After five years I suppose there was always going to be a disaster. I have keeping laptops upstairs as it is safer in the event of a break in. The problem is there isn't much space and I was about to start work on it and discovered the screen was smashed.
I saw the laptop in the clients house, the screen was fine there so it has happened in my so called care :(.
I feel physically sick, not just because this is going to cost me a pretty penny to fix but I also feel I have failed in my duty of care :(.
My insurance will cover it, but the excess is more than what I can buy a new screen for.
I think I have really out grown working from home now but in the trap of being too big to be small but too small to big. After this I think I am going to take the plunge and get my own workshop so I can work away from hazzards such as cats.
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>>My insurance will cover it, but the excess is more than what I can buy a new screen for.
So your insurance will NOT cover it then.
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I am covered for accidental damage to customers laptops so if it got knicked or what ever but in this case it is cheaper not to claim on the insurance.
Will be about 30-45 minutes labour plus about £80 for the screen so it is not the end of the world. I just don't know how to tell the customer, he will probably notice he has a brand new screen.
I just need to turn this into as much as a positive as possible.
If you took the car to a dealer for a service, and then you came back as normal to collect and told you they have to replace the wing miror because it got smashed but there is no cost to you I doubt I it would be annoyed. Sorry about the wrong tenses used just panicing a bit.
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How did the cat smash the screen Rattle?! Mine have never managed that... ;-)
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Just be straight and honest, explain that you accidentally damaged the screen however you have replaced it at your expense.
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Bad luck R&S. In this case I suggest the way forward is to be completely upfront about it and, perhaps, mention the benefit of having a new screen supplied at no cost. If you do the job slowly, over the weekend and don't go clubbing you will save the cost, to you, of the repair! In the long run you will get some favourable word of mouth publicity and the way you handle the matter will count for more than the damage to a screen, I hope.
Last edited by: Perky Penguin on Mon 21 Feb 11 at 14:50
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Hopefully :). I am just so glad I saw it working in the clients house (I always make a point of checking this) as there are some scammers about.
In this case though I know for 100% certaincy it happened in my care which some how makes it easier as I know it is just my fault.
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>> Sorry about the wrong tenses used just panicing a bit.
If I was the customer I would be disappointed if you wiped my hard disk; if you gave me a new display I think I would be quite happy.
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I have no idea how the screen is smashed, but there is three other people living here and none of them have a clue either. It is posible one of the cats has sat on it.
Just waiting for somebody over the pond to send me a PDF of the repair manual which should make the job easier, looks like the part is £65 but the major problem is any delays in delivery.
Thankfully the price of laptop screens has fallen over the past two years so it is no longer the £300 job it once was.
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A cat sitting on a closed laptop wouldn't smash the screen. I'd be surprised if a cat sitting on an open laptop would also break the screen. A dopey housemate dropping something onto the screen is more likely.... Are you sure the laptop you saw working at the customer's house and the one you have that is broken are one and the same?
Might be quicker to find an identical model and do a swap ;-)
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>> A cat sitting on a closed laptop wouldn't smash the screen.
Could be there was something between the keyboard and screen and pressure on the top was enough to break it. I broke a screen once by pushing down on the "lid" when there was a USB plug between screen and keyboard.
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I know people who have broken laptop screen by holding them too hard between fingers.
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I was parked slighlty ilegaly on a busy road with hazzards on when I picked it up, so I was in a big rush to get in the car, I did wonder if I had put too much preasure on it when I put it in the car.
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>> I know people who have broken laptop screen by holding them too hard between fingers.
err... www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?t=106&v=f
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>> Might be quicker to find an identical model and do a swap ;-)
This may be what happened between Rattle seeing it working and it being presented for repair...
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Worth contacting the customer, tell him what has happened and see if you can flog him a new laptop.
Tell him you will transfer all data and programs, and set it up to run sweet as a nut.
He might want the old one repaired to use as a spare, but one way or another you might be able to lose the £65 or maybe make a small profit.
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>> I am covered for accidental damage to customers laptops so if it got knicked or
>> what ever but in this case it is cheaper not to claim on the insurance.
Therefore your insurance does NOT cover you.
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Never thought about a swap. But this one has the same problem, I didn't have the car on me but said I would rather get the car rather than risk carrying through the streets. He lives only about 100 houses away from me but on a different road. In terms of distance it is 0.3 miles.
The only way he could have done this would be to swap the hard drive and there is no way he could have done it quick enough, so I am pretty sure it is not a scam.
My feeling is it must have been stood on, it is the only way it could have happened. I did mean to move it but I then got busy and forgot about it.
I need to find place to put a shelf up to store them on in future.
The screen will cost me about £70, the laptop is an expensive one so a repair is still worth while, I suspect the hard drive is dying but that was part of the original fault.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Mon 21 Feb 11 at 15:03
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So either you or a silent house mate has trodden on it? The floor is not a storage area! Get yourself sorted Rats.
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>>I need to find place to put a shelf up to store them on in future. <<
Why do I suddenly have visions off "Sparks" or "Water" gushing out of your drill holes??
Sorry! ;-)
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Are you absolutely sure it wasn't already broken?
Remember Les Dawson's tale of looking after his neighbour's budgie and finding it dead at the bottom of the cage. So he rushed out to replace it with an identical one and when she got back from holiday she screamed and pointed to the cage. "Looks fine to me" he said. "Yes but it was dead when I went away" she replied.
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It is my fault. I know that, it should never have been on the floor, just no excuses. It was in part of a room where nobody needed to stand.
I can fix the damage quite cheaply that is not the major problem, the problem is I feel so bad it happened in the first place. Some re-organisation of floor space is needed I suspect.
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>> I can fix the damage quite cheaply that is not the major problem, the problem
>> is I feel so bad it happened in the first place. Some re-organisation of floor
>> space is needed I suspect.
>>
Sorry Mate, but I think a total re-organisation of your life is called for, before you end up in serious doo doo which one day is bound to happen.
Regards....................M.
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Yep 100% sure, you can't miss a crack and a 4" black circle in the screen. It is not a tiny dot or dead pixel which I could have missed, it is a massive crack.
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That drill would have been cheaper than the new screen. Sorry.
John
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The screen is cheap, added complication now is I cannot find the sevice manual for it. I am not sure I am confident to fit the screen myself without that as I would be working blind.
I can get the job done for £110 including labour or £60 if I do it myself.
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Well done that man for accepting responsibility, bravo I say.
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Get it fixed and cough it- £110 is worth the goodwill you generate in repairing it - honesty is the best policy.
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You needn't feel guilty about it Ratto. It's the nature of a business fixing things.
I broke a door window on an Orion after a lock-out. Simply drove to a glass place and had it done at my expense then drove it back to customer.
No hassle....soon made the money up on other jobs.
A furniturte restorer's chisel might slip, a window cleaner might damage your gutter.
It matters not a jot........you can sort it and move on !
Your customer won't be Mr Perfect...he'll be pleased with your actions though.
Ted
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yes just get a professional in to fix it
one that does it for a living like :-P
;-)
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I don't claim to be able to fix laptops at hardware level, I can replace drives, RAM, keyboards but that is far as I want to go. It is a fiddenly job which requires a steady hand and a lot of patience.
I can probably fix it myself and if it was my own laptop I would without a doubt do all the work myself, but this is a customers laptop and it is not fair to be play guiny pig on it. I so I shall out the extra £50 and swallow my pride.
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i can do ram and keyboards and willing to learn them digit fixes
do i get a free panda and when can i start
guv.........
ps i gave you a wink
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I am sure you know what I mean though, there must be somethings on cars you would rather pay somebody else to fit.
I am currently getting guidence of other techs but it is looking like it might be just a case of removing the bezel, removing the invertor and then removing the mounting brackets of the old screen and putting everything back. If that is the case I can do that, what I am not going to do is all the removing other parts of the laptop.
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>> I am sure you know what I mean though, there must be somethings on cars
>> you would rather pay somebody else to fit.
>>
I've had the screens out on my Dell 6000 laptop (to replace the inverter) and Spamette Minor's Dell 1545 (to change the lid from black to pink) neither was particularly tricky, half hour tops.
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Dells are easy to work on as the bezel has easy access, I have dimanteled one before and would happily replace a screen on one. Nobody can find the sevice manual for this Sony so there is too much of the unkown.
It is the same reason I am scared to work on cars, I am scared of the unknown. I am scared of removing s spark plug and threading it.
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>>
>> It is the same reason I am scared to work on cars, I am scared
>> of the unknown. I am scared of removing s spark plug and threading it.
>>
I know what you mean, I went to change the oil filter on SWMBO's Zafira last weekend, the cap was on very tight, and I managed to dislodge the oil filter housing, so that the oil pressure light came on permanently :-(. Thankfully the local mobile mechanic came round and sorted it out for 30 quid!
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Hehe, it might turn out the Sony is just like the Dell and not a major job (e.g no motherboard or CPU removal) but there is nothing worse than being stuck.
I think the best thing is to drive over to my friends and he can guide me if I get stuck.
Having a go depends on the risk, in the case of this or cars making a mistake can be very expensive.
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Just be honest about it and get it fixed professionally.
Typically people don't mind when things go wrong, they mind when people don't do everything they can to get it sorted out.
You talk about turning it into a positive and I think dealing with it properly will do just that. You send a strong message that, if things go wrong (and they always do), you are the kind of guy who will make sure that things get sorted, rather than trying to cover stuff up, or make excuses etc
I bought something expensive from a company years ago, and there was a major snip, and I was braced for all kinds of hassle in getting it sorted. Not a bit of it. They amazed me with how well the sorted it, and I have bought thousands of pounds worth of stuff from them in the years since. I always think, why risk going with somebody else, when I know that, if there is a problem, these guys will pull through?
SS, swearing, or attempted bypass of the swearfilter is neither big nor clever.
Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 21 Feb 11 at 20:51
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Make sure you get the right screen for it. There are different grades and types of LCD displays as you will know and I'm not talking just size and resolution. What if it's an IPS display and is it a glossy one etc. You say the laptop is expensive so therefore is the screen.
I'd not want to swap a screen for the first time on a customer one. Taking the laptop apart to get at CPU fans can involve a lot of dismantling and one thing that can go wrong is the switch that turns off the display when closed.
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A friend of mine who runs a business 20 miles away as offered to show me how to do it if I order the part so that seems the best bet. I know what I need, it is an Ultrabright 15.6" LCD with a glossy finish. I also have the correct resolution.
Ideally I don't want to tell the customer until it is all fixed and better than new just in case any further problems arise.
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I'd be tempted to tell the customer - I'd be unhappy to find out after the event..
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yup. tell them now and what you are doing about it.
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I need to play it down, e.g I was working on it and then I found the screen had shattered, I don't know how this happened but I will replace the screen free of charge and you will get a brand new screen out of it.
I at least need to make sure I can get the screen before phoning him.
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It got damaged in transit. Tell it how it is, you don't strike me as a good liar, so don't do it.
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The truth is I have no idea how it happened, I think it is more likely to have happened when it was at home rather than in transit.
I just don't know, all I know for sure is the crack was not there when I last saw it working.
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Well there you are - it's happened in your case and control - face up to the customer tell them the truth and make your offer.
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Yes, be up front, for sure. If I were the client, I'd be thinking 'Fair dos, accidents happen', etc. Most people are reasonable.
If I thought that I was being led up the garden path, I'd tell all me mates, and report you to the appropriate authorities.
See SteelSpark's comments about good customer service paying dividends later...
Last edited by: boolean on Mon 21 Feb 11 at 17:42
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I have every intention of telling the customer just need to work out how to put it as gently as possible and trying and turn into a positive. It is a part which does fail and he will get it a brand new shiny one for nothing.
If he is a bit funny about it I might have to offer a slight discount too on fixing the original problem.
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>> but I will replace
>> the screen free of charge and you will get a brand new screen out of
>> it.
>>
Is it still under Sony's warranty, because it'll be void now...
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As already stated not under warranty it is nearly two years old.
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Put it in a thick plastic bag, seal it, drive over it a few times, and then put the whole lot in a new clean bag (with all the smashed up bits), wrap the whole lot up very carefully, and return it to customer with your invoice and your thanks *via Parcelforce*[1].
That'll sort out your problems.
1) "arcel farce"
Last edited by: FotheringtonTomas on Mon 21 Feb 11 at 17:40
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That actually made me laugh :).
Got jobs to go to now so will try and forget about it until I come back.
I will have time then to think about my words. I hate giving out bad news.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Mon 21 Feb 11 at 17:42
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All part of life's rich tapestry.
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Just tell them the truth before you do anything. They may not be happy either way. If it was me then I'd be angry if you dismantled it and replaced the screen without checking that's for sure. They might not want you to do the work either. On the other hand they might expect to pay nothing at all for the screen or to fix you were meant to do as a goodwill gesture.
On the other hand you may find there was some weakness in the screen they knew about already. Maybe it looked okay when it was on and now the damage has got worse.
What was wrong with it that you were taking it away to fix anyway?
As for:
>> I think I have really out grown working from home now
You don't know how it got damaged - it might have happened in a workshop too. Maybe you need to carry laptops around in padded covers as a precaution. You'd do that if you were taking your own laptop out and about.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Mon 21 Feb 11 at 18:04
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>> All part of life's rich tapestry.
>>
MSOffice helpfully includes a PowerPoint 'presenting bad news' template for these occasions....
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...MSOffice helpfully includes a PowerPoint 'presenting bad news' template for these occasions...
I admit it, I don't know if you're joking or not.
Mind, I don't really know what PowerPoint is either.
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No, I'm not joking, I was trawling through some templates and found this black edged slide set with tips on how to convey bad news:-
office.microsoft.com/en-gb/templates/communicating-bad-news-TC001048167.aspx
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>>Mind, I don't really know what PowerPoint is either.>>
office.microsoft.com/en-gb/powerpoint/
You might need PowerPoint Viewer if you get presentation style e-mails...:-)
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So if you are in corporate meeting land and you see that slide pop up, you know it's time to update the CV.
Perhaps you could prepare one for Stu?
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>> So if you are in corporate meeting land and you see that slide pop up,
>> you know it's time to update the CV.
>>
>> Perhaps you could prepare one for Stu?
>>
The various slides give you tips on content, e.g.:-
"Communicating Bad News
slide 1 - Our Situation
State the bad news
Be clear, don’t try to obscure the situation
Slide 2 - How Did This Happen?
Any relevant history, facts, or strategies
Original assumptions that are no longer valid
Slide 3 - Alternatives Considered
Present alternative courses of action
Discuss pros/cons of each "
Thankfully my previous employers at least had the decency to concoct their own slide sets on these occasions.
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...The various slides give you tips on content, e.g.:-....
So these corporate types need to be told this sort of thing?
Money for jam.
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Is the laptop under warranty?
How would a screen change by Rattle affect the warranty were it to still be covered thus?
If the laptop goes down with another unrelated fault and the customer sends it back to the manufacturer who refuse a warranty claim as an unapproved repairer has replaced the screen how would the customer be likely to react?
Questions, questions....
As always
Mark
Last edited by: Mark on Mon 21 Feb 11 at 19:47
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R&S, from your postings, you seem very accident prone.
Listen to the advice from the majority of the panel on here.
Get someone else to repair it.
And remember to give the customer a warranty for the repair carried out.
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>> Put it in a thick plastic bag, seal it, drive over it a few times,
>> and then put the whole lot in a new clean bag (with all the smashed
>> up bits), wrap the whole lot up very carefully, and return it to customer with
>> your invoice and your thanks *via Parcelforce*[1].
>>
>> That'll sort out your problems.
>>
>>
>> 1) "arcel farce"
>>
BRILLIANT. Wish I'd thought of it.....titter.
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If it is just a bezel job I can do it myself, but I will probably take it to my friends anyway, it is only if I have to start removing the screen panel itself and hinges I don't want to touch it.
Anyway I have explained to the customer that there is now a crack on the screen and there wasn't before but I will fix it for free.
The original fault is it won't boot into Windows 7, it hanges when he tries to install it from the recovery disc which suggests either faulty RAM or faulty file system/hard drive. Not done any tests on it yet.
The laptop is nearly nearly two years old and out of warranty.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Mon 21 Feb 11 at 20:29
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You said earlier that the hard drive is breaking down. This can cause all manner of problems as it is currently happening with Erin's.
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I have not run any tests yet so I have no idea what the state of the hard drive is, either way it won't cause a cracked screen :).
I've found that a faulty file system even on a healthy drive is what often causes the problem of the recovery discs not working though.
If the hard drive is working fine then I suspect the fix itself will be very simple just a few commands in the recovery console. He has already tried to use the recovery CD so I don't know at this point if the original windows installation is in place or not. Either way the original problem is not the issue here, that is just easy stuff and what I specialise in.
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Would it be worth plugging into an external monitor and fixing it first... maybe it needs more than a screen for all you know and you'll shell out on that and find it needs a hard drive too. And then they might claim you broke that too. Hope not of course!
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I told him before I picked up that the fault may well be hardware related and basically said to me what ever it costs he he will have it fixed rather than dump it :)
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So check it out before replacing the screen is all I suggest. It's probably an easy fix for you (maybe not the screen).
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WIll hook it up the external monitor tomorrow, planning of taking it to a friends on Wednesday who will show me exactly what to do.
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I am started to have a little nag in my mind now, the lid looks like new, there isn't really a mark on it, if it was stood on I can't see how the screen became shattered.
The customer didn't know I was going to take it away so I still sure it fault wasn't known by him.
My doubt is the laptop must be quite poorly designed for this to happen so easily.
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Rattle, be proactive here and give the customer a call to let him know what's happened. Have an explanation and a resolution for the customer to hand when you call; if you're straight with him and can tell him now what you're going to do you should get a positive response. What the customer will not like is not being kept informed.
If you can take responsibility for what happened and assure the customer that it will be put right at your expense - with new / guaranteed part(s) - he should be happy, and may generate and spread some goodwill for your business.
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If the laptop was stood on either with something over it or with bare feet/socks/soft slippers there wouldn't be a mark on the lid. Or the guilty party has already wiped off the incriminating evidence...
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I already told him last night but he didn't seem that surprised, but I played it down a bit. His reaction was that he wasn't really bothered as I was fixing it.
It was in a bag so I suppose that is why there is no evidence. I didn't sleep much at all last night because of this.
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>> I didn't sleep much at all last night because of this.
>>
Note to self: Examine it before you take it away, store it somewhere it cant be broken - and if you do break it own up to it.
No more sleepless nights
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er....you "played it down a bit" Rats you need to be upfront on this !
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Rats, *always* over deliver.
"It was smashed to bits, but I am spending a fortune fixing it for you"
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>> if it was stood on I can't see how the screen became shattered.
I thought the cat was to blame? Either I've not read this thread properly, or there are some inconsistencies creeping in.
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>> I am started to have a little nag in my mind now, the lid looks
>> like new, there isn't really a mark on it, if it was stood on I
>> can't see how the screen became shattered.
I have a Sony with an unmarked metal lid and a damaged screen. A large person fell over in the office and landed on my laptop bag.
You only need to bump into something. The lid deflects, damages the screen, and returns to its original position.
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Typing this on my phone as I am on a bus for a change. I have no idea how it happened but it was.not stored how it should have been. I just dont know what led to the events which made me so careless. What is done is done I will just make sure it doesnt happen again.
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we all make mistakes, put it right and move on (which it appears you are doing or have done)
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>> I just dont know what led to the events which made me so careless.
Weekend falling down water?
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Rattle, you said: "I don't claim to be able to fix laptops at hardware level, I can replace drives, RAM, keyboards but that is far as I want to go. It is a fiddely job which requires a steady hand and a lot of patience.
I can probably fix it myself and if it was my own laptop I would without a doubt do all the work myself, but this is a customers laptop and it is not fair to be play guiny pig on it. I so I shall out the extra £50 and swallow my pride."
This worries me about you and your business. If you run a computer repair outfit the hardware fixes should be included. Honestly, if you don't know how then you ought to learn. Maybe think about starting now.
I'm no computer whizz, but by looking up manuals and googling I can proudly say that I have removed and replaced a fan and keyboard on separate laptops. I've also repaired a power supply jack on a Toshiba (a common fault apparently) with a couple of hours work and a tube of Araldite. If you can get to those stages on a laptop then the screen nearly falls out by itself.
Give it a go.
Last edited by: Dulwich Estate on Tue 22 Feb 11 at 18:07
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>>Give it a go.
But not on client's precious laptop...
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I just have not kept up with the times really, most of my jobs are virus and software related so I don't really do much hardware.
I am driving up to a friends who lives in Warrington tomorrow, he runs the same business I do and he is going to show me exactly what to do. I have actually done most of the removal it is just a couple of things I am not quite sure about.
I do intend to do more laptops in the future, I have no choice really it is just not my skill.
I do have a couple of old laptops I am going to play with too.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Tue 22 Feb 11 at 18:14
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Laptop hardware repairs is the only place where there is money to be made in fixing kit.
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You regularly moan that business isn't up too much. Do you turn down hardware fixes?
I confess that I do not understand the negative stance - everything has to be done the first time - even heart by-pass surgery.
At the very least promise us that you will watch your friend like a hawk when he does it or better still do it yourself with him watching you.
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I am doing the job, he is telling me exactly what to do. I already think I know what to do but I am not 100% and one wrong preasure in the wrong place and something is cracked.
I turn down DC jacks but to be honest most laptop jobs is stuff I can fix, I have replaced a few laptop fans, I have replaced keyboards, RAM, hard drives etc and have removed the motherboard on my own netbook to upgrade the RAM. On desktops I can do anything but they are so much easier to work on.
Most of us turn down DC jacks though, but apparantly there a mail order place who does them for £30 if send the motherboard off, so I can make a lot of money out of that.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Tue 22 Feb 11 at 18:24
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im always having to mend xboxs, psp etc as the kids have done something to them.
all thr info is on you tube to fix anything from brains to toasters.
learn more then earn more. be ambitious
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Well, that's told him in a space of 4 minutes!
Last edited by: Dulwich Estate on Tue 22 Feb 11 at 18:19
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I am really a software person though, but sometimes we have to steer a job into something we didn't intend to be.
I just need to get over that big fear of breaking something.
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Please, please get over that fear or you'll never be successful in business. So it breaks - big deal. Try again.
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A bit more mentoring.
Most famously gifted people such as fooballers, golfers, pianists and so on spend hours practicing so they can get their performance just right. You probably have access to loads of broken computers that you could play with over and over again until you know your way around.
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I have a couple of laptops :). One works the other I have not got round to testing but I do intend to take them both apart and put them back together then.
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"I do intend to put them back together"
Rattle after you've done that I know another guy who could use your help.
Humpty Dumpty.
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You think rattle is better than all the kings horses and all the kings men?
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Yes - 'cos they got made redundant in the defence cuts
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A friends just got a job as an IT tech for the RAF so it is not all gloomy :). I wonder if his training will teach how not to smash up laptop screens though!
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>> A friends just got a job as an IT tech for the RAF so it is not all gloomy
Can be lucrative if posted overseas. You can potentially earn excellent money tax free. Our staff that go to Iraq and Afghanistan can get this benefit plus a 50% uplift to salary. Some network specialists can earn a fortune - you can't not have a network guru on hand when the pilotless drone goes offline you know.
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>> >> A friends just got a job as an IT tech for the RAF so
>> it is not all gloomy
>>
>> Can be lucrative if posted overseas. You can potentially earn excellent money tax free. Our
>> staff that go to Iraq and Afghanistan can get this benefit plus a 50% uplift
>> to salary.
Be handy for the funeral expenses. Just asked what happened to guy you are replacing first.
Last edited by: Zero on Tue 22 Feb 11 at 21:54
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I have a relative who was in Iraq (actually in the RAF) when a mortar came over the fence and landed near by. Killed his commanding officer. He was only knocked off the bed.
The ones I know overseas at the moment for IT are not even in Afghanistan or Iraq. Just a country being used nearby. Can't remember which.
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It wasn't a job he applied for, he applied for the RAF in general but they said because of his degree and masters he would be able to go in at the technical angle. All you actually need for that is a GCSE in science and A levels so he more than had the qualifications.
He will probably be stationed in the UK mainly, they have lots of offices in the UK which need IT support but there is a chance he could be sent anywhere.
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It's a chance you take - death awaits a person everywhere - even in the most mundane environment.
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You can get hardware certification. There's a place down in Stoke that is offering such courses reasonably cheaply as they're a charity:
www.tecc.org.uk/index.php/training/
There are bound to be similar places more local to you where you can learn how to do these things.
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An idea for you rattle.
Buy some knackered laptops off Ebay or similar - cheaper the better - then take them apart, play with the bits, then put them together.
1/ you will lose your fear of breaking something, if you do the on the 1st few it doesn't matter...
2/ you will learn how they go together.
3/ you may be able to make 1 good one from 2-3 duff ones - and make some money back!
4/ you gain another string to your bow.
You can, and will move that business forward... just have confidence, be honest, and learn new things!
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He is my age but his very dedicated, he has been working as a games tester at £12k for the past five years so this is a major step foward for him.
I will certainly look at buying some laptops. I already have a couple to play with. I have also taken my Acer netbook apart 8 months ago but as it was mine I wasn't worried about breaking anything.
I can already do most repairs on laptops but I really should not be turning away with screens, maybe if I advertise the service too there may be more work from it that way.
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>> He is my age but his very dedicated, he has been working as a games tester at £12k for the
>> past five years so this is a major step foward for him.
He'd have probably earned more in Tesco.
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Speaking as somebody with (virtually) no experience of fixing laptops...
there is at least one booby trapped design out there - the keyboard ribbon cable "socket" on a Toshiba which unclips in a peculiar way.
Do it wrong and a minute piece of plastic flirts off the clip, and the official line is that the motherboard is then scrap.
This was discovered while "going in" to repair the inevitable broken power socket these things get.
There are some strange alloys used for "solder" these days which require higher temperatures than lead based solders need.
I did make it work again, and got another 18 months out of it before the wireless connectivity became unreliable, but I had to attend to the power socket a second time - I ended up running a pair of wires out of the thing instead of trying to make the socket work a second time.
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>> Anyway I have explained to the customer that there is now a crack on the
>> screen and there wasn't before but I will fix it for free.
Lets hope for your sake the customer doesn't read car4play. From what I've read of this thread (and some your other posts), you lack confidence in so many areas.
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Just an update I fitted the new screen today with the help a friend who lives in the Warrington area. The screen arrived this morning. It was actually easy with the guidance, my friend has also very kindly given me some old laptops to strip down so I won't need to turn down screens in the future.
Anyway the original problem with the laptop is it needs a new hard drive, so it looks like I at least will be able to break even on the job.
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Smashed a customers laptop - Mapmaker
