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General Discussion and News => Technology Troubles => Topic started by: Old Bill on August 07, 2012, 09:07:21 PM

Title: Laptop Crash
Post by: Old Bill on August 07, 2012, 09:07:21 PM
Yes, it happened...my beloved laptop crashed a couple months ago.  The Geek Squad (and others) said it was the motherboard (about $300 to fix).  Since it was already 4 years old, I pulled the hard drive and shelved it.

Thence I came upon a website that described the exact symptoms my beloved had before it pooped the bed.  It sounded like the video chip had over heated and this was a specialty fix of theirs.  So I took the chance and sent it to them and within just a couple days they reported back that it was indeed the video chip and they had fixed it and added a heat sink to it to help prevent future over heating.

So while the Geek Squad was ready to replace the entire motherboard, this company just replaced the video chip on the motherboard...all for $79.  In case anyone has this same problem (which I am told is a very common problem with HP Laptops) you might want to contact these guys before throwing away a potentially good laptop.

www.notebooktek.com   585-245-0055

They even do upgrades and other repairs.

Just thought I would pass this along.  It is so hard to find competent computer guys.  For what it's worth I am posting this from my beloved as we speak ...er, write.

Old Bill

Title: Re: Laptop Crash
Post by: linda on August 09, 2012, 06:49:37 AM
Thanks Old Bill.  I have a problem giving up my laptop once I've grown attached to it.  Unfortunately, my geek squad usually guotes a price that is just $5 below what it would cost to buy a new computer.  Can these guys fix other problems?

I was so attached to my ACER netbook because it had the 'bells and whistles' that I needed, was easy to type on, and wasn't as heavy and bulky as that silly 17" laptop that I thought would solve all my problems.

Within one month of the one year warranty expiring, my baby bit the dust.  I took it to the geek squad and they wouldn't even consider repairing it, said it would be cheaper to buy a new one.  And the manufacturer, who had admitted that this was a problem with the ACERS, wouldn't fix it. 

I gave up - I get tired of beating my head into the wall.  I bought a $99 dollar netbook that is also listed as an ACER.  The keyboard on this one is a bear, nothing is on this computer that I need, and the da** thing won't die.

I don't care if you call it paranoia, these machines ARE taking over our lives.

Linda
Title: Re: Laptop Crash
Post by: Old Bill on August 20, 2012, 10:29:12 PM
Hey Linda,

Sorry it took so long to respond but I've been offline for a while.  Yes, they do resolve attempt to resolve other problems.  Best to give them a call and see if your baby's symptoms are something they can handle.

I was impressed with their customer service (besides they are located very near my old stomping grounds when I was a deputy, so I figured I could find some people that could intervene if they turned out to be a**holes).

Old Bill
Title: Re: Laptop Crash
Post by: Lynette on August 25, 2012, 02:17:49 AM
I'm keeping the number you gave out, Old Bill because I've made a date with my grandson to go with me to buy a laptop tomorrow. At 16 he knows more about them than I do.  My desktop is 12 years old and getting slower by the minute so I'm ready to plunge into the world of laptops. I plan to keep my desktop, though. It has served me well. I've  sold some of the books that were created on it. As for the laptop, if it decides to go, it will probably be just after the year. That's what happened to the printer I bought last year. Thank goodness, they're not as expensive as a computer.

Lynette
Title: Re: Laptop Crash
Post by: Old Bill on August 26, 2012, 11:54:11 AM
When I thought the laptop was dead, I looked at buying another and the genius at Best Buy said, "Ya know, you can only count on laptops for 2 years now."  What kind of junk are they selling these days.  That's why I was glad to be able to save my baby even though it is going on five years now. In the meantime I purchased an HP Touchsmart 520 desktop (all-in-one computer) and love it so far.

Yeah, my grandsons are computer wizards compared to me.

Happy laptop hunting.

Old Bill

PS:  I still have a working old HP laptop that I bought in 1996. It ran win98 (until I installed XP this year which, unfortunately, slowed it down considerably).
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