Just heard some disturbing "info" about laptops...!

[FearoftheNight]

We have really cold weather in this area of ROchester, NY of about 5 F lately. And friend told me that if you leave the lappy in ur car in this temp that it will mess up ur li-ion battery and the "liquid crystals" in ur LCD screen. Is this true?!??!?!!

 

[sciencewhiz]

IBM thinkpad support says: Do not store your computer where the temperature is below 5° C or above 35° C (41° F and 95° F).

So, definetly don't leave it in your car. I've walked to class several times with my laptop in my backpack when the temperature was that cold (its a 20 minute walk) with no apparent ill effects, but definetly limit the exposure to the cold.

 

[0roo0roo]

battery maybe, but the screen will just be slow.

 

[FearoftheNight]

i meant like an hour or 2 in my trunk will do wut?

 

[Commish]

Let it warm up to room temperature, or near it at least before powering it up. We had a woman kill hers leaving it in her trunk when it was -10, she put it in the dock and fired it up when she got to her desk, say goodbye to $1,800.

 

[techwanabe]

Personally, I would nevery leave anything like that in a car with this kind of weather... I'd be worried that the extreme cold might damage it. I live in Syracuse - next door to you and we are having the same weather!

Aren't you ready for spring? I am!

 

[labrat25]

i doubt it'd be permenant, thought while it's cold battery life will suck

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: techwanabe
Personally, I would nevery leave anything like that in a car with this kind of weather... I'd be worried that the extreme cold might damage it. I live in Syracuse - next door to you and we are having the same weather!

Exactly; a computer is a sensitive device. You should never leave it in a condition where it'll be below freezing, there are too many liquid components that might be affected(LCD, batteries, liquid drive bearings, etc).

 

[dnuggett]

There is another problem called condensation. Moving from cold to warm creates condensation (water). When you turn the machine on there is a good chance of a short from the water.

 

[Futher]

I'm also in Rochester, and it's cold as all hell! I wouldn't leave anything in my car, especially a laptop

 

[optoman]

Wow, another Rochesterian here. So far as of today I have seen three different people from Rochester on the boards that I didn't know lived here. Time to get a Rochester get together going. I could use about 20 computers warming up my house about now.

It was already mentioned but whenever you bring in an electronic device from the cold, always let it sit at room temperature for atleast an hour or two before you even plug it in.

 

[Jumpem]

I'm from nearby Canandaigua. This cold weather and snow definitely isn't that fun when you have a 90 mile commute to Syracuse every morning.