notebook in cold car

Ok, this is probably the worst question ever posted to any forum ever, but here goes...

Here in Massachusetts, winter is here and I'm worrying about my dv4000. Occasionally, I'll stop somewhere on the way home from work and leave my dv4000 in my trunk. I know it's not a great idea (for many obvious reasons) to leave it in the car, but I'm wondering if anyone really knows how bad it would be to leave it in a very cold car for up to 1 hour. Anyone have any experience with this?

 

My only concern would be condensation, which seems unlikely. Otherwise, computers like cold.

 

Your statement is true for computers.

I'd be worried about the battery, I've never seen a spec sheet of a rechargeable battery working below 0c.

I've done it once with a compaq laptop when I was skiing, the computer never powered up. But it worked past 0c.

 

Well, I think you should also consider screen damage. My old (very old) hp notebook screen stopped working after spending a night in the cold nights of Quebec city.... So, i don't know how much time it takes to ruin tour screen, I juste know letting your notebook in the car overnight is not a good idea.

 

The screen is the one component that would be very easily damaged by the cold - I've ruined many screens on various devices, and almost a laptop. Cold is definitely bad for a notebook!

 

Good to know. I always thought the colder the better.

 

Cool temperatures are great for any hardware, but if you're talking about close to freezing or actually frozen temps... then no. When I was the IT Admin at my old company, my computer room was a nice 50-55 degrees with a whole lot of circulation. You'll come out with your nipples frozen.

 

Yeah, I've always assumed the same thing: Cold temps. are good for laptops, but not freezing temps. I would assume the most damage would be taken on by the screen as others have stated.

 

As others have indicated, leaving the notebook in sub-freezing temps is really bad for the LCD. I have had cases where customers will bring in their notebooks for repair because they left the unit in their car overnight. Well, the 1 and only thing damaged was the LCD. It cracked because the liquid crystal froze and expanded.

-Vb-

 

Would it be damaging if you left it in the car for 1 hour and a half in freezing temps?

 

Well, would you have put it in after you just used it, or putting it in cold?

 

Sudden change in temperature is what's bad for the notebook.

HP says that their notebooks can be stored at temperatures down to -15 C.which is below 15F.

Main thing to worry about is letting the notebook to get to the room temperature after the cold. This can take several hours.

Condensation certainly should be avoided by leaving the nbotebook in a warm, well ventilated area.

 

If you have any aftermarket speakers in the trunk, you never know what the huge magnets on those speakers can do to the notebook, especially the hard drive. I have no choice but to carry mine up front with me or on teh floorboard in the backseat area.