Originally Posted by flatcat47

A whu-u-u-u-t?
I have a widget that will connect a removed internal hard drive to my PC. That what you mean? Have used it to copy over files from old PC to new.
Dunno if that will work directly with Parsons Address Book 3, as I do not think it is compatible with XP. -- if this is compatible with your laptop hard drive then may be you can use it.

So you think the basic problem with the Satellite is motherboard? If that's a definitive opinion, then it is probably beyond my interest/means in fixing the thing. I really can't imagine it is a virus, unless there are types that lie dormant or accumulating in effect over a course of years. But otherwise wondering what sort of thing causes random events in the machine, like all those things spontaneously opening. -- frankly speaking the problems in your laptop point to the motherboard. and not only that, you have other problems too like your keyboard. the USB port is directly soldered on the motherboard. if the cause of the USB port failure is not on how it is soldered on the motherboard then you can say that you have a problem with your motherboard.

Going back to my original post, I have had a bunch of ideas based on things I have read but maybe don't really know much about. Wondering if any of them are feasible. Some of these questions are hardware, some software.

---put this HDD into a working Satellite 2535CDS (~$50 on eBay). Would a different laptop model work? i doubt this will work

---copy the address book program and files onto another compatible laptop.
Would any laptop (or PC) running 98 accept that? Or do I need to know more or take extra steps to make that work? i guess it will work but honestly i have no idea as this is application specific (Parsons address book). i think you will need the same application installed in the other laptop to access the address book data. i do not think a COPY would just work.

---copy the address book or the whole Satellite HDD onto a partition in the PC, running 98 --> i think this is the same as above. again you may need to install the Parsons application.

---anyone know whether these ideas would work, and how to do them?

---any other ideas?

---I also have both a copy (.ab2) and a backup (.bak) of the address book, and at least one person's idea on how to open that into a CSV document, and thence into another address program. I do not entirely understand these instructions and might like to pursue it. -- try opening the .ab2 file using Excel.

Have also noticed not many people are reading this thread. Would it be more effective to post a very dry, very specifically descriptive thread title? (Some people just don't think I am as funny as I think I am....)

Thanks,
Flatcat47