OT Gateway Laptop

[Will Sill]

Old poem (author unknown):

For want of a nail
the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe
the horse was lost.
For want of a horse
the rider was lost.
For want of a rider
the battle was lost.
For want of a battle
the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want
of a horseshoe nail.

Our daughter's nearly new (10 months out of warranty) Gateway laptop
suffered a minor but fatal injury when the dc power cord caught on
something and broke the 10-cent connector inside the case. Local
'experts' can't/won't open the case, and Gateway "service" refuses to
even look at it, suggesting it's a throwaway.

It appears possible to cut a hole in the bottom of the case to cludge
a power connection, but I'm sure she'd rather have a competent repair
done. Any advice - other than never NEVER again buy a Gateway
product?

TIA

Will Sill

 

[Art]

Very dependent on who actually made the item for Gateway. Some components,
such as power connectors, are available to servicers who are adept at
searching for these items and willing to actually do the repairs at an
economical rate. It will require removal of probably the motherboard, at
least the power conditioning section. Have a very similar problem with a
Compaq a few years ago, component cost was $2.50 US, with minimum order and
shipping, $34.95 US, Then the actual repair, requiring complete disassembly,
removal of the motherboard, and soldering the new power jack to the original
motherboard. Then reassembling and testing to assure complete operational
functions. Not a job for the un-informed nor un-trained!
There may be an FCC identifier number on the bottom or back of the item
which, via the web, may indicate original manufacturer. The rest may just be
a matter of finding a local servicer who is willing to actually do the work.
?? Do you have a photo of the power connector at the end of the adaptor and
physical port it goes into on the laptop ?? That may at least give some
clue as to the original source.

 

[Will Sill]

?? Do you have a photo of the power connector at the end of the adaptor and
physical port it goes into on the laptop ?? That may at least give some
clue as to the original source.

Thanks but no --- no photo though I could easily make one. The
connector itself is virtually a no-brainer - the problem is that
nobody locally (including ole Ham Hands hisself) can separate the case
enough to see what's actually broken. The center pin (it's a simple
coaxial receptacle) has broken loose. As you state, this is
:Not a job for the un-informed nor un-trained!

I feel sure the repair itself is trivial - it's knowing how to open up
the case without smashing something irreplacable.

BTW the best possible answer would be the name of a competent repair
person with relevant experience near Scranton PA.

Thanx for trying to help!

Will Sill KD3XR

 

[Art]

42 Will, maybe I'll catch you on the air some day, QSL extremely low power.
QDQ