Fixing Laptop- is this price right?

Lobby

Hello all!
I have a quick question someone may be able to help me with

Last weekend I had a little accident with my laptop and the screen broke!
The laptop is a Lenovo and is 1 year and 4 months old- fantastic computer usually!

I brought it back to the shop where I bought it ( independent local computer shop ) and they had a look at it. They found that the harddrive was also damaged and gave me the following costs for fixing it:

New screen: €130
New Harddrive: €70
Transfering data on old harddrive to new one: €40

Total cost: €250

It's cheaper than getting a new computer seeing as I paid €600 for the computer when I got it. I am a teacher and use my laptop to power the interactive whiteboard in my class so need a good one!

Are these prices reasonable? Would love some advice if anyone can help

Thanks!!



(On another note this post feels an awful lot like the old mastercard ad's except nothing was priceless!! )

chin_grin

The issue with the hard drive seems a little dodge to me.

I'd say just get the screen fixed then when you're collecting it get them to power it up and check while you're there that windows (or whatever operating system you have) loads up ok.

Most screens for laptops can be had for around 50-60euro depending on the laptop. I would ask them where they are sourcing it for that price.

Also the hard drive thing sounds dodgy.

Lobby

Thank you for the replys!

I think they are right about the harddrive, the computer was acting up a bit before the screen broke. For example if playing a movie off my external harddrive the laptop shut itself off twice in the week before the accident.

I thought this may have been the external harddrive however it does not cause this issue when I plug it into other laptops/PCs.

I'm just very confused really, and do not want to be 'done' by the shop, as I heard today (after dropping it into them) that the guy running it may be a bit of a conjob, so wanted to check prices!

Anyway thank you both for your advice, really appreciate it!

yoyo

Ask for a diagnostics report in relation to the hard disk issue, how they reached the conclusion it needs replacing. Tbh 130 for a new screen isn't too bad, I've seen most 15.4" screens go for around €80-€90 on ebay, and then theres the fitting of it, its not cheap but not a massive rip off, do query the hard drive bit though

Nick

Lobby

yoyo wrote: »

Ask for a diagnostics report in relation to the hard disk issue, how they reached the conclusion it needs replacing. Tbh 130 for a new screen isn't too bad, I've seen most 15.4" screens go for around €80-€90 on ebay, and then theres the fitting of it, its not cheap but not a massive rip off, do query the hard drive bit though

Nick

Thanks Nick! Will do!!

ShooterSF

Lobby wrote: »

New screen: €130
New Harddrive: €70
Transfering data on old harddrive to new one: €40

Total cost: €250



Are these prices reasonable? Would love some advice if anyone can help

They seem alright but if it's that esy to transfer files (40 quid) Id wonder how "damaged" the original is.

Also someone carried an extra one, 130+70+40 = 240

Lobby

They siad they would attempt to transfer files but I will see when I call back into them!

Thanks for the advice! also yes it will be €240- typo error on my part!!

Skerries

they most likely used a built in diagnostic like Dell pcs which you could do yourself to verify if the drive is going to fail
http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/detail.page?LegacyDocID=LENV-DIAGS

yoyo

Skerries wrote: »

they most likely used a built in diagnostic like Dell pcs which you could do yourself to verify if the drive is going to fail
http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/detail.page?LegacyDocID=LENV-DIAGS

It could be gone, its just that myself and others think €40 is pritty cheap for such a job compared to what most repair centres would charge, and its possible the hard disk isn't damaged at all and the shop is using it as an excuse for bumping up the price. I would have thought repair shops would charge at least 100 for OS reinstall and transfer of files!
Also OP, your pc shutting off while watching a movie off the external is likely a power option, like the system goes to sleep after x amount of minutes, these can be changed or turned off in Control Panel>Power Options.

Nick

the_syco

OP: when you collect the laptop, demand the old hard-drive back. Remember: you have paid for the new one, so there's no reason that the shop should keep it.

Also, consider threatening to call the Gardaí for suspected theft/fruad if they don't give you the drive.

BopNiblets

Ask them to do a S.M.A.R.T. report in front of you (most BIOS have this feature) after getting the screen fixed, if it says it's all OK, tell them to flip off!

Lobby

Ha I have a feeling I'm gonna have a few enemies made by the end of this!!! Thanks for the advice!

I will get my old hard drive back off them, I wouldnt have thought about it before but really if they keep it and it really is ok what is to stop them wiping it and putting it into another computer! (The shop also sells second hand comps)

yoyo

BopNiblets wrote: »

Ask them to do a S.M.A.R.T. report in front of you (most BIOS have this feature) after getting the screen fixed, if it says it's all OK, tell them to flip off!

SMART reports mean very little, many drives in my expierience fail while SMART reports alls fine and dandy :P

Nick

AlmightyCushion

Tell them you want to think about. Take it home, remove the covering for the hard drive and take a picture of the serial number. Then bring it back into them. Do the same when you get it back and see if the serial number is different.

unkel

Deleted User wrote: »

Most screens for laptops can be had for around 50-60euro depending on the laptop.

The laptop is just over a year old. Most likely it has a 15.6" WXGA 1366*768 LED panel. No way can you get one of those landed for €50...

€130 all-in is pretty ballpark, in fact it's cheaper than most small outfits would charge in Dublin

yoyo wrote: »

I would have thought repair shops would charge at least 100 for OS reinstall and transfer of files!

If the disk is still working you can simply clone it onto another disk. Doesn't have to be same size / form factor or even connection. Software such as Acronis Trueimage does that while you make a cup of tea (or 3). €40 is a more than handsome fee for that

BTW how does 130 + 70 + 40 add up to 250?

yoyo

unkel wrote: »

If the disk is still working you can simply clone it onto another disk. Doesn't have to be same size / form factor or even connection. Software such as Acronis Trueimage does that while you make a cup of tea (or 3). €40 is a more than handsome fee for that

BTW how does 130 + 70 + 40 add up to 250?

True but if the drive is badly damaged cloning will be more hassle than its worth, having said that it could be €40 that turns in to €140 after due to "technical issues :P"

Nick

unkel

yoyo wrote: »

if the drive is badly damaged cloning will be more hassle than its worth

The OP was working away on his laptop oblivious of any issues, by no means was the drive badly damaged. Or to put it differently, it might be damaged but it was still operational. And believe me, cloning either from a disk with a few issues and / or to a disk with a few issues usually works fine.

The only thing in this thread that surprises me is why the shop didn't show the OP what the issue with the drive was. Either not very well handled by the shop, or indeed dodgy.

unkel

unkel wrote: »

The laptop is just over a year old. Most likely it has a 15.6" WXGA 1366*768 LED panel. No way can you get one of those landed for €50...

I put one these in for my bro, works exactly as the original. 15.6 WXGA 1366*768, of course this one is for a dell though and postage was 6 when i ordered.
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/DELL-INSPIRON-1545-BLACK-LED-15-6-LAPTOP-HD-LCD-SCREEN-/270800637582?pt=UK_Computing_LaptopAccess_RL&hash=item3f0cf9ce8e

yoyo

Deleted User wrote: »

I put one these in for my bro, works exactly as the original. 15.6 WXGA 1366*768, of course this one is for a dell though and postage was 6 when i ordered.
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/DELL-INSPIRON-1545-BLACK-LED-15-6-LAPTOP-HD-LCD-SCREEN-/270800637582?pt=UK_Computing_LaptopAccess_RL&hash=item3f0cf9ce8e

Thats an old machine and also it depends on the machine how much a screen will cost (not all LCD screens are compatible with all laptops), for e.g: I had to replace a M1530 LCD screen recently, think it was around €95.
They have screens on Ebay for this laptop for €100 here, with none cheaper than €80 especially when considering postage for that particular machine.

Nick

unkel

Deleted User wrote: »

I put one these in for my bro, works exactly as the original. 15.6 WXGA 1366*768, of course this one is for a dell though and postage was 6 when i ordered.
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/DELL-INSPIRON-1545-BLACK-LED-15-6-LAPTOP-HD-LCD-SCREEN-/270800637582?pt=UK_Computing_LaptopAccess_RL&hash=item3f0cf9ce8e

Believe you me, I just fitted a similar 15.6 WXGA LED panel on a HP laptop this afternoon from the same crowd (they're near Belfast I think) for a landed price of exactly £0.05 less than that

It's a very good price but in my experience you'd only get that kinda price - and a reasonable shipping time (up to 5 working days) for the panels most commonly used. And that was a bit over €57 landed and that's the cheapest 15.6 WXGA LED I have ever come across. But if anyone knows where to get them for €50 or lower, let me know :pac:

Mikefitzs

Usual labour cost would be €40 to €80 an hour depending on whether it's a guy working from home or a store paying rent, rates insurance etc. and TAX.

The most common 15.6" screen costs approx €60 in Ireland.

At €130 the price was very fair. The only way to buy screens at huge discount is to buy in bulk from somewhere like Alibaba, might get a bundle of 20 for €35 each, but beware you may also have to pay the customs man if he meets them before delivery.

ahnowbrowncow

Mikefitzs wrote: »

Usual labour cost would be €40 to €80 an hour depending on whether it's a guy working from home or a store paying rent, rates insurance etc. and TAX.

The most common 15.6" screen costs approx €60 in Ireland.

At €130 the price was very fair. The only way to buy screens at huge discount is to buy in bulk from somewhere like Alibaba, might get a bundle of 20 for €35 each, but beware you may also have to pay the customs man if he meets them before delivery.

Think they might have got it sorted by now :pac:

Monkeynut

i say he did get it sorted, but i have to reply to this thread.

fact.
if you have dropped your laptop while on and the screen breaks there is a very and i mean very good chance your hdd is gone to.
a hdd being on, can only withstand a certain g force.
so a drop will do this, destroy a hdd.
when the laptop is off the needle on a hdd is in parked mode. s
o it can withstand a greater gforce, but still doesn't mean the hdd is going to be fine.

p.s. lenovo have software drivers for a piece of hardware that detects motion in a laptop, if it feels the laptop is moving it puts the hdd in parked mode to try keep the hdd from getting damaged. so if you dropped ithe laptop in windows the software would have kicked in.
the hdd gone into parked mode and smash into the ground. as i said sometimes if your lucky the hdd doesn't get effected, but most times it does.


double p.s. cloning a hdd can be a bitch if a drive has bad sector's can takes weeks apon weeks.
best thing is to use software like ddrescue recover as much as possible.

e.g. i have a bad 500gb hdd, full of bad sectors, so far since last wed i have nearly 20% recovered.
here's a log: ipos: 90250 MB, errors: 4002, average rate: 252 kB/s