A broken laptop can be turned into a stylish desktop computer with a little creativity and some DIY skills. This is what a DIY enthusiast, who goes by the name of Foreign, did with his Toshiba laptop that he bought for just $10. The laptop was in an unknown condition when he bought it, as the previous owner’s son had thrown it from the first floor and it was completely destroyed.
However, after plugging it in for a few minutes, he was surprised to find that it was still working. So, he decided to turn it into a desktop computer. In a previous video, he showed how he converted a broken laptop into a desktop. In this video, he shows how he turned the desktop back into a laptop.
The first step was to disassemble all the parts. As most of them were already broken or loose, it didn’t take long. He then designed the case for the laptop and sent it to his friend Hui from Smik Print Design to have it cut in acrylic. Unfortunately, there was a problem with the communication and the measures were wrong. The case was designed to be cut in five millimeters acrylic, but it was cut in eight millimeters, so the gaps were all wrong.
Foreign salvaged what he could and glued the case together. He then gave it a matte finish to make it different and hide all the imperfections caused by the glue.
Next, he made the motherboard holders and soldered two wires to the motherboard power button. After a few more checks, he removed the motherboard once again to make four holes to hold up the shock cover for the case. He used rum nuts, long thread bolts, and a nice shining piece of tool to hold the top cover.
Foreign found a metal power button in his junk and decided to use it. He opened a hole to fit the power button and glued it into place.
At the last minute, before reassembling the computer, he decided to add some LEDs to the base for an extra touch. He then installed the speakers and Wi-Fi antennas, reassembled the computer, and tested it.
The project came out in a really cool way. From a paper idea to a fully finished working computer, the matte bottom with the top clear lid worked out really well. The mismatch measure problems that they had earlier were almost invisible. The real test was to plug it in and see if it was a real computer. It worked!
If you’re looking to turn a desktop into a laptop, this project may give you some inspiration. While it may not be easy, it can be a very satisfying DIY project.