Post by PeterPost by J. P. Gilliver (John)Post by BrritSkiISTR that there was some discussion in the past of companies that
would custom-build laptops and PCs. Any suggestions please ?
TIA
What about laptop repairers (or repairers of laptops)? Any
recommendations?
What are the symptoms?
Dead. No sign of life at all. What I would be content with is a
I assume you've checked the power brick is OK. And waggled the power
input plug - a common source of failure in laptops; the connector comes
unsoldered from the motherboard, especially if you actually use the
laptop portable a lot (i. e. keep unplugging it), or bash it a few
times. Fiddly to resolder (not that much the actual soldering, but just
getting at it!). If waggling the plug (assuming you've checked the power
brick _is_ OK) makes _anything_ happen, even just a light to flicker,
then suspect that as the problem. (Try with the battery disconnected; a
totally flat battery - as it will be if this has happened - might swamp
the supply.) The connector itself _can_ fail - probably 30p to 2 pounds
for a replacement, then hours of grief (or a few minutes; depends on
laptop model) wiggling it into place so it can be resoldered. (Or if
it's on a supplementary small board rather than soldered direct to the
mainboard, you can probably get a replacement such board.)
If you know someone with the same model (or just that uses the same
battery), ask to borrow their battery - if it shows any sign of life
with that, it's almost certainly the connector or power brick at fault.
Another thing to try - disconnect both the external power _and_ the
battery, then try to turn on as normal (hold in the power button or
whatever you usually do): this will completely discharge any stored
power. Reconnecting the power can sometimes miraculously bring it back
to life; they can get into a funny mode, and be held in it by a tiny
amount of stored power, which this procedure _can_ sometimes clear.
One more thing I've _heard_ can bring back to life, but haven't
experienced myself, is to leave it on charge (I forget for how long,
overnight should do), either with or without the main battery connected
(try both): sometimes there's an extra internal battery that needs
charging.
Or the CMOS battery may need replacing - usually a coin cell, though in
laptops sometimes shrink-wrapped into a rubber sleeve with flying leads.
Post by Peterlaptop (new or second hand) with my SSD put in it, so that when I turn
it on I get pretty much what I used to get with the original. The
original ran Windows 7. I feel myself unable to acquire that new (or
second hand) laptop and transfer the SSD.
Assuming none of the above works (and yes, they do die: I know an
82-year-old who's had _two_ die on her!):
Just transferring the SSD will give some problems, as unless it's an
identical machine, it will need drivers for different hardware (mainly
the video "card"); though it would _probably_ work, probably at the
wrong resolution, until you can get the right drivers. Then there's the
antipiracy measures: if it thinks (as would be correct!) that it's been
transferred into a different machine, it may sulk - I'm not sure of the
details, but it could be anything from refusing to work at all, to only
working for an hour at a time, to working apart from black wallpaper, to
working fine. But a second-hand machine will probably come with a drive
with 7 on it anyway (with the correct drivers for its hardware and
sorting the antipiracy stuff); transferring the _data_ from the current
drive is then just a matter of putting the old drive in a dock (20 to 30
pounds) or connecting it with a SATA to USB "cable" (which actually
contains some electronics but is jut sold as a "cable"), which might be
5 to 10 pounds. Though you have to get it out of the old laptop. On most
laptops, there's a panel to remove to get at the drive (which is a bit
larger than a credit card, and 7-9mm thick, and just unplugs); if you're
unlucky, you have to take off the whole bottom cover (which is not
difficult, just incredibly tedious - you have to _find_ all the screws,
some of which might be in the battery compartment, or under labels, or
even under the keyboard). But look for a panel first! You'll need
jeweller's screwdriver (Lidl sell suitable sets from time to time; you
can probably find them in poundshops too).
Feel free to ask for further help (including by Skype and/or 'phone); I
have no qualifications or training, but I've dismantled my share of
laptops.
Searching YouTube for your model number will _probably_ find good videos
showing how to dismantle. Be wary though - sometimes they title their
videos with the wrong model numbers (make sure the one in the video
looks _exactly_ like yours), and sometimes they show far more
dismantling than necessary (including videos from the manufacturers).
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)***@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
Veni, Vidi, Vera (I came, I saw, we'll meet again) - Mik from S+AS Limited
(***@saslimited.demon.co.uk), 1998