Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with fix

I'm going to bloody well fix this Xbox myself.

Frasermoo — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 18:11:33 -0800

Help me fix my Xbox 360. I'm looking for documentation on a tried and tested fix for the red rings on the 360. Having been through multiple consoles, I've decided to try the X clamp fix myself. Has anyone here done it themselves? What instructions did you follow? Was it successful?

Question on fixing Playstation 3.

ShortHairyMan — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:50:24 -0800

Will self-repairing my broken PS3 make it invalid for future repairs by Sony (even if it's already out of warranty)? My Playstation 3 has the doomed YLOD (Yellow Light Of Death). I tried to contact Sony for a fix and since it is about 2 years out of their warranty, the repair cost is $150.

My alternative choices are:
Local shops that offer a repair service for $50-$70
OR
I do the fix myself by borrowing my friends PS3 repair guide (thick book which he bought for $30).

So my main question is:
If I take it to a repair shop or try to fix it myself, yet the PS3 still doesn't work, will Sony still fix/replace it for $150? Or since it's been tampered with will they just tell me to go buy a new one? (Keep in mind either way it's out of warranty and has been for a long time).

How can I force a microSD card into my broken blackberry slot?

frenetic — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 21:16:34 -0800

What's the best way to brute-force a microSD card into my new Blackberry (that apparently has a defective slot.) microSD cards no longer click into place in the microSD slot on my Blackberry Flip 8130. I've tried multiple cards, taken it to my cell phone store, checked various forums and with RIM with no results. I've also tried using an exacto knife to enlarge the notch on the microsd card, no luck. Here's a picture of the slot:

http://www.bradsucks.net/misc/bb-microsd-slot.jpg

The card works fine if I hold it in place, but since it's not latching, the spring mechanism pushes it out and disconnects it once I let go. The slot cap isn't strong enough to keep the card in place.

Since it'd cost $200 to get it repaired, I'd be happy just forcing the card to stay in there (potentially forever). Can anyone suggest the best way? Can I break the spring mechanism? Glue the cap shut? Help!

Help me get the pedals off of my bike.

suckerpunch — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:14:24 -0800

Help me get the pedals off of my bike. I ended up buying a 'fancy' road bike along with the Long Haul Trucker that you folks told me to get earlier. Stupid, yeah, but it was ON SALE and oh man I couldn't help myself. Anyway.

Something in/near the cranks started creaking a week ago, so I've been disassembling, cleaning, and reassembling every piece that I can. (While I am not sure, it is probably not the crank itself. The bottom bracket was rebuilt near the end of May by a competent mechanic, and I've only gone three hundred miles on the bike since then.) I'm told that, sometimes, creaks that you think are coming from the crank are in fact coming from the pedals, and that, to solve that, one would need to... take the pedals off, clean them, regrease them, and put them back on. I figure, no harm in trying.

The pedals on this bike are absolutely frozen stiff. I can't get them to budge a millimeter.

I can see the threads on the inside of the hole where the pedal bolt (if that's the correct phrase) screws in, so I can see which way the bolt needs to spin off. I'm used to seeing grease around the edges of most bolts and fittings on well-built bikes, but I'm not seeing any on the pedal bolts, which may explain the pain in getting the pedals off. (Every other fitting that I've seen has been greased.)

I only want to get the pedal off on the non-drive side of the crank, since that's where the creak sounds like it's coming from.

I do not have a bike stand. I do have the correct tools to do most jobs on a bike, including a torque wrench.

Even if the pedal is not the cause of the creak, I'll be happy having tried, and happy knowing some tricks on how to get the pedals off efficiently.

How to fix laptop keyboard keys that fell off?

macsigler — Wed, 20 May 2009 13:21:29 -0800

How to fix laptop keyboard keys that fell off? I have a Dell XPS M1710 laptop, and some of the keyboard keys have popped out of their spot. I have tried to reattach the plastic retainers on the keys to their spot on the keyboard, but inevitably they never latch on like they used to, and in fact some are now broken or lost. Is there a secret to getting them to pop on, or is there an alternative, i.e. mini-springs and superglue, etc.? I'm willing to try most reasonable ideas. Thanks in advance!

Quick rusty door fix.

boby — Sat, 16 May 2009 14:21:30 -0800

My outside metal door is rusting. Is there a quick fix or do I need to sand, prime and repaint? The rust is more of a discoloration than deep rust.

Diagnose my laptop...

geos — Fri, 15 May 2009 14:58:39 -0800

When I turn on my Asus A8Jm (NVIDIA go7600) laptop, I get a strangely beautiful cross-hatching of colored lines. This sounds like a fried video card, right? Luckily, the card is replaceable... how likely is that this is the only problem and replacing the card will fix things?

Problems with earbuds

graventy — Thu, 07 May 2009 14:56:57 -0800

Help me stop destroying my iPod headphones! I listen to a lot of music/audiobooks/podcasts using an iPod, and a pair of earbuds. About every 6 weeks or so, if not sooner, the earbuds start to fail, and need to be replaced. It always seems to be a wire problem at the area near the jack.

Is there an easy way to fix these old sets of earbuds, or something I can do to prevent further breakage? Or, can you recommend a good set of earbuds that'd stand up to lots of abuse and use.

How to get my microwave oven to heat again

Sia Stewart — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 06:17:09 -0800

Why did my microwave oven stop heating after I tried to use it to heat water in a clear pyrex measuring cup? And how can I get it to work again? I've had the not-heating problem before, and it has gone away. I can't remember whether I did something to make it work again. This time, I tried unplugging the oven and plugging it in again -- no dice. Everything works except for the heating up part.

Quit signing me out, Google!

wsg — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 10:18:15 -0800

Every time I close my browser (Firefox) Google signs me out. How can I stay signed in? It's very annoying. Googling has not returned an answer to the question.

Need a dispenser here.

Diskeater — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 14:42:04 -0800

Front windshield washer fluid dispenser doesn't dispense. This feels like an easy fix....is it? At the start of the year, my girlfriend and I bought a new 2009 Nissan Versa while visiting family up in Vermont (we live in the Boston area). The car had to be delivered from another dealer so she went up a week later to get it and discovered a crack in the windshield. We took it back to the dealer to be replaced at their expense and had some friends drive it down to us last weekend. They reported that the front windshield washer dispenser doesn’t work. Awesome.

When I try to dispense the windshield washer fluid, the wipers activate and it sounds like it’s trying to dispense the liquid but nothing happenes. The rear dispenser works just fine.

I’ve tried holding the lever down for a while to get out any air packets but that did not work. I doubt the nozzles are frozen because the temperature hasn’t been below freezing for quite a few days and they used the “good” fluid that won’t freeze ever.

Since everything sounds like it should be working fine, I’m assuming that the dealer didn’t hook everything up properly when they replaced the windshield and this should be an easy fix but I’m not mechanically inclined and I don’t know enough to trace which tubes go to where.

I’m assuming that this is an easy fix if all that needs to be done is hook up a tube to a nozzle but I don’t know where to look. I would like to attempt to fix this issue before calling the dealer because if I can get it done myself, all the better.

Can anyone offer any tips? Google / Nissan forums were no help. Thanks!

Good thing I don't have to go to work today

Brandon1600 — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 04:16:25 -0800

What is the best and cheapest way to fix a flat tire? I woke up this morning and went outside to get something from my truck. I found my rear, left tire was completely deflated. I had suspected a leak for a few weeks and, believe it or not, I was going to do something about it today. I had filled it up once and it looked fine yesterday. I've never fixed a tire so I Googled some answers. Much to my dismay I couldn't find a reliable source. Some say to use fix-a-flat. Others say to use repair kits and fix the tire from the interior.

I guess I am asking for recommendations on tire repair kits and techniques for a 2001 Nissan Frontier. The type of tire is a General Grabber UHP. They are less than year old.

Thanks

You ever have one of those days?

pseudostrabismus — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:18:18 -0800

I'm having an "off day" for no particular reason. Feeling grouchy & peevish. This is dumb. Please help me fix it. Specifics are unnecessary, but basically a few things went wrong. Nothing major, mostly on the scale of "annoying". And there were some unrelated problems that all happened in a row- a small stack of irritating coincidences, starting in the morning and compounding all day, probably slightly exacerbated by my worsening mood.

I'm fully aware that I should just let inconsequential stuff like this roll off my back, and how lucky I am to be alive & healthy in a nice country & etc. But nevertheless, I feel grumpy, petulant, discouraged, and annoyed at myself for reacting this way. It's just a bad day, fer Pete's sake, get over it, right?

I have a few things I usually do to try and fix bad days, but suddenly it occurred to me that you probably have even better ideas. So, hive mind, what are your best strategies? How do you turn a bad day around?
Thanks!

Where to fix my bag in NC?

greta simone — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 17:39:10 -0800

Where can I find a place that does leather repair in the NC Triangle area? I have a Hobo International handbag that I dearly love that needs the zipper repaired, and some cleaning/mending/conditioning. I have done some cleaning myself, but I am not satisfied with the results, so I would prefer a professional who could do that and fix the zipper. A few things:
1) My bag is older than a year old, so I cannot take advantage of the company's guarantee.
2) Also, Hobo does not do any repairs outside of the guarantee.
3) I called Nordstrom (where I purchased it) and they want to send it out for a fee. I would rather have a face-to-face transaction.
4) I called the Wilson's leather store, and they know nothing.
5) Florenza leather goods (in Chapel Hill), my best option, is closed for business.

I'm in Carrboro. So the closer, the better.
Thanks.

Fix for Braun Shaver/Razor Syncro Clean & Charge System?

criticman — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 06:18:39 -0800

Fix for Braun Shaver/Razor Syncro Clean & Charge System? The base on my system has been broken for years. Here is a replacement: http://www.theessentials.com/jump.jsp?itemID=186&itemType=PRODUCT&iProductID=186

The upper "arm" that snaps into the bottom of the razor when it is placed in the charge/cleaning station stopped working. It used to snap into place and stay there unless you hit the blue release button on it. Now (and as I said, for years) it never snaps/clicks into place. For about a year, thanks to the position of some shelves in my bathroom at my old house, I could wedge the unit between shelves after inserting the shaver. This kept the top part locked into place & allowed the cleaning and charging cycles to run.

However, in my past two (including my present) living situations, there is no place to wedge it. I spent time on Google seeking answers previously without any luck.

I am hoping someone either A) managed to open it and fix it or B) has a clever way to keep the top locked into place to allow normal operation. Yes, I could spend $50 (plus shipping) to get a new base station, but I worry if they did not update the design, that it may fail (I noticed newer models did not have anything that snapped into the back of the razor, making me believe they recognized the design flaw but chose to ignore it on the old parts).

I love this shaver, but the quality of shave (even with recently replaced foils etc) is not as good as when it is frequently cleaned with the base station. I actually have 3 cleaning cartridges waiting to be used, so hoping someone can help.

Fixing a broken iPhone?

Blazecock Pileon — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 22:51:31 -0800

Broken iPhone sleep/wake button... I have access to an old iPhone with a broken sleep/wake button. The button is "pressed into" the case, and so is permanently pressed in.

I'd like to do something with it. Other than the button the phone worked fine. Is there an easy / inexpensive fix for this? Are there instructions for disassembly? Is there a place I can sell this phone other than eBay?

New bike, old bike?

suedehead — Mon, 12 May 2008 14:21:22 -0800

Should I get a new bike? Or should I fix my broken one? I was in a bicycle accident last September, in which I was side-winded by a livery cab. Miraculously, I'm fine, but the bike isn't: the wheels are bent, one bicycle pedal is warped towards the frame and so won't turn, and the force of the impact was strong enough to twist the handlebars and seat. I'm not sure how the frame is doing -- it's a double-butted steel frame (a Miyata 210 from 1984), but I don't know how to check for stress, cracks, or any problems. Due to neglect during the winter (since I couldn't ride it), the chain, gears, and steel wheels have now become rusted.

I now have a chance to buy a nice road bike for $200, that is fully tuned-up, with new tires, tubes, brakes, etc, and with the guarantee of future service.

When I got my old bike, I bought it for $80, and spent an equal amount (or more) on it tuning it, cleaning it up, replacing parts, etc. I'd like to imagine that the hassle and money involved will be similar in this case as well. Is it worth it to get a new bike, or should I spend $100+ on new wheels/tubes, new tires, a tune-up, a new chain, etc. and just fix my old bike with the hope that the frame will be okay?

(additional question: If the cost is the same, should I get brakes with suicide levers, or install interrupter brakes?)

Thank you, AskMe!

Electric car window won't stay up, how to fix?

jmitchell — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 07:27:09 -0800

Permanent, elegant solution for keeping an electric car window up? The cost to fix this at the dealer is prohibitive.

The car is a 2003 Buick Century. One of the back windows has stopped working, meaning we can no longer raise or lower the window via the switch. Worse yet, the glass pane of the window isn't stuck in up position, so it just keeps coming down.

I pulled the door cover off, to see if there was some was of propping the glass pane up, but it appears to be encase in the door frame itself, requiring heavy duty and expensive tools to get at.

We could stick plastic over it or do something similar but that is ugly and unsafe. Is there some way or method to simply pull the glass pane up manually and glue/seal it shut?

Help me Geek Squad these laptops!

whiskey point — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:00:37 -0800

2 used laptops: what to do with them? One will be new to me (from my wonderful girlfriend), one will be new to my grandma (from me) Part 1:
I'll be getting a ~2 year old Toshiba Satellite laptop, a pretty basic model with probably 512 mb of RAM and a smallish hard drive (no big deal, I have a My Book and am willing to upgrade RAM). What would you do with this machine, that has been taken care of very well - no downloads, etc., and only used for typing papers and surfing the web? I'm down for anything-I just want to make sure I optimize this computer as soon as possible. I'm into web surfing (generally 10-15 Firefox tabs open at a time), watching DVDs, and typing papers on the go (I have MS office). I'm also into photography, burning DVDs, and listening to a ton of music on itunes-but I deal with all of that on my high(er) performance desktop. Would Photoshop kill this machine? What are some of the applications you can't live with out? This will basically be a backup, take to school, and travel computer for me.
Part 2:
I'm going to give my grandma my 4.5 year old Compaq 2100. It's not in the best shape (I can no longer watch movies on it, probably a software problem I haven't taken the time to fix) and it runs slow. I'm thinking I'll re-install XP and start over from scratch-but what should I do after that? Does your grandma have a computer? She's kind of wary, but she's willing to give it a try. I'd like to make this as simple for her as possible: a gmail account, something to play DVDs, maybe something to help her with recipes-either looking them up or storing them, and any other suggestions you guys can throw out for me.

I'm sure some creeping on the MeFi archives would have helped a little, but I wanted to kill two birds with one stone and get both of these computers working to the best of their abilities.

Save my earphones!

PhatLobley — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 23:00:55 -0800

Can I fix my expensive earphones? Please note: I am clumsy and not inclined to fixing anything, let alone small, expensive things. I have a pair of Etymotic i6 Isolators that will be two years old shortly after Christmas. Recently (in the past couple of weeks) the left side has stopped working periodically. No sound will come out, but I can normally fix it by wiggling/ twisting/ bending the wire right where it enters the plug. I fear this means they'll be toast soon. Is there anything I can do to avoid having to replace the earphones I love so much? If you have step by step instructions that do not involve any surgical precision, I might be able to do what you suggest. Thanks!

Heater woes.

Darth Fedor — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 20:26:51 -0800

Can I fix my gas heater without hurting myself? My apartment's gas heater stopped working today. I took a look at it--the LED indicator flashes steadily, and the chart for LED indicator interpretation says that that means "Line voltage (115V) polarity reversed."

I don't know anything about heaters, but I am fairly proficient at splicing, crimping wires etc.

The heater has an automatic electric ignition system--no pilot light.

To my untrained eye, a reversed polarity sounds like a fairly isolated problem, and if I can fix it myself immediately without having to call for help, I'd prefer it.

Is this something I can safely fix myself? If so, how?

It's cold in here.

When my taillights are on, my brake lights don't work. How to fix?

k7lim — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 20:06:50 -0800

While my taillights are off, my brake lights work just fine. When they are on, my left one goes out. How can I fix this? I'm driving a mid 80's Volvo. My car uses the same bulb for taillight and brake-light. Basically, while my taillights are supposed to be on, and I step on the brakes, that entire bulb turns off (on the left side). Head/Tail lights switched OFF, foot ON the brake, brake light is illuminated. (as it should be)

Head/Tail lights switched ON, foot off the brake, tail light is illuminated. (as it should be)

Head/Tail lights switched ON, foot ON the brake, tail/brake light bulb is out. (broken!)

Jacquelyn of Many Trades

PinkButterfly — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 14:48:34 -0800

What things should I learn how to fix? I'd like to be a handy person.

Recently, I've had car troubles and I've been trying to learn more about cars so that I can make simple repairs myself in the future instead of paying for them.

What other things should I learn how to fix? I'd like suggestions of things that are simple to learn and useful to know. These could be things around the house, in the car, at the office, etc.

I have a bit of time and I'm really interested in learning how to do a variety of things so even random, weird suggestions are welcome.

Links to instructions would be helpful as well.

Thanks everyone!

Also, if you have stories of how you found knowing how to repair certain things to be useful in your life, I'd appreciate those too.

Help me find a tool to enlarge this image.

jammnrose — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 23:00:03 -0800

What would be the best tool/program to enhance/enlarge/de-noise this image. I am looking for a way to resize this so I can have it made into a poster while still having decent quality. Any ideas?

Can I Fix My Indexed Shifter?

Alterscape — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 20:37:23 -0800

My new-to-me Schwinn Frontier mountain bike's indexed shifter for the rear gears is unwell. Help me nurse it back to health. I got a great price on a used Schwinn Frontier mtb, in part because the shifter doesn't want to downshift below 5th gear on the rear. It's a Shimano indexed "pull with index finger to shift up, press with thumb to shift down" sort of shifter, integrated with the brake lever. When you press the "shift down" lever in 5th gear, there's no tension/resistance on the lever (as in the higher gears) and nothing happens on the rear end. I suspect something inside is mucked up.

I'm not horribly concerned because I plan to use the bike mainly for short-range commuting and my commute is 100% flat (so high-gear appropriate) but I'd really like to fix it so I can take the bike off-road with friends. Google shows a lot of depressing Shimano repair attempt stories. Should I take it to a bike shop, try and fix it myself, or just give up and live with a 12-speed instead of a 21-speed?