Alright, so my dad's Dell D620 just died and he needs a new laptop. I had an idea to make the old laptop into a second monitor that can be easily carried around and can be used with his laptop when he's at work.

According to Dell, the laptop's mobo is dead, and we aren't spend $700 on a refurbed mobo when we can buy a brand spanking new laptop at that price.

So my question is, does anyone know how to convert this old laptop into a standalone monitor?

See this article:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/183052/turn_a_spare_laptop_into_a_second_monitor.html

@ Camusing
The only problem with your suggestion is...

and

You need a functioning computer for that idea to work.

Just a simple question CAMusing: if monkeychef23's father's laptop's mobo is fried, then how is the software mentioned in the article supposed to help? [edit:] No irony intended, just curious.

Now, monkeychef23; I presume the laptop's monitor is intact? Well, there is a way to convert a laptop into a standalone monitor, but it requires careful reconstruction and a bit of soldering. I'm not giving a how-to or anything (because I actually don't know how to do it ). But, I can tell you that most laptop monitors uses DVI-interfaces aswell, although the cable-connector is different.

If one could somehow figure out which pins on a DVI connector goes where on the custom monitor connector inside the laptop itself, and somehow get hold of the required electricity input for the monitor, then one could definently use the laptop's monitor as a simple plug-and-play DVI-monitor! Some other TechSpot member will have to fill you in on the rest, I'm afraid...

Thanks Lokalaskurar, but now it looks like I actually have to work, ughhhh.

I guess I'll have to do some research and open the thing up, and then go into school with it and get my teacher to do the soldering for me.