I’m quite sure I need a new power jack on my laptop. It’s a $3 part (I guess the guys who charge $100 to do it have a little markup). Can I replace this myself, or could I really screw up the motherboard/anything else?
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Is your laptop still under warranty?
by “power jack” do you mean the thing that is connected to the motherboard or the thing that connects to that thing?
There are really only 2 ways to screw up a computers insides permanently:
1) Cause static electricity to shock your components. Don’t do this. Make sure you are touching metal things to eliminate static and don’t stand on carpet with socks on while working on your computer.
2) Do something to the computer that you couldn’t reverse yourself.
If the “power jack” is connected to your motherboard then it is possible that it would require soldering to get a new one on.
Let me know what type of laptop you have (model too) and I can see if I can find instructions for you.
Compaq Presario 2100 (about 5 years old). I haven’t opened it up, so I don’t know what is between the female “power jack”, as I call it, and the mother board. I’m talking about the receptacle for the power cord to attach to the computer that can be seen from the outside.
http://www.megaemarket.com/dcpojaforcop12.html
when i replaced the harddisk in rachel’s laptop, i remember seeing instructions on installation of a new “power jack”. I think I actually had to disconnect it to got the thing apart.
The question is - is the jack just really loose? Won’t hold the cord? Or you just can’t charge it?
$3 dollar part plus a couple hours of work could easily warrant $100.
It appears that it would require soldering the new jack on.
http://www.mediacollege.com/misc/solder/
I have a feeling that you could learn to do it yourself Drew. I mean, if the laptop is unusable without it then it might be worth trying to replace yourself and if you can’t then send it in somewhere.
Although, depending on what you use this laptop for…maybe you should just buy a new one.
Look into “netbooks”…they are small laptops for $300 or less that are perfect for browsing the web, writing documents and carrying with you. If you don’t need it to watch movies or do really heavy processor intensive tasks…they are great.
Examples:
MSI Wind - http://gizmodo.com/5075924/dealzmodo-msi-wind-now-350-at-best-buy
Acer Aspire One - http://gizmodo.com/5078313/dealzmodo-acer-aspire-one-priced-at-350-too
Then there is the Asus Eee pc which started the whole “netbook” market:
http://eeepc.asus.com/global/
Of course…you made this post to save money…not spend it. So I’ll shut up.
I would suggest getting elves to fix it for you. Shoe elves. Their small size and remarkable intelligence make them perfect for fixing computers.
The local computer repair shop said it would be $400, and even then, they weren’t sure they could get the part.
Uhhh… no.
Success! I spent about 2 hours on it (it would have been less if I had known what I was doing). I was hoping I could pop the top and switch it, but it turned out that I had to take every single thing I could off the computer to flip the mother board over and replace it.
The housing on the old one was cracked and a piece of it was halfway out of the back. The contacts were shorted, too. After 2 minutes of wiggling and soldering, it was back in action.
Bonus: I have 6 extra screws now!
Super excited!!! You are the ultimate manly man!!!!
I miss you and yours. (That means you and your family) I hope all is well.
nice work. extra parts are the best.