Laptop repairs

[Ade B]

After nearly 2 years of largely trouble free use, I bounced the Vaio off the living room floor today and seemed to have provoked a couple of problems..

The body of the laptop is now warped and rocks on its feet which is annoying although not terminal..

More worryingly, the screen will occasionally go a bit Paul Smith stripey when firing up - if I move its position all is well and it can be wiggled without issue when up and running..

Also, when it goes to sleep/ powers down, it won't wake up and requires switching off at the button and a complete reboot..

I use the laptop mainly for lugging round to meetings and back and forth from home and office. Its a Sony Vaio VGN-TZ11MN running Vista. I really like it as its got a great screen and does its job well.

So, firstly can these things be repaired and if so, where would I take it ie. Sony or Tottenham Court Road? - or is it a case of perusing my home insurance T&Cs while I wait for the inevitable.

TIA

Ade

 

[Sp!ke]

Its probably not worth it if its not covered by warranty.

Sony will charge you as much for a new one to repair it.... and even then, no you'll only get a very very short guarantee on the repair.

Your best off just opening it up and reseating each and every connector and ribbon cable you can find. Sonys arent the easiest of laptops to work with though.

 

[car1tref]

If you know nothing about repairing laptops- dont try to take it apart, take it to a laptop specialist after you backup your required files to whatever hard drive you could use for that purpose.
You could try your local computer repair shop but make sure that they repair laptops or have a laptop accredited engineer working for them!!

 

[bolide]

There's a laptop repair shop 1 minute walk from Brighton station that claims to have repaired 10,000 laptops since 2005 (or something). Might be worth a Google search

Or just buy a MacBook Pro...

Nick Froome

 

[grober]

You have prob disturbed some ribbon ZIF (ZERO INSERTION FORCE) connection on the mother board or the screen supply or even damaged the ribbon connector between the screen and main body. As has been said if you take it to bits and remake the connections/ check the ribbon connectors you may find it all works again. As far as your second problem is concerned there is usually a magnetic type sensor built into the frame of the screen which is sensed by main body sensor electronics telling the computer the lid is shut. If this is faulty or its clearance incorrect or misaligned its not going to give the right lid/screen open signal so the computer won't know to come out of hibernation mode. If you can get some service/dismantling info on the net ( essential!!!) I would try a DIY-you have nothing to lose. As has been stated- professional repair is simply uneconomic compared to buying a new one with a warranty. One DIY snag you might run into is that these units all clip together very neatly in very ingenious ways if the case is warped ( it may be metal framed) it might be difficult to reassemble.

Here's the sort of DIY detail you need and an explanation of zif connectors. Documentation

 

[w124coupe]

Sony are (in my view) terrible for out-of-warranty repairs.

They don't supply service manuals or spare parts and they don't indicate likely repair costs.

You have to book a collection (via the web or via a 09xx premium rate number) and then a few days later they shock the living heck out of you with a quote that will make your eyes water and lead to you deciding to scrap the machine.

I would start with the home contents policy....

(actually, if it was me I would take it to bits and re-seat what moved when it was bumped....take pics as you take it apart and BACKUP first)

 

[vijilants]

If you are ok with taking things apart, simply download a service manual and they give detailed steps on taking the thing apart.

They aren't as frightening as they look.

I took my HP laptop to bits and replaced the screen by simply following a copy of the downloaded service manual. It was much easier than I expected

 

[w124coupe]

If you are ok with taking things apart, simply download a service manual and they give detailed steps on taking the thing apart.

They aren't as frightening as they look.

I took my HP laptop to bits and replaced the screen by simply following a copy of the downloaded service manual. It was much easier than I expected

Have fun trying to find a Sony service manual....

Having said that, there's little variation in how laptops are held together (but Sony will not sell you the parts you might find you need anyway....).

 

[vijilants]

In my case I didn't go to the manufacturer for parts.

I just bought one that didn't work but had a good screen off ebay for next to nothing and swapped over the screen and pulled out the rest of the worthwhile parts and kept them of spares.

Plenty of faulty laptops on there in all sorts of condition

 

[Shude]

Your best off just opening it up and reseating each and every connector and ribbon cable you can find. Sonys arent the easiest of laptops to work with though.

I did that with a laptop work were throwing out due to exactly the same screen fault and it was simply a dislodged ribbon cable. When properly seated it worked perfectly!

 

[Ade B]

Thanks for the input guys..

Looking at the case its a rather precise and flimsy looking thing. It seems to be behaving a bit better but with an intermittent fault its bound to get annoying at inconvenient moments.. I know once I start to dismantle it, it will never go back together quite the same..

Might retire it to desk bound service and look at a Macbook Air as a replacement.

Anyone any experience of these.. I need it to be a bit bling (being a designer... ) small and light and have a decent screen. I've a battery of cooking pcs in the office for general duties so its mainly for presentations and the odd bit of remote working..

TIA

Ade

 

[w124coupe]

Thanks for the input guys..

Looking at the case its a rather precise and flimsy looking thing. It seems to be behaving a bit better but with an intermittent fault its bound to get annoying at inconvenient moments.. I know once I start to dismantle it, it will never go back together quite the same..

Might retire it to desk bound service and look at a Macbook Air as a replacement.

Anyone any experience of these.. I need it to be a bit bling (being a designer... ) small and light and have a decent screen. I've a battery of cooking pcs in the office for general duties so its mainly for presentations and the odd bit of remote working..

TIA

Ade

(I guess the Sony has one of more plastic tabs unseated between the base and the palmrest - can be a bit of a pig to get straight without completely removing and replacing).

Will the Mac run what you need when remote working (or do you intend to get it running Windows)?

New MacBooks announced today if you want Premium have-it-first bling....

Dell have the Adamo (nice and thin and you can have a 3year support package that includes accidental damage if you want).

Or get a new Sony with the insurance!!

 

[Ade B]

Update:

Laptop is soldiering on with intermittent probs currently won't start up with battery connected and screen issue requires multiple reboots and screen wiggling.. - insurance has been notified and a repair/replace claim is in process..

I've been looking around and am leaning toward a lower spec version of this as it will meet my needs..

The insurance claim will drag on for possibly months with them taking my intermittently working laptop in for assessment so I need to order one sharpish as I'm in meetings constantly at the moment and the 'will it won't it' start up is getting a bit embarrassing..

How come there seems to be a £300+ price difference between say PC World and the Sony Shop and some of the internet vendors (inc. Amazon) that Kelkoo throws up.

Thoughts appreciated.

Ade

 

[stevesey]

I took my HP laptop to bits and replaced the screen by simply following a copy of the downloaded service manual. It was much easier than I expected

HP service manuals are very good and easily available though - I've replaced the power connector (soldered onto the motherboard) on a friends HP - a common fault, but it requries viturally very part of the laptop to be disassembled - parts were laid out in order all around the dining room table in the end.

 

[Ade B]

Astonishingly the insurance company are replacing my Vaio with a new TT model

No quibbles, hassle or hoop jumping whatsoever.. They picked up the TZ on Monday, pronounced beyond economic repair this morning (apparently I had killed the mother board as well as the screen...) and for the princely sum of £50 excess plus a nominal hike in next year's premium, new laptop arrives in 3-5 days..

Heath Insurance, Knutsford - been with them for years - 2nd claim in 10 years excellent service..


Ade

 

[jonnyboy]

If you are ok with taking things apart, simply download a service manual and they give detailed steps on taking the thing apart.

They aren't as frightening as they look.

I took my HP laptop to bits and replaced the screen by simply following a copy of the downloaded service manual. It was much easier than I expected

I need to do this on my HP one - do you have a link to a website please?

 

[Sp!ke]

what model?

 

[jonnyboy]

HP Pavilion dv9500

 

[Sp!ke]

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c01295898.pdf

(try finding one of these manuals for a Sony )

 

[jonnyboy]

thanks for that