[REQUEST] Do I Need Exact Mobo?

[Appletax]

Got an Asus laptop that won't power on. Mobo & IO board have liquid damage.

Does the mobo have to be the exact same one that it came with? There are multiple variations of the board on eBay. The exact one it needs is too expensive while other versions are much cheaper.

Also: there's white residue around the battery terminals. What's up with that?



Edit: here's the answer I was looking for:

As far as mobo for laptops I do not install them unless they are brand new. Not worth the hassle of used, pulled or whatever is out there. If a client insists on a used replacement I'll locate it for them and let them buy it. I'll install it but if it's DOA or whatever now they deal with it and still owe me labor. I have had only a couple of clients roll the dice.

You can also swap in a different version mobo from the same family but it is a crap shoot. Maybe the original had an HDMI connector. Perhaps 2 instead of 3 USB conns. Too many variables.

 

[Altster]

So what is the real question here?

Is it that you wish to do a repair on this computer or the customer WANTS to save their data or what?

And the white residue looks like it could be cleaned off with alcohol and toothbrush. If the liquid is sticky, then make sure all batteries, fan(s), heatsink(s) and CPU are disconnected from the board and all paper is removed (to the best of your ability and wash / rinse the board with warm (not hot) water and lightly scrub or brush the board in the area of the liquid damage. Then set it aside (sitting on its side) for a few days to let all water drain out followed by a good blowing out / of the board.

And if you want to do this, don't repair it! Sell them a newer unit and transfer their files to it!

 

[Appletax]

So what is the real question here?

Is it that you wish to do a repair on this computer or the customer WANTS to save their data or what?

And the white residue looks like it could be cleaned off with alcohol and toothbrush. If the liquid is sticky, then make sure all batteries are disconnected from the board and all paper is removed (to the best of your ability and wash / rinse the board with warm (not hot) water and lightly scrub or brush the board in the area of the liquid damage. Then set it aside (sitting on its side) for a few days to let all water drain out followed by a good blowing out / of the board.

And if you want to do this, don't repair it! Sell them a newer unit and transfer their files to it!

The real question is right in the title. Can I get away with using a slightly different motherboard version?

The white residue can be cleaned off, of course, but why is it there in the first place? Something oozing out of the battery?

Liquid damage = short circuits, corrosion = permanent.

 

[nerd2u]

Just tell the customer the price for a new mobo is x if they don't like it let them go elsewhere.

You may find a different version fits properly or it may not.

Sent from my SM-G870W using Tapatalk

 

[sapphirescales]

If I get ANYTHING with liquid damage, I recommend imaging their drive to an SSD and trading the machine in. Remember, if ANYTHING goes wrong with that laptop in the future, they will blame YOU. The screen goes out 6 months later? You must have messed it up when you were replacing the motherboard. You replace the motherboard and one of the keys doesn't work? Obviously you didn't do your job right and they'll expect you to fix it for free.

If your client is complaining about a $150 motherboard then just forget it. They can either pay it or not. But like I said, I recommend against trying to fix it. Just get them into a $150 refurb and be done with it.

 

[Appletax]

If I get ANYTHING with liquid damage, I recommend imaging their drive to an SSD and trading the machine in. Remember, if ANYTHING goes wrong with that laptop in the future, they will blame YOU. The screen goes out 6 months later? You must have messed it up when you were replacing the motherboard. You replace the motherboard and one of the keys doesn't work? Obviously you didn't do your job right and they'll expect you to fix it for free.

If your client is complaining about a $150 motherboard then just forget it. They can either pay it or not. But like I said, I recommend against trying to fix it. Just get them into a $150 refurb and be done with it.

Good points.

I am the one complaining about the price lol.

The customer is interested in purchasing a refurbished laptop from me in a few months.

 

[Diggs]

Also: there's white residue around the battery terminals. What's up with that?

Looks like a battery vented which doesn't automatically scrap the MB.

 

[nlinecomputers]

The customer is interested in purchasing a refurbished laptop from me in a few months.

They need to pursue that now. Liquid damage is not fixable. You replace the motherboard even with a different model and what happens if the CPU got a bit cooked during it's swim. You could have an angry client back on your doorstep a month later claiming you are a crook. Get the data and move on any other option will bite you in the butt.

 

[mr m]

The corrosion around the battery terminals is a by-product of the chemical reaction that creates the voltage flow. Depending on the batteries chemistry, different gases are formed and they cause pressure which forces the gas to leak out and react with whatever it contacts.

These gases are corrosive (acidic) so neutralize them when you see them if the damage is not too severe. You can use baking soda and water or buy a commercial preparation.

As far as mobo for laptops I do not install them unless they are brand new. Not worth the hassle of used, pulled or whatever is out there. If a client insists on a used replacement I'll locate it for them and let them buy it. I'll install it but if it's DOA or whatever now they deal with it and still owe me labor. I have had only a couple of clients roll the dice.

You can also swap in a different version mobo from the same family but it is a crap shoot. Maybe the original had an HDMI connector. Perhaps 2 instead of 3 USB conns. Too many variables.

 

[trevm999]

You can also swap in a different version mobo from the same family but it is a crap shoot. Maybe the original had an HDMI connector. Perhaps 2 instead of 3 USB conns. Too many variables.

The one time I did this it turned out alright in the end, but the motherboard actually took a different type of RAM. The original was DDR2 and the one I got took DDR3

 

[coffee]

Totally repairable. This is what I do.

Just because there is some liquid damage does not mean its not repairable. It also depends on the replacement cost of the board. Obviously, If the replacement board is 79 bucks or something like that then just replace the board. If its 180.00 or more then just get it repaired. If you can get a whole laptop for a bit more well... get it.

I do not recommend cleaning the board especially if your going to send it out for repair. Techs like to see where the damage is basically located at.

I also do not recommend cleaning with water. If your cleaning it yourself then use as close to 100 percent alcohol that you can get. Even distilled water is a bad idea.

The residue around the battery could just be more dried liquid. If it were actually caused by the battery then you would see it on the battery/ laptop connector pins instead. To me it looks like its on the plastic cover of the MB.

Take a pic of the whole board where the water damage is. Post it. I can see the startup chip and it looks like it was spared. So, Might be a good candidate for repair.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Something to note. If you change motherboards you will have to get a new license for Windows. If it is Windows 8 or 10 OEM that license is embedded in the BIOS of the motherboard. Windows 7 you can fudge and use the key on the sticker, it's not legal but it would probably work. If it was Windows 8 or 10 then you are f'd.