Recently, my Compaq Presario 2800T display lost half the pixels. That is, every other column went to mid-grey. This happened as I was opening the lid. I suspected the cable, so I opened it up (warrantee was already expired so I had no fear). It appears the cable has some scorching and I suspect a short.
The part # for the cable (285264-001) is the same as the display, but I’d like to try to replace the cable before buying a replacement display (selling on ebay for abour $400). Anyone know of a place that might sell the cable without the LCD? After some searching I did find some cables online, but not the one I need. Ideally, I’d be able to find someone who cracked his display but still has the cable.
What about laptop repair in general? I’ve found a few web sites that seem to cater to this need, but now that laptops are becoming more and more a replacement for desktops, are there companies (especially manufacturers) catering to this need?
No, there aren’t. Laptop computers are considered luxury devices, they have never been priced new much below the $1000 mark (even though now you can buy new desktop PC’s for $400). They change form-factors and physical standards frequently (sometimes from model to model of the same maker) and if the manufacturer will not do repairs or sell parts you either must find another computer with a working part to cannibalize, or trash it. The value of a three-year old laptop is 20% of its purchase price; the value of a 5-year old laptop (even fully working!) is considered to be nothing, because if it breaks it is (for practical purposes) unrepairable.
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I am going to directly contradict all of DougC’s conclusions.
I buy and sell laptops on eBay. I fix laptops. I go to shops where used laptops are fixed and sold.
Laptops hold onto their value extremely well. Good grief, I sold a Pentium 100 for over $100 a couple months ago on eBay. Hardly worth “nothing”.
Here is an approx. 5 year old laptop that recently sold for $350, cost $2300 new.
Repairing of laptops is the only really profitable area of PC repair. There are literally dozens of stores that do laptop repair as part of their business in just one area of my city. Use the phone book, or even better, your local computer ad monthly.
If I were still living in San Jose, I’d look around, but I’m in Chico, CA, population <100,000. Our best (using the term loosely) computer store is Best Buy. I miss Fry’s horribly–at least they had selection. I looked through the phone book and nothing looks promising (none of their ads mention laptops). My laptop is the first computer in roughly 6 years that I didn’t build myself, and I could do the work if I could just get the parts.
Most of the places around here that do laptop repair (for a reasonable price) don’t list themselves as such. (Ads cost money.) They’re just listed under retail computer stores. Just go in and ask. They either can or will point out who can. (The best places are not located in malls and such. Industrial parks are great locations for such stores. If they have used laptops for sell, they probably know what to do.)
The last time I was in Chico, The World’s Largest Oak Tree was still standing. So my knowledge of the town is a wee bit out of date.
