Severe corrosion poorly repaired but it works

[Larry Sabo]

After doing my best to repair some pretty severe corrosion, I was ready to call the customer and tell them that the laptop (Lenovo Yoga 920-13IKB) was unrepairable. Figured I'd try it anyway and to my surprise, it works perfectly! How, given the state of the video cable connection, beats me. One of the LVDS connector pins is even broken but it must be a no-connect pin.

Edit: That incorrect date watermark came from my digital microscope. I'll have to change that setting. They were all taken last night. The ones without a date were taken using my Pixel phone.

 

[Philippe]

Lucky you

 

[timeshifter]

Guess it got wet?

 

[Larry Sabo]

Customer came to pick it up and the screen would not display -- just stayed black! Left it and had lunch then tried after again lunch: displayed the welcome/login screen as soon as I lifted the lid and I can't make it fail again. Argh! If I power it off normally, the power button LED flashes 7 times then goes out. Not sure why, but I'll see if there's a BIOS update or if I can find an explanation for that.

This is why I am reluctant to do liquid spill repairs. The liquid in this case seems to have been Coke/Pepsi. It's probably a zombie now.

Edit: No newer BIOS available, and I can't get it to display again. Credit issued and the laptop returned to the customer. Done with it.

 

[Rigo]

Credit issued and the laptop returned to the customer

That's the bummer getting paid on results not on effort
Had a few dead motherboards in lately. Not revivable despite all efforts, no pay

 

[frase]

Dead Mosfet & the rest lol..

 

[Larry Sabo]

Dead Mosfet & the rest lol..

I suspect a corrupted EC/BIOS, intermittent video cable connection, or faulty screen (the laptop had been dropped). The screen on this model is a challenge to remove/replace or I'd check for a loose/corroded video cable. I don't have an EC programmer but it would be fun to try reprogramming the EC. With my luck, none of the programmer cables would be compatible -- this thing has the smallest latch connectors I've seen.

 

[HCHTech]

With the right speech (and perhaps even payment upfront) beforehand, you can get paid for the effort regardless of success. It took me a few experiences like this to learn that - haha.

 

[Larry Sabo]

With the right speech (and perhaps even payment upfront) beforehand, you can get paid for the effort regardless of success. It took me a few experiences like this to learn that - haha.

I quoted him $250 CAD with no warranty, which he accepted. It did work at various times but also wouldn't work at other times. Eventually, I could not get it to work enough to disable Fast start-up, which was recommended based on the blinking power button LED after power-off. I doubt that would have made a real difference. I couldn't in good conscience charge him when it really wasn't fixed in the end. No fix, no fee, except for my minimum 1 hr. charge.

 

[britechguy]

With the right speech (and perhaps even payment upfront) beforehand, you can get paid for the effort regardless of success.

In cases like this, that's the only way I'll take it on, and I make clear to the owner that they would be far better off spending their money replacing the machine than making any attempt to fix it. Some people just have inordinate attachments to certain things in their lives.

Under normal circumstances, I definitely take a, "no fix, no pay," approach.

[P.S. Caig Deoxit can do some almost miraculous things at times with this sort of thing. Clean the gunk, let it dry, then apply just the tiniest bit of Caig 100% with a needle applicator across the connector. Doesn't always work, but it very often does.]

 

[Philippe]

Not revivable despite all efforts,

This is a technical diagnostic -> diagnostic fee / minimum charge
Half an hour + call-out fee for me.

 

[GTP]

I make clear to the owner that they would be far better off spending their money replacing the machine than making any attempt to fix it.

This is my exact approach.
99% of the time the client sees reason and accepts that their beloved "old faithful" is dead and should be recycled.
Any trepidation about leaving the old problem behind (and doubts about the justification for the cost) disappear very quickly when they start using their "oh so much faster" shiny new toy.

It's surprising how many people take the old unit away with them because of some emotional attachment to it though.

 

[Larry Sabo]

It's surprising how many people take the old unit away with them because of some emotional attachment to it though.

... or hope that another tech can fix it. I would love to have it as an opportunity to learn, or for parts, but am loathe to ask for it because they may see it as a conflict of interest.

 

[Rigo]

am loathe to ask for it

I do ask, for learning and recycling if they were going to just bin it why not. And most people are happy to just leave it behind and save themselves the burden of disposing of it. And no compensation as I may never use any of the device.
There are the doubtful ones as well, but as my conscience is clear it's not my problem.
I collect screens, screws, dc-ins, etc, label and store them.
I offer the option for second-hand or new parts with the conditions if the second-hand one dies within 3-month they'd pay the balance to the new cost to have it done under my wty.

 

[britechguy]

I do ask,

So do I. If I can revive something from the dead with more time and effort than any sane person would pay for and get use out of it, so be it.

If not, I wipe the drive of all data and dispose of the hardware for recycling (which is what happens the vast majority of the time).

 

[GTP]

I dont ask but if its offered I'll accept it if its at no cost to me. If I can use it for parts I will/do then recycle whats useless.
If a wipe, upgrade to and SSD, more ram etc helps to create a sale it's a bonus.

 

[Rigo]

This is a technical diagnostic -> diagnostic fee / minimum charge

I do have minimum diag fees for when a quote I feel reasonable is rejected.
Laptops motherboard replacement cost to me is not reasonable even when available, so I let these go despite being even more difficult to work on.
There's just about always a reasonable solution for desktops, as even with an upgrade kit if necessary.

 

[Philippe]

for when a quote I feel reasonable

Their problem/feeling, not yours. For me, any diag, even if it's "not economically fixable" get billed...

 

[Philippe]

but am loathe to ask for it

Don't ask. Just tell them not to throw it away without wiping their data off.
Then, tell them you can recycle & wipe their unit, maybe in a few days, when they feel comfortable -> almost always works.

 

[Larry Sabo]

Don't ask. Just tell them not to throw it away without wiping their data off.
Then, tell them you can recycle & wipe their unit, maybe in a few days, when they feel comfortable -> almost always works.

In my folow-up e-mail today, I mentioned that if they are just going to trash it, I could use it for parts. Also mentioned that I can transfer their data to a new laptop, or the entire SSD. I think WorstBuy will do data transfer to a new computer for free but my charge is very reasonable. Would be interested to know what becomes of it.