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Was I charged too much for laptop repair?

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  • 25-03-2015 6:07pm
    #1
    annejohn91
    Closed Accounts Posts: 107 ✭✭


    I sent in my laptop to a PC/laptop repair shop 2 weeks ago as my laptop kept freezing and the wifi wouldn't work at times. I got a call yesterday to say it was ready, the guy explained that there was water inside the laptop and that is what was affecting my laptop.

    He said he had to clean it up. I am glad it is fixed but overall he charged me 95 euro. Would that be correct? They did spend 2 weeks running tests and then they finally opened it. Nothing had to be replaced but would that be the going rate for the repair? Thanks


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    #2
    Ghost Train
    Registered Users Posts: 30,027 ✭✭✭✭Ghost Train


    I suppose if somebody had to spend 2 or 3 hours troubleshooting problem they'd want to be charging that sort of price.


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    #3
    Alanstrainor
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 23,157 Mod ✭✭✭✭Alanstrainor


    Yeah 95 is fine. Whether or not it'll be fixed is the bigger question however!


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    #4
    annejohn91
    Closed Accounts Posts: 107 ✭✭annejohn91


    I am so glad that they fixed it because I went to 2 places already and they couldn't find what the problem was. I just wanted to know because a few friends of mine said I shouldn't have been charged that much but I assume the repair guy did spend a number of hours trying to diagnose the problem


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    #5
    annejohn91
    Closed Accounts Posts: 107 ✭✭annejohn91


    Alanstrainor wrote: »
    Whether or not it'll be fixed is the bigger question however!

    so far so good. I would slightly move the laptop and it would freeze before getting it fixed. It has been a few hours now and its working perfectly :)


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    #6
    dmc17
    Registered Users Posts: 3,726 ✭✭✭dmc17


    annejohn91 wrote: »
    I sent in my laptop to a PC/laptop repair shop 2 weeks ago as my laptop kept freezing and the wifi wouldn't work at times. I got a call yesterday to say it was ready, the guy explained that there was water inside the laptop and that is what was affecting my laptop.

    I didn't think it would freeze in this weather....:D


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    #7
    coylemj
    Registered Users Posts: 25,331 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    annejohn91 wrote: »
    I am so glad that they fixed it because I went to 2 places already and they couldn't find what the problem was. I just wanted to know because a few friends of mine said I shouldn't have been charged that much but I assume the repair guy did spend a number of hours trying to diagnose the problem

    How much did your friends say would be a fair price for several hours technical work?


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    #8
    Alanstrainor
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 23,157 Mod ✭✭✭✭Alanstrainor


    95 is very reasonable, and it seems that they managed to find the root cause and rectify the issue. They could have charged more imo.

    Your not just paying for the time directly on your machine, you pay for the years of experience and technical no how of the engineer.


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    #9
    ObeyTheSuit
    Registered Users Posts: 57 ✭✭ObeyTheSuit


    I'm REALLY surprised it's working after finding water in it.

    Usually that foobars the machine completely.


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    #10
    jayo26
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,779 ✭✭✭✭jayo26


    annejohn91 wrote: »
    I am so glad that they fixed it because I went to 2 places already and they couldn't find what the problem was. I just wanted to know because a few friends of mine said I shouldn't have been charged that much but I assume the repair guy did spend a number of hours trying to diagnose the problem

    the problem is that mates think they can do better or know better but the fact is that you brought it to two other places that couldn't fix it and the last place the man could so obviously he knew his stuff and had a better knowledge and this is what you pay for the only other option is to keep bringing it to cowboys and it ends up left in a corner somewhere thinking it cant be fixed.


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    #11
    mass_debater
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,072 ✭✭✭mass_debater


    95 is about right if they opened and reassembled a laptop


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    #12
    SMJSF
    Registered Users Posts: 600 ✭✭✭SMJSF


    Yes I paid the same price when I dropped a cup of tea into my laptop. I jumped when I seen a spider and the mug fell right onto the open laptop.
    and got the back 2 days later! :)


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    #13
    Skerries
    Registered Users Posts: 12,304 ✭✭✭✭Skerries


    SMJSF wrote: »
    Yes I paid the same price when I dropped a cup of tea into my laptop. I jumped when I seen a spider and the mug fell right onto the open laptop.
    and got the back 2 days later! :)

    was it on the web?
    Untitled Image




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    #14
    annejohn91
    Closed Accounts Posts: 107 ✭✭annejohn91


    thank you all for the feedback. I know nothing about technology so just wanted reassurance. Laptop is still running smoothly.


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    #15
    Overheal
    Registered Users Posts: 81,647 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    Alanstrainor wrote: »
    Your not just paying for the time directly on your machine, you pay for the years of experience and technical no how of the engineer.

    Not to mention the use of a licensed business, subject to laws of commerce - like warranties of service. Try explaining to people 10 times a day why it's not in their best interest to pay their nephew to wall mount their television and well you know why I quit retail now.


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    #16
    annejohn91
    Closed Accounts Posts: 107 ✭✭annejohn91


    gutted the laptop is broke again. Well the internet wont work as the f12 button remains red and cannot find any networks. Looks like I have to bring the laptop back to be fixed :(


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    #17
    jayo26
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,779 ✭✭✭✭jayo26


    annejohn91 wrote: »
    gutted the laptop is broke again. Well the internet wont work as the f12 button remains red and cannot find any networks. Looks like I have to bring the laptop back to be fixed :(

    What model laptop is it.


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    #18
    annejohn91
    Closed Accounts Posts: 107 ✭✭annejohn91


    HP Pavilion .. less than 2 years old. Freezing just occurred there again so its a waste of my money as it is not fixed at all. It is strange that it was working perfectly for a few days and then just now it isn't :( I should just buy a new one.


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    #19
    jayo26
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,779 ✭✭✭✭jayo26


    annejohn91 wrote: »
    HP Pavilion .. less than 2 years old. Freezing just occurred there again so its a waste of my money as it is not fixed at all. It is strange that it was working perfectly for a few days and then just now it isn't :( I should just buy a new one.

    Try bringing it back for him to look at again just don't pay anymore for it. Was it running perfect before you damaged it? Would it be possible that their is a lot of virus or bloat ware making it freeze?


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    #20
    TallGlass
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,935 ✭✭✭TallGlass


    What type of load is the CPU under?

    My best advise. Wipe the machine with a new install of windows and troubleshoot from there.

    Can't imagine it would be functioning at all if there was water in it. Sure it would rust the board even after a week or so


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    #21
    Grayson
    Registered Users Posts: 16,126 ✭✭✭✭Grayson


    annejohn91 wrote: »
    HP Pavilion .. less than 2 years old. Freezing just occurred there again so its a waste of my money as it is not fixed at all. It is strange that it was working perfectly for a few days and then just now it isn't :( I should just buy a new one.

    When I read your op I thought it was a bit weird. Its damn hardf to repair water damage. Generally it needs a hardware replacement. Otherwise your talking about either soldering or just drwig it out.

    I'm on a tablet with a dodgy keyboard. So its annoying to type. But google safe mode. Run the laptop in safe mode for a while. See if it works. If it works its a problem with windows. That means its almost certainly not water damage. If it crashes in safe mode then IIT could be water or it could be hardware.

    Good news is that its easy (and cheap) to fix a problem with windows


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    #22
    annejohn91
    Closed Accounts Posts: 107 ✭✭annejohn91


    TallGlass wrote: »
    What type of load is the CPU under?

    My best advise. Wipe the machine with a new install of windows and troubleshoot from there.

    Can't imagine it would be functioning at all if there was water in it. Sure it would rust the board even after a week or so

    I wiped it before I sent it in for repair and installed windows again. It made no difference unfortunately.


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    #23
    annejohn91
    Closed Accounts Posts: 107 ✭✭annejohn91


    Grayson wrote: »
    When I read your op I thought it was a bit weird. Its damn hardf to repair water damage. Generally it needs a hardware replacement. Otherwise your talking about either soldering or just drwig it out.

    I'm on a tablet with a dodgy keyboard. So its annoying to type. But google safe mode. Run the laptop in safe mode for a while. See if it works. If it works its a problem with windows. That means its almost certainly not water damage. If it crashes in safe mode then IIT could be water or it could be hardware.

    Good news is that its easy (and cheap) to fix a problem with windows

    Tried that And it didn't work in safe mode, thanks though. If the repair guy can't find the problem I am assuming I lost the 95 euro even though its still broke :( or am I entitled to a refund?


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    #24
    Sherfin
    Registered Users Posts: 203 ✭✭Sherfin


    If you press the F12 key (Flight mode) does the light go off ?
    What OS are you using ?


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    #25
    annejohn91
    Closed Accounts Posts: 107 ✭✭annejohn91


    Sherfin wrote: »
    If you press the F12 key (Flight mode) does the light go off ?
    What OS are you using ?

    No it stays on I am using windows 8


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    #26
    Riesen_Meal
    Registered Users Posts: 10,575 ✭✭✭✭Riesen_Meal


    annejohn91 wrote: »
    Tried that And it didn't work in safe mode, thanks though. If the repair guy can't find the problem I am assuming I lost the 95 euro even though its still broke :( or am I entitled to a refund?

    Doubt it tbh,

    Did he take photos of the liquid ingress for you?

    Be nice to see if its all over the board, or even got in there in the first place - if it's intermittently freezing I would personally think its the hard drive, that's usually what happens before they eventually give up the ghost...

    Yes, I know you reinstalled windows recently but that could well be possible to do even with the HD on its way out....

    At this stage new basic laptops for surfing etc can be got for 250 quid, obviously you can pay more for better specs but for the price you have spent so far you may better invest elsewhere....


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    #27
    Sherfin
    Registered Users Posts: 203 ✭✭Sherfin


    If you go to the search function and type 'flight mode' can you switch it off from there ?


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    #28
    jayo26
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,779 ✭✭✭✭jayo26


    Fieldog wrote: »
    Doubt it tbh,

    Did he take photos of the liquid ingress for you?

    Be nice to see if its all over the board, or even got in there in the first place - if it's intermittently freezing I would personally think its the hard drive, that's usually what happens before they eventually give up the ghost...

    Yes, I know you reinstalled windows recently but that could well be possible to do even with the HD on its way out....

    At this stage new basic laptops for surfing etc can be got for 250 quid, obviously you can pay more for better specs but for the price you have spent so far you may better invest elsewhere....

    Good advice but beware when getting rid of your old laptop that its still worth money, the screen alone isnworth 50quid second hand.


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    #29
    annejohn91
    Closed Accounts Posts: 107 ✭✭annejohn91


    Sherfin wrote: »
    If you go to the search function and type 'flight mode' can you switch it off from there ?

    no it doesn't work :(


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    #30
    annejohn91
    Closed Accounts Posts: 107 ✭✭annejohn91


    jayo26 wrote: »
    Good advice but beware when getting rid of your old laptop that its still worth money, the screen alone isnworth 50quid second hand.

    it appears to be my only option but paid 550 for this laptop and its only 18 months old. Its weird that it worked great for 4 or 5 days and then all of a sudden both problems arose again today.

    the strange thing is I never let water spill into it not that I am aware of so when he told me that there was a lot of water found I was quite surprised (I am not lying but I just wish he explained to me exactly what he done to 'fix' the laptop)


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    #31
    Sherfin
    Registered Users Posts: 203 ✭✭Sherfin


    I'd bring it back in to the guy who fixed it initially. It may be something simple that we can't see here, but he might see straight off. Ask him for more details on the 'water' as it does sound very strange as others have said. Hopefully, if a quick fix, it'll save you a few quid rather than buying a new one


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