Fixing Laptops for Family

During my Metin2 bot project, I started thinking about scaling. I had two older PCs besides my laptop and decided to install Windows 10 on them to run multiple game instances. One of them was tricky to upgrade from Windows 7, especially since it was my first time installing an OS—but I managed.

Before long, I had three instances of the game running simultaneously.

In parallel, I was searching online marketplaces for a used laptop for my mom. Buying used electronics can be risky, but I focused on listings with powered-on photos, visible model names or serial numbers, and genuine-sounding descriptions.

My benchmark was my Lenovo ThinkPad T460 (Intel i5-6600U), which handled browsing, light programming, and basic gaming. I figured it would be more than sufficient for casual use—email, movies, web browsing.

After a few days of searching, I bought a good used Chromebook. I reset it, transferred my mom’s files and passwords, and fixed a screen separation issue with glue.

Just days later, I found a T460 identical to mine, in pristine condition except for a missing battery. I swapped the battery from my old ThinkPad and gave the new one to my aunt.

Then my cousin needed a laptop—hers was nearly broken in half. I found a used business laptop, replaced the battery, installed Windows, and thoroughly debloated the system to make it clean and simple for her.

By late August, a friend gave me a Lenovo Yoga with similar specs to my T460 but with a touchscreen and a 360° hinge. I fixed the broken hinge using hard plastic glue, making it functional though visibly imperfect.

After that, I gave my original T460 to my aunt. As before: new Windows, debloat, ready to go.

I genuinely enjoyed this period. It reminded me that a bit of hardware knowledge can go a long way. I don’t plan to dive deep into hardware repair, but I’m glad I understand the basics. Many people assume they must buy new laptops and delay upgrading, stuck with old, slow devices. I was happy to use my skills to help family.