaned it, and I now have a perfect left-click on my trackpoint!
Next thing I've got to do is replace this awful 30GB 4,200RPM drive because it's dreadfully slow. I did a benchmark and it's BAD. Here's a screenshot of the results.
You can really tell on the boot times. This machine should definitely boot Windows 2000 faster than it does.
In the OP, I had a 160GB in here, but I eventually moved that to my 8100, although I’m considering moving it back to the 8000. Or I may just buy another drive.
compaqportableplus
Veteran Member
A few updates on the 8000:
I have upgraded the 16MB Nvidia GeForce2GO card to a 32MB one (it's exactly the same card, just with double the VRAM).
The completely blown-out speakers have been replaced with working ones from an Inspiron 8200 that was parted out.
The memory has been maxed-out to 512MB.
I have also purchased a 60GB 5,400RPM drive that should arrive soon. This should perform much better than the old 4,200RPM junker.
I have upgraded the 16MB Nvidia GeForce2GO card to a 32MB one (it's exactly the same card, just with double the VRAM).
The completely blown-out speakers have been replaced with working ones from an Inspiron 8200 that was parted out.
The memory has been maxed-out to 512MB.
I have also purchased a 60GB 5,400RPM drive that should arrive soon. This should perform much better than the old 4,200RPM junker.
compaqportableplus
Veteran Member
Got the new 60GB hard drive installed a few days ago and it works great. Considerably faster than the old 30GB one
Here's the drive I used, a 60GB Samsung.
And here's the before and after benchmarks.
Still not record speeds or anything, but it's a hell of a lot better and a very noticeable improvement.
Getting my Windows Me/2000 dual-boot reinstalled was time consuming, but it was well worth it. I also have it set-up with Acronis OS Selector now instead of the built-in Windows loader, so now no matter which partition I boot from, the boot drive is always C:. Before, Windows 2000 was booting from D:, which is a PITA sometimes as a lot of programs install to C: by default, so you would end up installing your Win2k apps on the WinMe partition if you weren't careful.
And something else I want to mention unrelated to the hard drive, is that the Inspiron 8000 and 8100 (aka Latitude C800 and C810) DO use different motherboards, as the Coppermine Pentium III Mobile uses a different socket than the Tualatin Pentium IIIm does.
I've been thinking about possibly getting one of the 1GHz Coppermine PIII Mobiles for this laptop, since that would pretty much max it out, but they seem to be impossible to find! And really, it's only 100MHz of difference at the end of the day, so I probably won't bother unless one comes up for really cheap. I'm perfectly happy with the 900MHz chip.
Here's the drive I used, a 60GB Samsung.
And here's the before and after benchmarks.
Still not record speeds or anything, but it's a hell of a lot better and a very noticeable improvement.
Getting my Windows Me/2000 dual-boot reinstalled was time consuming, but it was well worth it. I also have it set-up with Acronis OS Selector now instead of the built-in Windows loader, so now no matter which partition I boot from, the boot drive is always C:. Before, Windows 2000 was booting from D:, which is a PITA sometimes as a lot of programs install to C: by default, so you would end up installing your Win2k apps on the WinMe partition if you weren't careful.
And something else I want to mention unrelated to the hard drive, is that the Inspiron 8000 and 8100 (aka Latitude C800 and C810) DO use different motherboards, as the Coppermine Pentium III Mobile uses a different socket than the Tualatin Pentium IIIm does.
I've been thinking about possibly getting one of the 1GHz Coppermine PIII Mobiles for this laptop, since that would pretty much max it out, but they seem to be impossible to find! And really, it's only 100MHz of difference at the end of the day, so I probably won't bother unless one comes up for really cheap. I'm perfectly happy with the 900MHz chip.
onionsoup3
New Member
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2022
- Messages
- 2
Funny. I was searching for when these things first came out, having written a facebook comment about finally tossing my Inspiron 8000 and wanting to verify the year that I wrote, which is 1994, when I believe I got it. I also mentioned that it was built like a tank, weighed a ton and that I thought it was pretty much obsolete (in jest). Currently it is resting on the floor waiting to be taken out to the trash point. Earlier, when taking out the hard drive, a whopping 40GB, the plastic part under the cover that retained the screw broke, having become brittle after all these years. Wikipedia says that they were released in 2000, which confused me. I know that is wrong. Anyway, I'm trying to lighten the load, declutter and live more lightly so out it goes. It served me well. I also have more than one power brick and thought I had some extra batteries as well, but somewhat recall that I got rid of them in the not too distant past.
compaqportableplus
Veteran Member
These laptops are based on a Pentium III CPU that wasn’t released until 1999, so they’re definitely wasn’t any around in 1994. Laptops in 1994 looked very different than an Inspiron 8000.
They were indeed released in 2000. Here’s a review of one when they first came out dated October 2000.
Dell Inspiron 8000
Dell is no newcomer desktop replacement notebooks. Its Inspiron 7000 and 7500 models were fast and highly-capable models, but at ten pounds apiece they were almost prohibitively heavy.
www.zdnet.com
Sad to see your throwing it out, you could get a little bit for it on eBay if your willing to do that. Sucks to see these old computers just discarded like trash.
onionsoup3
New Member
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2022
- Messages
- 2
Yes. I was mistaken about the release date. The year 1994 is nearer to when I bought my first computer, a Gateway 2000 tower.
Where'd you find that sweet Pentium III wallpaper you're using? Would look great on my Latitude C610!
Also, where do you keep finding these high-res laptops. I always seem to get stuck with awful 1024x768 on everything... except my SXGA+ T30.
Also, where do you keep finding these high-res laptops. I always seem to get stuck with awful 1024x768 on everything... except my SXGA+ T30.
compaqportableplus
Veteran Member
I found it on this thread over at Vogons.
Vintage Hardware Wallpapers - Page 10 \ VOGONS
www.vogons.org
It is a really cool wallpaper! Probably the coolest Pentium III themed one I’ve seen.
All of the Inspiron 8000 series and Latitude C800 series laptops have at least a 1400 x 1050 (SXGA+) display, and many had a 1600 x 1200 (UXGA) display. So any from that series you get will have a high res display.
I highly recommend any of them. They are really solid and dependable laptops in my experience. They’re plentiful too so finding one isn’t hard.
There’s also the Precision M40 and M50 that share the same platform, but they are much rarer.
Great, thanks! And when you get the chance if you haven’t already, pull the CMOS battery from the 8000. They’re highly prone to leaking if you didn’t know.
Edit: That wallpaper appears to be a still frame taken from a commercial animation for the PIII processor. Shame it's only 800x600 though.
Edit: That wallpaper appears to be a still frame taken from a commercial animation for the PIII processor. Shame it's only 800x600 though.
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compaqportableplus
Veteran Member
The 8000 was the very first of this series, so that’s one reason it intrigues me. It was also the first one I got and what really got me into the 8000 series, so that also makes it special to me. The 8100 is just as good obviously, and even faster. Can’t go wrong with either.
The Pentium 4m based 8200 is an excellent system as well. One of my favorite XP machines.
compaqportableplus
Veteran Member
Very good! You definitely won’t be disappointed! These are amazing laptops.
Main thing I’m worried about is the plastics. Dell plastics from just a couple years earlier are turning to crap. Never seen a 1998 laptop with worse hinge issues than the CPi. And I’ve taken one apart, compared to many other laptops, the hinge mounts are designed very well. That plastic is just that bad on them. So far so good on the newer ones though.
Just love the 4:3 1.0GHz P3 laptops. Probably something to do with my first laptop being a Latitude C610, great system that is. Also on the lookout for a ThinkPad T23 and a WinBook J1, haven’t found either at a reasonable price yet though. It would be hard to beat a C810/Inspiron 8100 though, can’t find many other P3 laptops with SXGA+ or let alone UXGA screens.
Just love the 4:3 1.0GHz P3 laptops. Probably something to do with my first laptop being a Latitude C610, great system that is. Also on the lookout for a ThinkPad T23 and a WinBook J1, haven’t found either at a reasonable price yet though. It would be hard to beat a C810/Inspiron 8100 though, can’t find many other P3 laptops with SXGA+ or let alone UXGA screens.
compaqportableplus
Veteran Member
The plastics are pretty good on these in my opinion. Worst you’ll get are some stress cracks around the hinges, but the hinges actually have a very rigid internal metal frame, so it’s purely cosmetic, they will never break off. The main cause for the stress cracks on these is that the hinges sometimes get stiff with age, so definitely make sure to lubricate your hinges if they are stiff and binding up.
Don’t worry, these are nothing like the CPi! Way better built than those. It’s a shame because I love the look of the CPi, but it’s just too damn flimsy and brittle!
Like I said, you definitely will not be disappointed with the 8100! The Inspiron 8000/Latitude C800 series machines are just excellent. They are well built and reliable, which is why I went nuts collecting them.
Yeah, the CPi is a real shame. Good looking, solid performance and features, and the worst plastics you've ever seen. It appears that the CPx is better, haven't seen any of those with busted hinges yet. But that's a Pentium III system so it's sort of a different class of system. I've got two CPis and both need hinge repairs. Hopefully some epoxy will help with that, and I've also got a few NOS rear display housings for the CPI-D Series models that I can install on one of them.