What's a fair price: T23 1.13GB/512MB/20GB/XGA/DVD-RW/WiFi

[dsigma6]

If you put openoffice on it I don't think that would hurt. Just having it there and not needing to download a program is a big deal for some people.

[rkawakami]

If you put openoffice on it I don't think that would hurt.

Have you been peeking at my systems ? I've already installed OpenOffice on a couple of my TPs. It's a fairly good program in that it appears to be compatible with the several Word documents and spreadsheets I've thrown at it. I'm also going to install Firefox and probably a good, free virus checker and spyware scanner. The system will be ready to go out of the box. I'm also toying with the idea of including a port replicator and external floppy drive (got about 10 of them), for those times when you need to flash the BIOS or boot diagnostic programs. I'd like to add the Ultrabay hard drive adapter if they weren't so hard to find/expensive. I have seen the cheap knock-off version, but I prefer the genuine IBM model. That way it would be easy to backup the system; no other hardware would be needed except a HD (and a backup program of some kind).

[dsigma6]

I'm also going to install Firefox

With the homepage set to forums.thinkpads.com?
I haven't had any problems going between openoffice and word/excel/powerpoint, but I also haven't had any complicated documents. Ray, turn off remote access on your computers, I've been checking out your ideas. The port replicator sounds like a good idea, especially when they're only about $10 shipped in most instances. As to the spyware stuff, why not?

Make sure you make your listing like some of the successful scumbags peddling 600e's as ULTRA FAST THIN LAPTOP, by using lots of images with windows, intel, ibm, firefox, spybot and avg logo's. Maybe even an old school GIF with a man typing on a computer.

[Thinkpaddict]

Make sure you make your listing like some of the successful scumbags peddling 600e's as ULTRA FAST THIN LAPTOP, by using lots of images with windows, intel, ibm, firefox, spybot and avg logo's. Maybe even an old school GIF with a man typing on a computer.

Yes, that's a good idea. Even make a GIF of that video so popular a few years back that features an office worker finally having enough of his desktop PC and slamming the screen with his keyboard. Not that it might help you to increase the sale price of your Thinkpad, but it would be funny.

Regarding OpenOffice: Real neat program. I have only experienced minor inconsistencies exporting Word documents, but easily tolerable. What I can't figure out though is why it takes so long to save documents. Otherwise, I prefer it to Word any time.

You could basically load a laptop with Linux and a bunch of open source applications, and have it be the perfect computer out of the box. Too bad people tend to be afraid of things they don't know.

[rkawakami]

I'd like to add the Ultrabay hard drive adapter if they weren't so hard to find/expensive. I have seen the cheap knock-off version, but I prefer the genuine IBM model.

Just to update this thread and to keep the promise I made about disclosing my costs...

$18.75 for the Ultrabay HD adapter (FRU 08K6067). I managed to snag eight of them for a total for $150.50 (shipped). The eBay seller has about 20 left at this time with a BIN of $22 (plus $5 shipping for the 1st; each additional @ $2.50) but also allows for a "Best Offer". If you do the math, you can figure out what my offer was.

Looking at the purchase history says they are not firm on the BIN price since they accepted an offer for a single piece. These things generally go for $30 and up.

Oh, almost forgot... I also ordered the 40GB drives from newegg.com over the weekend. They were $55 each. Geez... my costs are really going up... hope I can at least get my money back!

[underclocker]

The UltraBay adapters are useful to have around - Ghosting, testing drives, backup, etc.

Very nice price!

[dsigma6]

So Ray, is your cost up to $400 yet?

Why are the HD adapters suddenly(or not) going for so much? You must be hoping that the $599.99 BIN price will work!

[rkawakami]

So Ray, is your cost up to $400 yet?

Getting there :sigh: ...

Why are the HD adapters suddenly(or not) going for so much?

Good question; I really don't know for sure. I suppose it's because they are so rarely used yet so useful to have. It's a piece of equipment that's only designed to do one thing but it does it well. You could hang a second hard drive off of the USB port, but the transfer rate would be very poor (or to put it like my daughters would say; "it sucks!"). My intention is to provide this adapter with the incoming 4NUs as a simple backup solution. All you would need is the backup hard drive (don't really need the HDD caddy as I will provide a mylar sheet for the bottom of the adapter) and the software to perform the backup/clone. My procedure has been to use a Ghost boot floppy disk to image my systems.

That said, I also picked up 8 port replicators (FRU 02K8668) today for $5.40 each. Those replicators have the matching floppy drive connector that the 600-series external floppy housings use. So for an extra $30 or so, the systems I'm going to sell will have the capability to do extremely easy backups (port replicator, Ultrabay HD adapter and external floppy drive).

You must be hoping that the $599.99 BIN price will work!

Well, if this eBay auction was from a genuine bidder, then there's still hope for me !

[BruisedQuasar]

I must throw in what I advise the sellers of collectibles who seek me out for value when they go to sell items on eBay.

A pre-owned item regardless of what it is, in the end is worth whatever a person with the money will pay you at the time you wish to sell.

This week I saw a broken, generation one, graphic colored Bose Wave Radio (without CD, backup battery or clock) go for $201 --for parts. The same day a major PawnBroker closed an auction on a used
excellent condition, working current model Bose for $200.

[Dark Savant0]

If you put openoffice on it I don't think that would hurt.

Have you been peeking at my systems ? I've already installed OpenOffice on a couple of my TPs. It's a fairly good program in that it appears to be compatible with the several Word documents and spreadsheets I've thrown at it. I'm also going to install Firefox and probably a good, free virus checker and spyware scanner. The system will be ready to go out of the box. I'm also toying with the idea of including a port replicator and external floppy drive (got about 10 of them), for those times when you need to flash the BIOS or boot diagnostic programs. I'd like to add the Ultrabay hard drive adapter if they weren't so hard to find/expensive. I have seen the cheap knock-off version, but I prefer the genuine IBM model. That way it would be easy to backup the system; no other hardware would be needed except a HD (and a backup program of some kind).

I would suggest including a firefox profile that makes it look exactly like IE. I had one working for FF 1.5, but I think the upgrade to 2.0 killed parts of the theme.

[CeeDee]

Ray, how close are you to having these things ready to list. Also do you still intend to put some on the marketplace here? I was going to look for another T30 but I think that it may be prudent for me to wait for your "all dressed" T23s to be listed.

[rkawakami]

Colin (and anybody else wondering),

I'd say about 1-2 weeks. I'm still waiting for the the Ultrabay HD adapters to arrive. As of right now, I'm almost finished imaging the master hard drive using the restore CDs. Today I installed OpenOffice and Firefox 1.5.0.8. I purposely didn't install 2.0 because I have not used it and I'm leery of using x.0 versions of anything. The only other software items I have left are to install the drivers for the Broadcom 802.11b/g wireless card and find a good (free) antivirus program. I'll then use that drive and clone it off onto the other systems.

Three of the four systems are what I would consider sellable. That means they are physically in good-to-moderate shape and pass the initial tests with PC Doctor. The fourth one arrived with damage to the upper left corner of the lid. The LCD bezel is cracked and there is a chuck of plastic/metal missing from near the left latch. There doesn't appear to be anything wrong the display itself, however.

I haven't gotten a chance to run any battery tests but they run the gamut of dead to about an hour of usage. Another item that may need refurbishing...

If you have a particular configuration that you would like, drop me a note and I'll see what I can do. Yes, I had planned on splitting up the systems between here and eBay, but now having only three of the 4NU systems in a presentable state, I'll probably sell them all here.

FYI:

The current system specs and target price are:

-T23 2647-4NU
-1.13Ghz CPU
-512MB memory (2 x 256MB)
-40GB Hitachi HTS541040G9AT00 (new from newegg.com)
-DVD drive (upgradable to DVD burner; corrected: UJ-820 or 840; original copy of Nero Suite CD will be included)
-Windows 2000 Pro (installed from recovery CDs)
-BIOS 1.20/Embedded Controller 1.06a (something else I need to do!)
-Factory Actiontec modem/802.11b replaced with Broadcom 802.11b/g (you lose the modem)
-AC adapter (I do have a couple of AC/DC combos available as well)
-Battery; can't guarantee anything, but it won't be dead, nor will it run the laptop for 2 hours
-A/T/R/X port replicator
-600-series external floppy drive
-Ultrabay 2000 hard disk adapter

System checked out with PC Doctor and memtest86+, guaranteed for 30 days as long as none of the stuff has been swapped out:

$330 + shipping.

Did I miss anything? Hope I haven't scared anyone away either. At that price, I think I'm breaking even.

[Purcy]

Wow Ray, are you breaking up the harem? I'm sure you'll still have a few left for yourself, right? As far as Firefox vers 2.0, I just updated one week ago to that vers and so far nothing has gone wrong. I like the ability to open the browser up and restore your last used open tabs, in case something goes wrong like losing power or something. Other than that, I really can't see much difference. There is the nifty way you can completely user-configure every aspect of the browser by typing "about:config" into the address bar and clicking the GO arrow. Pretty darn cool.

Edited to say I also use and love OpenOffice and bring work home from my business and have been able to open, edit and save all of my Word and Excel files with ease. It just takes forever to open the program, my only beef.

[rkawakami]

Wow Ray, are you breaking up the harem? I'm sure you'll still have a few left for yourself, right?

Don't worry, the laptop/human population ratio in my house will still be about 3:1 after all of the sales I'm currently planning.

I like the ability to open the browser up and restore your last used open tabs, in case something goes wrong like losing power or something.

Yes, I heard about that feature. Sounds pretty useful for those times when I click the wrong button in the upper right corner.

There is the nifty way you can completely user-configure every aspect of the browser by typing "about:config" into the address bar and clicking the GO arrow.

Some of that has been in Netscape for years. You could VIEW the setting, but not actually change them. I think starting with Mozilla you were able to modify those options.