Computer Repair Recommendation Needed

[KJWS]

Had a little mishap yesterday morning when a friend spilled coffee that found its way across the table to my laptop. Now it is shorting out or something and won’t boot. Looking for a West Seattle repair person who is fast, affordable, reliable and honest. Anyone got a recommendation?

As I understand it, Quid Nunc changed hands a year ago. Don’t know if anyone has experience with them since that happened. I don’t.

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[mblogsdon]

I’m tellin you Rob Shiras is the BEST! His business is PC Mobile Help. Call (206) 686-8682

http://www.PCMobileHelp.com. You’ll be glad you did!

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[Ken]

I fix laptops.

But liquid spills can often make a laptop a total loss.

If it ever happens to anyone else, pull the power and remove the battery. Then contact someone who can disassemble, clean and dry the components before powering it on again.

Also check the warranty. I had a guy bring in a 5 year old dell with visible liquid in the LCD screen. Checking the warranty I discovered his father had paid for the maximum no fault warranty and Dell replaced it with a 2 year old model.

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[homedk]

Before taking it to be repaired, try letting it thoroughly dry out.

We thought our laptop was ruined after a cup of water spilled on it recently. It also wouldn’t boot up (& was making “screaming” sounds when we tried, perhaps because it had shorted out).

Thankfully, it resumed working after it dried out!

First, we tried to dry it out manually as much as possible; we even found water in the battery compartment. We then set it near a heat register, with the keyboard facing down, for 3-4 days. After that, it booted up normally & all of our data was fine.

Good luck to you!

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[Ken]

Note water will dry just fine. Liquids containing sugar can leave a residue that can still cause shorts and even fire in a few locations.

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[genehsu]

I had a mishap a few years ago that involved a laptop, a cup of coffee, and a toddler. I immediately unplugged the laptop and took out the battery and let the coffee drain out of the laptop. After about two weeks where the laptop was sitting upside-down. I was curious if the laptop still worked, so I powered it on. I replaced the hard drive (a few bad blocks were found) and keyboard (a couple keys were sticky and one or two were malfunctioning), but everything else about the laptop still worked.

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[mike0323]

I used to fix computers and I second what Ken said.

Was the computer on while the water was spilled on it? Or did you turn it on in its wet state?

IF so its highly unlikely that you’ll be able to fix the computer without replacing a circuit board that is very expensive compared to the value of the laptop(what ken said).

It is possible you can find this part on ebay for “slightly” cheaper but ebay people like to bid stuff too high so its probably not worth it.

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[MargL]

Speaking of computer repair – anyone brave enough to take their computer to the odd little shop at 35th and Roxbury (across the street from Payday Loans)? They occasionally have a piece of plywood out front with what looked like glittery Christmas swag tacked to it to spell “Computer Repair”.

This is next to the tables of random electronics/old speakers/turn tables and stuff that’s usually out front… If your laptop doesn’t work anymore these guys might buy it from you for resale ;-)

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[Arbor Heights Guy]

Just had my computer tower repaired by West Seattle Computers ( Where Quidnunc used to be). It went dead after I tried to upgrade some drivers. They called back next day saying my computer was infected, as were the drivers, and whatever security I had was no good (Macaffee and Spycatcher) They sold me Kaspersky Anti-Virus, which doesnt advertise so you dont hear of it much, but it’s all they’ve used for years. The repair took 6 days with poor communication, unless I called them. Walked in there today ready to do battle, but they were very nice and explained the problem and the fix. I ask to see it and he took me back to their repair room where a tech was just then finishing up working on my computer, and he got it ready while I was there and I took it home where it now works better than before, they added memory too. Diagostics, the Virus software, Network adapter, and 2.5 hrs labor was as much as a new cheaper computer would be, but all in all, I’m glad to have mine running well again. I have to say, I was pleasently surprised and would use them again.

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[Arbor Heights Guy]

I spoke too soon, after repair in previous post, it worked fine for a day then again, would’nt get on the net. Took it back to WS Computers. It was ready the next day with no charge. Problem was a dead terminal on the back of the computer I was using which wouldnt make the online connection. They suggested I use another un-used terminal which I did and it now works fine.

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[Ken]

ummm What’s a “terminal”

I have a couple of dozen working computers and none of them have a “terminal”

To get online, your choices are ethernet, modem, ethernet over usb, wireless ethernet, ethernet over parrallel, ethernet over firewire, several of the above via pc-card and IRDA.

The only port that most computers have more than one of is usb.

I do have a “terminal” but it is a DEC Vt-320 that hooks to a modem via serial port.

http://dec.vecmar.com/products/productpage.asp?pid=3610

A dead laptop usb port can be an indicator of failing solder or delamination on the mainboard.

Several Compaq and HP models have a usb/power board that fails due to reconnect stress on the power cord.

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[alicekuder]

I don’t know about the spill issue, but for general laptop repairs I highly recommend Bob Privett, 206-372-9765. He’s mobile, very accommodating, very knowledgeable and reasonably priced. I’ve recommended him to several colleagues and they have all been very pleased.

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