Will I know exactly what it will cost before you
work on it?
Yes, you will know all costs, including VAT, before we do anything.
There are no surprises.
What if I feel the cost to fix it isn’t worth it?
This sometimes happens with older laptops – in cases like this, we offer
a free Quotation & diagnostics service.
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The socket where the laptop charger plugs into the unit is broken - can
it be fixed?
This is a very common fault caused by bad design and/or rough handling
of the notebook computer.
Most laptop DC power sockets/jacks are soldered directly to the
motherboard. Sideways pressure on the plug caused by pulling (e.g.
tripping over) the cable or by knocking the plug can cause the internal
DC socket to be damaged or broken off the motherboard.
The laptop charging socket may not always be broken - sometimes it only
needs re-soldering to the motherboard.
Faulty power jack symptoms include:
» Movement of the power plug causes the power/battery-charge light to go
out
» Visibly broken DC socket or socket pushed right into unit
» Laptop won't charge but works until battery runs out (can also be a
charger problem)
» Sparking from area where the power lead plugs into the laptop
The manufacturers and suppliers will usually tell you the motherboard
needs replacement which can cost hundreds of pounds, but...
Most DC Jacks can be replaced (or repaired if it's just the solder
that's broken). Repairing broken DC sockets on notebooks is not in
itself a particularly difficult task - the worst part of the job is the
disassembly and re-assembly of the laptop! The whole job will normally
take between 3-4 hours to complete.
Replacement DC power sockets for laptops vary in cost between
manufacturers and models so the total repair cost including labour will
usually be between £60.00 - £100.00.
New parts (sockets) will always be used, except in cases where the part
is not damaged and only requires re-soldering.
The success rate for typical DC Socket repair is about 90%. With a
repair cost of less than £100 and a "no fix -no fee" policy on
irreparable items, you have nothing to lose!
Broken USB Ports
Laptop USB ports seem to get damaged more frequently than those of their
desktop counterparts, perhaps as laptops tend to get moved around while
USB plugs and devices like Flash Drives and Wireless Dongles are plugged
in, wires get tripped over and plugs get bumped.
Sockets can also be damaged by using excessive force when inserting USB
plugs and dongles.
If a socket is damaged, one or more of the four metal electrical
contacts inside may be bent, and/or the plastic (or porcelain) insulator
may be broken.
The other frequent scenario is where the solder points that hold the
USB ports casing get broken, causing the whole port assembly to become
loose. In either case, this can cause an electrical short and damage the
motherboard. If you suspect USB port problems, disconnect power
completely from the laptop by unplugging the AC adaptor and removing the
battery.
Repairing Laptop USB Ports
You may have several options if one of your ports is damaged.
It's usually possible to remove the insulator and the metal contacts so
you have one unusable USB port and if done properly, you eliminate the
possibility of a short which could damage your motherboard. (Remove all
power from the laptop before trying this)
If you need more ports you can use a PCMCIA (or Cardbus) - USB card
If an addon USB card is not an option (e.g. you are already using an
addon card for a different purpose and you have no space or you don't
want something sticking out of the side of the laptop) we may be able to
replace your USB port/s for you.
As with broken DC sockets, the manufacturer of the laptop will not
usually replace just the broken USB port, they will change the entire
motherboard if you send it to them for repair.
More likely than not, the manufacturer will consider damage to DC
sockets and USB ports to be the fault of the consumer and as such this
sort of repair will not be covered by warranty.
USB Sockets differ from laptop to laptop in shape, size and
configuration. We can source most replacements but we may need to open
your laptop to determine what part it needs before we can be sure it's
one we can replace.
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Screen faults & Repairs?
Screen faults are quiet common on many laptops and may not be too
expensive to repair depending on the cause. If you can see a very dark
or ghost image then the screen has probably NOT failed! The fault is
probably caused by the back light circuitry not working. If there is a
display with coloured lines or blocks or no display at all then the
fault may lie with either the screen or the motherboard. If the screen
has a crack or large blotch or what looks like ink leaking then the
Screen would normally need replacing
© Morley Computers Leeds Ltd
