i couldnt find a thread or post on this…but my laptops acting weird as hell and wanna get it checked out…where do u guys suggest?
Usually friends.
What exactly is wrong with it? Usually the internet is the best place.
it was weird i dropped my itouch on it and it immediatly went to blue screen of death…but i have a feeling that was pure coincidence. it had been on the rug all nite and im wondering if it somehow overheated but at the moment, i start it up and it basically works for about 5 min, my mom thought it might be sumtin wit my external drive…i unhooked it, still wont work. it keeps giving me errors.
does the geek squad at best buy do this type of thing?
best buy imo
you can get accidental damage insurance for most electronics
so like if you drop ur laptop and it breaks, they’ll fix it. if they cant, they replace it
kinda pricey but hey
Well, insurance is useless at this moment since it’s already broken.
To start, I used to do professional PC repair (almost 5 years of experience)…
I now work IT in the private sector
I would suggest you find a reputable local shop to have to system diagnosed at. - Ask around and find out who has the best reputation in town. Yelp.com is a good resource for that
I would NOT suggest you find a friend that “knows about computers” - My experience is they do not know enough to properly diagnose and repair computers (especially laptops) and they can not guarantee their work
I would also NOT suggest any big box store. - Again, in my experience they tend to hire young works who have little to no experience.
These are just my opinions, if they differ from yours that’s OK
Hey Maxx. I currently work for a university repairing computers (mostly laptops) so hopefully I can help.
Firstly, do not go to Best Buy or Tiger Direct to get this fixed. They know next to nothing about real computer repair and work more with templates and checklists for diagnosis.
Firstly, if your computer is overheating, the most common signs of this is that it will work fine for anywhere from a few minutes to an hour before instantly shutting down. Not logging off, but going straight to black screen, no power. This is the motherboard saving itself when its temperature limit has been reached. If this sounds right, a few ways you can check to make sure it is indeed overheating is to see if the fan is spinning. On most laptops, this is in the back left corner, on the left side, back side or underneath. There will be a vent there. Turn the computer on and listen for any spinning and try to see if there is any air movement. If you are sure that the fan is NOT spinning, this will certainly cause an overheating issue and is likely a broken fan/controller. This is rarely user-serviceable except for extremely technically inclined users who can find the replacement parts.
From what you said about dropping your iPod on it, it makes me think you damaged your hard drive. The hard disk is located (usually, definitely for Lenovos, and most Dells, HPs, etc) at the bottom/front right side. Just to the right of the touchpad. If you drop something on this area while the computer is on and the disk is spinning, it can easily cause hard drive errors. If you computer loads and runs very slowly, if it randomly blue screens, or if it gives any errors about not being able to find the disk on load, this is the likely cause. Also, if it makes any weird clicking, grinding or other noises, this is likely a broken disc.
If none of this makes sense, or sounds likely, could you give us more information about the problems it has? Especially what it is doing now, when it is doing it and any weird sounds.
i let the laptop sit overnite…it wouldn’t let me load up again and froze up…but its working through safe mode. so i’m guessing not overheating up sumtin else…not sure yet.
i dropped the itouch on the comp on the left side near the caps lock area…its a dell latitude d610.
Agreed. I’m also in IT and am the “computer guy” as far as all of my friends are concerned. That being said, I don’t bother with laptops. Take it to an actual computer shop rather than Best Buy. Best Buy is just going to guess at what’s wrong with it and charge you way more than you expected to pay.
I have a problem with my laptop as well and hopefully someone can answer it. The problem is that my laptop will not charge anymore. it works when plugged in but as soon as its unplugged it shuts off. does any1 know why this is
best buy will diagnose it for a fee then rape you in the end but atleast you will know whats wrong…
Your battery is dead.
Sadly, I bought a Dell recently and apparently the life expectancy on the battery is just over 1 year now. Dell tells you to buy a new battery since battery life can “start to decline” after a year, but all the reviews on the batteries have said that the battery life is nonexistant after a year.
nope thats not it i replaced the battery about 4 times while it was under warranty with bestbuy
how old is it…it might be one of the batterys dell recalled i wanna say last year or the year before. is it a latitude?
dell inspiron 1525
Take it to a computer technician.
thats what im asking about…i dunno who counts as one. the guy listed in the yellow book or is their someone more official im supposed to go to. this is more just incase my laptop warranty through school is up cuz im on suspension so im iffy if i can take it to them at the moment. so im just making sure.
On my toshiba laptop, I called toshiba customer service if they could refer me to a local authorized repair place since it was just out of warranty. The place they sent me to was expensive but they got my PC up and running again.
I suggest you do the same.