Is fixing a unsupported 3 year old laptop worth it?

[RedLine05]

I currently have a Samsung ATIV Book 8 that has a i7 4710HQ, GT 750m, 256GB SSD, and a DDR3l 8GB ram. The laptop keyboard needs to be replaced for $100, because the rubber on the 'K' key is ripped. But the thing im worried about is the age of this laptop. This laptop is 3 years old, and Samsung dropped support for the ATIV Book 8, which means drivers won't work on the creators update.
Should I fix a laptop that is now unsupported?

P.S. I tried creators update, and drivers didn't work even though I reinstalled it because I installed creators update on my laptop. Samsung is refusing to help me on the driver problems.

 

[Martell1977]

You can get a new keyboard for a bit over $20:
http/www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=Samsung+ATIV+Book+8&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XSamsung+ATIV+Book+8+keyboard.TRS1&_nkw=Samsung+ATIV+Book+8+keyboard&_sacat=0

It's 3 years old, it should be compatible with all of Windows 10. I have a Dell Inspiron 1720 from 2008 that runs Windows 10 perfectly and is fully up to date. It sounds like your problem is somewhere else.

 

[RedLine05]

You can get a new keyboard for a bit over $20:
http/www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=Samsung+ATIV+Book+8&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XSamsung+ATIV+Book+8+keyboard.TRS1&_nkw=Samsung+ATIV+Book+8+keyboard&_sacat=0

It's 3 years old, it should be compatible with all of Windows 10. I have a Dell Inspiron 1720 from 2008 that runs Windows 10 perfectly and is fully up to date. It sounds like your problem is somewhere else.

I don't want to carry a keyboard everytime I need to use my laptop, since I need to take my laptop with me sometimes. And I don't have enough desk space for a external keyboard. My desk is really small.
ALSO, I HAVE ALSO REINSTALLED WINDOWS 10 CREATORS UPDATE, AND IT STILL HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE FN KEY DRIVERS. I DO NOT HAVE HARDWARE PROBLEMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[1shado1]

You can get a new keyboard for a bit over $20:
http/www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=Samsung+ATIV+Book+8&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XSamsung+ATIV+Book+8+keyboard.TRS1&_nkw=Samsung+ATIV+Book+8+keyboard&_sacat=0

It's 3 years old, it should be compatible with all of Windows 10. I have a Dell Inspiron 1720 from 2008 that runs Windows 10 perfectly and is fully up to date. It sounds like your problem is somewhere else.

I don't want to carry a keyboard everytime I need to use my laptop, since I need to take my laptop with me sometimes. And I don't have enough desk space for a external keyboard. My desk is really small.
ALSO, I HAVE ALSO REINSTALLED WINDOWS 10 CREATORS UPDATE, AND IT STILL HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE FN KEY DRIVERS. I DO NOT HAVE HARDWARE PROBLEMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The link he posted isn't for an external keyboard. It's for a keyboard to replace the broken one in your laptop.

IF WINDOWS 10 WON'T PLAY NICE WITH YOUR LAPTOP BECAUSE OF DRIVER ISSUES, MAYBE TRY WINDOWS 8.1 INSTEAD!!

 

[RedLine05]

You can get a new keyboard for a bit over $20:
http/www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=Samsung+ATIV+Book+8&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XSamsung+ATIV+Book+8+keyboard.TRS1&_nkw=Samsung+ATIV+Book+8+keyboard&_sacat=0

It's 3 years old, it should be compatible with all of Windows 10. I have a Dell Inspiron 1720 from 2008 that runs Windows 10 perfectly and is fully up to date. It sounds like your problem is somewhere else.

I don't want to carry a keyboard everytime I need to use my laptop, since I need to take my laptop with me sometimes. And I don't have enough desk space for a external keyboard. My desk is really small.
ALSO, I HAVE ALSO REINSTALLED WINDOWS 10 CREATORS UPDATE, AND IT STILL HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE FN KEY DRIVERS. I DO NOT HAVE HARDWARE PROBLEMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The link he posted isn't for an external keyboard. It's for a keyboard to replace the broken one in your laptop.

IF WINDOWS 10 WON'T PLAY NICE WITH YOUR LAPTOP BECAUSE OF DRIVER ISSUES, MAYBE TRY WINDOWS 8.1 INSTEAD!!

Well Samsung only offers korean keyboards through their service centers, and I cannot use a english keyboard because I need to see the korean letters written on the keyboard. And the keyboard is not user replaceable. It requires the entire top assembly to be replaced, and Samsung does not offer any of those to the consumers. It is against the policy if the top assembly part is distributed to other places.

 

[1shado1]

You can get a new keyboard for a bit over $20:
http/www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=Samsung+ATIV+Book+8&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XSamsung+ATIV+Book+8+keyboard.TRS1&_nkw=Samsung+ATIV+Book+8+keyboard&_sacat=0

It's 3 years old, it should be compatible with all of Windows 10. I have a Dell Inspiron 1720 from 2008 that runs Windows 10 perfectly and is fully up to date. It sounds like your problem is somewhere else.

I don't want to carry a keyboard everytime I need to use my laptop, since I need to take my laptop with me sometimes. And I don't have enough desk space for a external keyboard. My desk is really small.
ALSO, I HAVE ALSO REINSTALLED WINDOWS 10 CREATORS UPDATE, AND IT STILL HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE FN KEY DRIVERS. I DO NOT HAVE HARDWARE PROBLEMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The link he posted isn't for an external keyboard. It's for a keyboard to replace the broken one in your laptop.

IF WINDOWS 10 WON'T PLAY NICE WITH YOUR LAPTOP BECAUSE OF DRIVER ISSUES, MAYBE TRY WINDOWS 8.1 INSTEAD!!

Well Samsung only offers korean keyboards through their service centers, and I cannot use a english keyboard because I need to see the korean letters written on the keyboard. And the keyboard is not user replaceable. It requires the entire top assembly to be replaced, and Samsung does not offer any of those to the consumers. It is against the policy if the top assembly part is distributed to other places.

I [watch your language] HATE SAMSUNG'S POLICIES!!!!!!!!!!!

Ah, I see now.

 

[GreyCatz]

Sorry if I'm adding to the confusion, but I'm not sure I understand your situation with the Korean keyboard: You say you can only get a Korean version from a Samsung Service Center, but then you add that the keyboard is 'not user replaceable' and that such action will require 'the entire top assembly to be replaced'?

1. If you can in fact get a Korean keyboard, then that surely solves your problem. As for replacing it, there are numerous DIY videos detailing this procedure - use Google or YouTube - and since the Samsung is 3 years old, you don't have to worry about warranty.

2. If you decide to replace the keyboard, bear in mind that the Samsung ATIV Book 8 is not a ThinkPad, i.e. it's not designed to be opened and 'messed with' inside. But if you're moderately tech-savvy around hardware and have access to basic tools, it shouldn't be much of a problem.

3. For a 3-year-old laptop the Samsung still features decent specs, and if you don't have any Samsung-specific driver issues, the April 11th Windows 10 Creators Update should have everything you'd need for the rest of the year. It's unlikely to perform like a brand-new 2017 Samsung laptop, so you should adjust your expectations accordingly. For everyday 'regular' use, I dare say it should be more than OK.

Finally, as regards your FN-key issues: You might consider rolling back to an earlier Windows version (if that option is available on your system). That should solve your Samsung driver installation issues. Or perform a factory reset (just remember to identify your Windows 10 product key before doing this).

Best of luck,
GreyCatz.

 

[USAFRet]

And I have a 2009 era low end Toshiba laptop that runs Win 10 with the latest updates (Creators update) just fine.
It is slow, but it was slow when it was brand new.

 

[Martell1977]

You can get a new keyboard for a bit over $20:
http/www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=Samsung+ATIV+Book+8&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XSamsung+ATIV+Book+8+keyboard.TRS1&_nkw=Samsung+ATIV+Book+8+keyboard&_sacat=0

It's 3 years old, it should be compatible with all of Windows 10. I have a Dell Inspiron 1720 from 2008 that runs Windows 10 perfectly and is fully up to date. It sounds like your problem is somewhere else.

I don't want to carry a keyboard everytime I need to use my laptop, since I need to take my laptop with me sometimes. And I don't have enough desk space for a external keyboard. My desk is really small.
ALSO, I HAVE ALSO REINSTALLED WINDOWS 10 CREATORS UPDATE, AND IT STILL HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE FN KEY DRIVERS. I DO NOT HAVE HARDWARE PROBLEMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Had you looked at the listing I linked, you would have seen it is NOT a external keyboard. It's a factory replacement. You did not specify that you were in a different country or that you needed a specific language. Maybe in the future you might supply all the pertinent information in your question.

As for the FN key problem, you apparently are not alone and this has been an issue with the ATIV Book 6 as well. Have you tried this:
https/answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8_1-hardware/fn-buttons-not-working-in-samsung-ativ-book-6/7e5dc70b-cc9a-48c6-8789-840e8f9bb288?db=5
Yes, it's a different version system, but a similar solution might be available.

I said the issue isn't with Windows 10, it was somewhere else. I did not say it was a hardware failure. But I was right, the issue is a driver, not Windows 10. If it's not under warranty, then Samsung is no different than any other company, they would rather sell you a new system than help you.

The laptop is 3 years old, it is not outdated as Intel hasn't done much in the way of performance since then.

If they made the korean version so you can't replace the keyboard by yourself, that is unfortunate. But explains why it costs so much more, they have a monopoly on replacements.

So yes, unless you have the money for a new system, then it is a good idea to just replace the keyboard and straighten out the FN key issue.

 

[jsmithepa]

And I have a 2009 era low end Toshiba laptop that runs Win 10 with the latest updates (Creators update) just fine.
It is slow, but it was slow when it was brand new.

Well THERE ya go.

OP may have a subconcious desire to buy a new laptop!

 

[RedLine05]

And I have a 2009 era low end Toshiba laptop that runs Win 10 with the latest updates (Creators update) just fine.
It is slow, but it was slow when it was brand new.

Well THERE ya go.

OP may have a subconcious desire to buy a new laptop!

Well if it was slow like his/her Toshiba I would change, but the problem is that its has good performance but unsupported.

 

[USAFRet]

Well if it was slow like his/her Toshiba I would change, but the problem is that its has good performance but unsupported.

And what does "unsupported" mean? They're not continually pumping out new drivers all the time?
So what.

Does the thing still work? Apart from the keyboard, apparently, yes.
Change the keyboard and proceed.