Is my laptop dead?

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Hmm, what to write...
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#1387922 15-Sep-2015 15:27

If you are lucky its just the keyboard, remove keyboard and attempt to restart.

It is possible to clean the internals (no not the hard drive) by dunking it in meths, but you should have done that straight after thoe coffee incident.

anyway chances are the HDD is fine, just remove it back it up, format and send the machine off for repair

Matthew

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#1387947 15-Sep-2015 15:55

Finch:
What are the chances of them being able to repair a dead laptop?

very good chance. Anythings repairable, its just a matter of cost (& skills of the repair centre)

Pull the HD drive out if paranoid , they dont need that for the repair , it just limits the testing they will do.

richms

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#1387960 15-Sep-2015 16:15

I have never sent a computer in for repair with the storage in place. Never had an issue other than one where it was a write off and they wanted it back, but were happy to wait till I had the new computer. Was a prick on the HP that has a M.2 drive in it underneath a cover with screws and clips along one edge. Munted the clips but they sorted that when fixing it.

Richard rich.ms

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Hmm, what to write...
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#1387972 15-Sep-2015 16:50

Matthew's Laptop spillage advice. (assuming you want to keep the laptop)

First of all you need to understand the levels of badness of the liquid. In other words how fast you act depends on the liquid involved.

water, milk, etc. you have time for a beer

wine, sugary coffee etc. get to it before it dries

Cat pee, Coke. you better have a screwdriver in your hand... and even then good luck

However, in all cases Immediately disconnect power and remove the battery, don't worry about saving your work, picking up your glass or chasing the cat away, that can all be skipped.

Obviously it depends how much and where the liquid has gone but assuming you have spilt your glass on the thing, if you are really lucky it just got the keyboard.

1 : flip it over and shake out the excess
2 : remove the keyboard
3 : if the spillage is contained in the keyboard (many are designed to do this) disassemble it put it in the sink and fill the sink with warm water and give it a good swish about, disassemble as much as possible (reassembling the keys is a real pain so don't take them off unless you need to.
4 : if the liquid went further disassemble the entire laptop
5 : Dry the keyboard as much as possible
6 : place the entire keyboard in methylated spirits and shake it about (the more it is dissembled the better) you are trying to displace all the water with Meths
7 : wash down the motherboard with meth's avoid getting it on moving parts (don't put CD drives and hard drives or the screen in meths) even if the original spilt liquid has dried you need to get it off the motherboard or it will corrode.
8 : put the parts aside to dry in a warm place (Put the oven on let it heat to about 50 degrees, turn it off and then put the motherboard and keyboard in for 15m or so)

Remember meths is flammable, so don't be stupid while doing this.

reassemble, test, get a quote for a new keyboard.

Doesn't always wok but if you have the skills and get to it quick enough and the liquid hasn't shorted out anything you actually have a good chance of success.

My score is about 80% and I've done at least 20

Last piece of advice, If you are too scared to do anything, what ever you do get the power off and battery out (I know there is a CMOS battery but usually it will be fine)

Matthew

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#1388199 15-Sep-2015 21:13

Thanks for all the replies folks.

Insurance says I need to pay $250 for them to repair it, then if they can't I guess I get a new one.

Finch

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#1388203 15-Sep-2015 21:18

Next question is...

What do I need to be able to get the data off my HD? The tool that JonB linked at the previous page?

I do have access to another laptop if that makes things easier.

I have never removed my HD, not have I got data from it when I haven't been using it, as such.

If somebody could link to something that MightyApe sells that would be epic. I dint know if I will have time to go out tomorrow and will get same day delivery.

Thanks.

richms

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#1388218 15-Sep-2015 21:45

The only one they have is this https://www.mightyape.co.nz/product/Digitus-USB-20-Mini-IDE--SATA-cable/1550988 which is about 4x what it should cost, and doesnt power a sata HDD, so you still need to power it.

One like this is perfect for laptop drives - http://www.trademe.co.nz/computers/external-storage/other/auction-948986857.htm as it will power it and do the transfer.

Keep in mind that a large HDD over slow USB 2.0 will possibly take days to get all your data off it. A USB 3.0 one like this http://www.trademe.co.nz/computers/cables-adaptors/usb/auction-946927784.htm will make it faster but it is still a very timeconsuming process.

Once you have all you need off it, then you can just do a format. Untick quick format, but again that may take a day to complete depending on speed etc.

Easiest to send in without a HDD.

Richard rich.ms

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Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

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#1388225 15-Sep-2015 21:50

Finch: ... Insurance says I need to pay $250 for them to repair it, then if they can't I guess I get a new one.

How much did your laptop cost you in 2012?
Laptops typically have a useful life of 4-5 years.
As yourself - is it still worth $250 to me?

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Finch

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#1388289 15-Sep-2015 23:01

I take it that is the Hard Drive? It is screwed down on two corners, the two on the right. All safe to unscrew them and pull it out or...?

richms

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#1388292 15-Sep-2015 23:08

That is the hard drive. Not sure how it comes out of that. Probably the screw on the left will release the cage around it or something like that.

Richard rich.ms

Finch

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#1388295 15-Sep-2015 23:33

richms: That is the hard drive. Not sure how it comes out of that. Probably the screw on the left will release the cage around it or something like that.

Cheers mate got it out.

I found this on PbTech, it's basically the same as what JonB mentioned on the previous page isn't it? This is in stock here in Wellington so will likely get this.

http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z=p&p=ENCJ5C0251&name=J5create-2.5-SATA-to-USB-3.0-External-Hard-Drive-E

jonb

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#1388383 16-Sep-2015 09:09

USB3 enclosure for that price is good. If laptop can't be fixed then you have a new external backup drive, after copying all the \Users\Username\Documents directories to new laptop. If it is getting fixed then can just pop the drive back in again to carry on as before.

Rickles

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#1388417 16-Sep-2015 10:14

The problem, I feel, with the $250 expenditure is that it is (a) the insurance Excess, (b) a 'lost' amount regardless if machine repaired or written off, and (c) getting near half the cost of a brand new laptop.

Finch

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#1391670 22-Sep-2015 09:45

So..

Turns out it cant be repaired. Cant finds parts to get it repaired either.

They said it was kept in good condition, so that helps me.

State said NL will match something. I wonder what they are going to come up with as it had a Blu-Ray player and 32GB SSD as well as a 1TB HDD.

Finch

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#1391819 22-Sep-2015 12:22

NL/State have offered me the following..

https://www.noelleeming.co.nz/shop/computers/computers/laptops/pc-notebook-computers/hp-15-ab255tx-pavilion-15-6-silver-notebook/prod140627.html

Not going to take it,unless I have to for some reason.

No SSD (Lady on the phone said they don't make them with SSD's anymore....)
No BluRay Player (Admittely I haven't really seen this, they did offer me an external one)
Not HD Screen (My old Laptop had full HD screen, the least they could do would be to match it)
Poorer Processor than my old Laptop (I cant actually find anything on Intel I7-6500U?? . At least not on the quick look I had)

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