Dropped my HP laptop, DVD player busted.

December 17, 2005 9:27 AM

Laptop repair filter: I dropped my laptop (HP Compaq nc8000, warranty expired) and now my DVD player doesn't work. As this is my first laptop I know nothing about laptop repair.

I bought the computer in Thailand where I live but I'm in Orlando, Florida for a few months and would like to get it fixed here. My questions: Is it possible the DVD player is "out of alignment" or something that I can just tweak myself? (Tried the hardware reinstall via the control panel with no luck.) Can I just order a new DVD player and install it myself? I can do fairly basic desktop repairs (swapping harddrives, installing devices) but I've never opened up a laptop before. If this isn't recommended, where I should I take it to be fixed? Is an HP shop my best bet or can I just bring it to any local repair shop? Or should I ship it off to HP myself? And finally, how much would I be looking at spending for the labor? Thanks!

posted by soiled cowboy to computers & internet (8 comments total)

Look around on the bottom of the laptop for a screw with, hopefully, a little CD icon next to it. There might be more than one. Items like the harddrive, CD-ROM, memory, and miniPCI cards are generally (definitely not always), pretty easy to add and remove by simply sliding them out. They are held in with a handful of screws, though.
posted by odinsdream at 9:41 AM on December 17, 2005

just take a close look at it and open it step by step, take notes where every screw belongs and take photos of every step if you take it apart

you might have to order a new dvd-rom or burner from hp/compaq cos they might use custom bezels on their drives (and it'll be quite expensive)
posted by suni at 10:51 AM on December 17, 2005

Cheapest option is to buy a USB DVD drive?
posted by A189Nut at 11:31 AM on December 17, 2005

If you decide you need to get it repaired, let me offer you the benefit of my recent experiences with a blown zd7000.

DON'T TAKE IT TO STAPLES. This is what the HP helpline recommended to me and it was the worst mistake of my life. And I'm including my failed marriage in that claim. I had eight weeks of being given every conceivable runaround and delay imaginable (and quite a few I couldn't have imagined), not to mention the most surreally bad experiences of "customer service" I have ever encountered anywhere in the world.

After I finally got it back the unit failed again with exactly the same error, 2 days later. I sent it direct to HP. They took just over a week to fix it and - as mine was out of warranty too - it cost a pretty penny. I'd say if you can sort this out yourself or get a tech-savvy friend to do so, definitely go that route. HP support is awful.
posted by Decani at 11:44 AM on December 17, 2005

It may have just shaken the ribbon cable that connects the DVD to the logic board off, so first step is to take it apart and reconnect anything that's come undone.

If the DVD drive needs replacing, chances are you can just order a new one from newegg (maybe even upgrade to a DVD burner like one of these). At worst, you'll have to file down the bezel a tiny bit, but 99% of the time, they'll fit perfectly.
posted by boaz at 4:06 PM on December 17, 2005

I should say 90% of the time with <3 year old laptops.
posted by boaz at 4:06 PM on December 17, 2005

Just buy a new DVD drive, get yourself a screw driver, and you're all set.
posted by creeront at 12:04 AM on December 18, 2005

Thanks, everyone, for the helpful advice. I'll take a shot at replacing it myself, screwdriver in one hand and fingers crossed in the other.
posted by soiled cowboy at 3:24 PM on December 19, 2005