With you claiming to be an experienced traveller, I am unsure as to which timewarp you have been in if you thought you were getting on a plane with a dud laptop?
I always power up my phone, laptop, iPad etc for just such eventuality albeit the last time I was asked to demonstrate everything powered up was out of Karachi a couple of years back.
I have no idea what your Global Entry has to do with the situation in an ME airport with you carrying a suspect device.
Quite ironic really given your country's recent stance!