Paying to get computer fixed

[jimnyc]

It saddens me to have to fork out any money for repairs, considering I've been repairing computers, hardware and software, for over 20 years now. But this is my laptop, which more or less became my sons laptop. I felt bad that he can't use it right now.

He dropped it once last year and damaged the right back corner of the laptop. It appeared to be cosmetic, and maybe a piece of plastic broke off inside and was now rattling around. No issues to speak of as far as it working though, so I left it, as laptops are generally difficult and expensive to repair.

He tells me the other day that now it won't power on. I can tell by putting the jack in and out that it's not holding the cord snuggly enough. I tried a brand new cord and a new battery, same results. The DC jack on the motherboard needs to be replaced. This will require taking out a shitload of tiny screws and small ribbob cables and taking apart the entire thing until you get to the motherboard. Then the jack needs to be soldered and removed, and a new one soldered back on. I'm not willing to send away for that part and go through hours and hours of trouble - and find out I am wrong. (I'm not wrong!).

I got an RA and sent it back to Toshiba, who replied that they now have it in their possession. If it costs me $250 or less I will go for it, anything more and I can just look into a new laptop.

[fj1200]

If it costs me $250 or less I will go for it, anything more and I can just look into a new laptop.

That's your cut off? I would have thought much less. I think I have a similar issue, battery is useless and the plug barely holds in but so far so good.

[jimnyc]

That's your cut off? I would have thought much less. I think I have a similar issue, battery is useless and the plug barely holds in but so far so good.

If it were the computer that "I" use, I never would have sent it in, and would have just got a new one. The boy has like 24 games on there using the 'Steam' platform. He also has a lot of files and pictures, although nothing he couldn't live without. The $$ I'm willing to spend is higher solely because of the boy.

I like troubleshooting to the board level, not parts and modules. Ever take a laptop completely apart? What a nightmare!! And on an off note, I took an Iphone from a friend a few weeks back, with a brand new screen he gave me, and he asked if I could swap screens for him. He claimed it was easy, and just watch an 8 minute Youtube video showing how to do it. Wow, last time I do that! That thing was WORSE than taking apart a laptop!

[jimnyc]

Oh, but I was successful changing the screen for him, but swore off ever working on one again. I think that may have put me over the edge for laptops too!

[Trinity]

If it were the computer that "I" use, I never would have sent it in, and would have just got a new one. The boy has like 24 games on there using the 'Steam' platform. He also has a lot of files and pictures, although nothing he couldn't live without. The $$ I'm willing to spend is higher solely because of the boy.

I like troubleshooting to the board level, not parts and modules. Ever take a laptop completely apart? What a nightmare!! And on an off note, I took an Iphone from a friend a few weeks back, with a brand new screen he gave me, and he asked if I could swap screens for him. He claimed it was easy, and just watch an 8 minute Youtube video showing how to do it. Wow, last time I do that! That thing was WORSE than taking apart a laptop!

You do know that if you get a new computer for him he can re download steam and still have access to all of his games....granted he may lose some file that were saved to his computer but he should still be able to access all the games.

[Robert A Whit]

It saddens me to have to fork out any money for repairs, considering I've been repairing computers, hardware and software, for over 20 years now. But this is my laptop, which more or less became my sons laptop. I felt bad that he can't use it right now.

He dropped it once last year and damaged the right back corner of the laptop. It appeared to be cosmetic, and maybe a piece of plastic broke off inside and was now rattling around. No issues to speak of as far as it working though, so I left it, as laptops are generally difficult and expensive to repair.

He tells me the other day that now it won't power on. I can tell by putting the jack in and out that it's not holding the cord snuggly enough. I tried a brand new cord and a new battery, same results. The DC jack on the motherboard needs to be replaced. This will require taking out a shitload of tiny screws and small ribbob cables and taking apart the entire thing until you get to the motherboard. Then the jack needs to be soldered and removed, and a new one soldered back on. I'm not willing to send away for that part and go through hours and hours of trouble - and find out I am wrong. (I'm not wrong!).

I got an RA and sent it back to Toshiba, who replied that they now have it in their possession. If it costs me $250 or less I will go for it, anything more and I can just look into a new laptop.

Well, that takes care of that.

[tailfins]

Oh, but I was successful changing the screen for him, but swore off ever working on one again. I think that may have put me over the edge for laptops too!

Dells are difficult; the rest seemingly impossible. I found some nice i5 Dell 15R laptops for $580. My kids are heavily into Steam. The get their OS reinstalled every now and then once they sludge up their computers. The get their games back with no problem.

[jimnyc]

Yeah, I know, he already has his games reinstalled on the shared desktop computer, but he likes using the laptop more. Here's the message I just got:

Our Technicians have run a diagnostic test on your unit and have determined the following item(s) need to be replaced:

Base and dc jack

The estimated charge for your repair will be $229.00 applicable taxes.

This charge includes labor, parts, and shipping back to you. Please contact us at your earliest convenience by phone or email to approve or refuse this quote. Our contact information is listed below. Do not include your credit card number in any email response. Thank you for choosing Toshiba, and feel free to contact us if you have any questions regarding your service request.

So it was the jack as I thought. At least I can feel somewhat better knowing I was troubleshooting correctly. Anyway, looks like they will replace the lower shell of the laptop that has cosmetic damages and solder on a new jack. What you're really paying for is for a guy/gal to do the work that has all the tools and know how. I'll gladly pay it to save myself the inevitable cussing and headache I would have had!

The laptop I really want now is about $600. So I think this worked out good, if the knucklehead learns to take care of it better. Should get another few years out of it.

[logroller]

Jim- I took my laptop to a biz downtown and they swapped the monitor, parts and all, for less than 250$. OEM is pricey. I'm surprised that you don't have a connect with your experience in IT

[jimnyc]

Jim- I took my laptop to a biz downtown and they swapped the monitor, parts and all, for less than 250$. OEM is pricey. I'm surprised that you don't have a connect with your experience in IT

None that have small businesses, unfortunately. I brought it to a few "friends" as an inquiry, and they stated outright that they would either a) send it out to Toshiba anyway or b) order a new MB as they didn't go to the component level. I'm confident that had I shopped around I might have found someone willing to do so on the cheap, but I guess I trusted the manufacturer more. I also took a chance and went to Best Buy (geek squad) and asked if they did repairs right there, and they too said they would literally ship it out to Toshiba. Then we have the local Mexican guy down the road who has his own shop called "Computers". There's like nothing in his building and he has like 3hr workdays. And yet he's been there forever. Places like that make me think I'll never see my laptop again!

Most of my contacts were in NYC and NJ. Also, almost every bot of my work was down to the board level. The 2 main players I worked for (corporate), we still ordered MB's when necessary, both desktop and laptop, we never used a soldering iron.

[Anton Chigurh]

The DC jack on the motherboard needs to be replaced. This will require taking out a shitload of tiny screws and small ribbob cables

I hate those ribbob cables too. People rib me about them all the time.

[Robert A Whit]

I hate those ribbob cables too. People rib me about them all the time.

I wish I had some of those ribbob cables rather than the ribbon cables in my computer too.

[jimnyc]

I hate those ribbob cables too. People rib me about them all the time.

They call them that because they resemble shish kabobs!

[fj1200]

Oh, but I was successful changing the screen for him, but swore off ever working on one again. I think that may have put me over the edge for laptops too!

My laptop screen is going funky, funny colors because of a loosening connection methinks. Nothing of importance on the laptop; anything to be done or just suck it up and get a new one?

[Marcus Aurelius]

My laptop screen is going funky, funny colors because of a loosening connection methinks. Nothing of importance on the laptop; anything to be done or just suck it up and get a new one?

How old is the laptop? If it's more than 3 years old, could be a number of reasons for your problems. Screen could be dying... flex cable connecting screen to board may be dying... could be just a driver issue. Was it sudden, or did it develop over time?