Laptop not booting up after change of screen for a client - what should I do with the customer?
March 1, 2010 12:54 PM Subscribe
Laptop not booting up after change of screen for a client - what should I do with the customer?
Client of mine has a thinkpad laptop t43. His original issue was that the screen was damaged. HOwever about 25 percent can be seen in the corner. Another point to remember whenever he booted up he would get a bios-change date & time.
ok, so he gave me the laptop to repair the screen. I purchased a screen and repaired it and now the laptop doesn't turn on, boot up or charge up. I put the old screen back in and same thing. So i put the new one back in and took it to a repair shop. THey said it is the mother board. So its not worth fixing the motherboard.
My question is what should I do. first thing: any technical help maybe?
and the main thing is that how should i deal with the client. The client was informed about the motherboard and the whole scenario. Should i just give it back and thats it? should i go halfs with him and purchase a laptop/
what you guys think
Client of mine has a thinkpad laptop t43. His original issue was that the screen was damaged. HOwever about 25 percent can be seen in the corner. Another point to remember whenever he booted up he would get a bios-change date & time.
ok, so he gave me the laptop to repair the screen. I purchased a screen and repaired it and now the laptop doesn't turn on, boot up or charge up. I put the old screen back in and same thing. So i put the new one back in and took it to a repair shop. THey said it is the mother board. So its not worth fixing the motherboard.
My question is what should I do. first thing: any technical help maybe?
and the main thing is that how should i deal with the client. The client was informed about the motherboard and the whole scenario. Should i just give it back and thats it? should i go halfs with him and purchase a laptop/
what you guys think
The clock battery could look like a coin, like a watch battery. Here we go. The current battery might be soldered on, in which case you'd need to desolder. Or a clip holds the connector in place and you just pinch the arm and slide it out.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:33 PM on March 1, 2010
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:33 PM on March 1, 2010
I think that a reasonable client would understand that computers are fragile things, and computer repair does entail risk. Unless you believe that you were responsible for the motherboard damage I would say that you don't need to reimburse the client financially.
However, it could be a nice gesture to offer to help transfer your client's data to and help configure the replacement laptop.
posted by akash at 1:48 PM on March 1, 2010
However, it could be a nice gesture to offer to help transfer your client's data to and help configure the replacement laptop.
posted by akash at 1:48 PM on March 1, 2010
Was it a misdiagnosis? Damage from repairs?If not, I would tactfully offer to ebay the computer to cover any of my wasted time or money. If he is unhappy with that ask what would make them happy and do it if it's reasonable. Sell him on a transfer of data. Your time is valuable.
posted by bravowhiskey at 2:22 PM on March 1, 2010
posted by bravowhiskey at 2:22 PM on March 1, 2010
Sounds like it got static-zapped while you were working on it, a common problem but one which could be your fault if you didn't take precautions while you were working on it.
posted by TimeDoctor at 2:32 PM on March 1, 2010
posted by TimeDoctor at 2:32 PM on March 1, 2010
OK, so what you're saying is:
Before he gave you the laptop to repair, most of the screen was broken, but you could see on the working bit that it booted as far as the BIOS saying 'time and date not set'.
You replaced the screen.
Now it doesn't boot as far as the BIOS saying 'time and date not set' - i.e. it doesn't boot at all. This has been diagnosed as an (unrepairable) motherboard fault.
In other words, you took his laptop which had repairable damage, you worked on it, and while doing so you caused non-repairable damage - Is that right?
and the main thing is that how should i deal with the client. The client was informed about the motherboard and the whole scenario. Should i just give it back and thats it? should i go halfs with him and purchase a laptop/
You're running a business, charging money and calling people clients. You and he had a deal; he gives you money and a broken laptop, you give him back a working laptop. You made a mistake - it happens - and now it's going to cost you a bit more to get his working laptop back to him. But you still owe the guy a laptop. Sure, it's frustrating, but occasional mistakes are a cost of doing business.
I mean, if I took my car to a mechanic to get the oil changed, and while they were doing it they accidentally broke the windscreen, I'd expect them to replace the windscreen - not to give me back the car with a broken windscreen, or to offer to go halves with me on a new windscreen.
Get the guy a new laptop - or give him cash equivalent to the fair market value of the laptop he gave you, so he can buy his own new laptop.
posted by Mike1024 at 3:27 PM on March 1, 2010
Before he gave you the laptop to repair, most of the screen was broken, but you could see on the working bit that it booted as far as the BIOS saying 'time and date not set'.
You replaced the screen.
Now it doesn't boot as far as the BIOS saying 'time and date not set' - i.e. it doesn't boot at all. This has been diagnosed as an (unrepairable) motherboard fault.
In other words, you took his laptop which had repairable damage, you worked on it, and while doing so you caused non-repairable damage - Is that right?
and the main thing is that how should i deal with the client. The client was informed about the motherboard and the whole scenario. Should i just give it back and thats it? should i go halfs with him and purchase a laptop/
You're running a business, charging money and calling people clients. You and he had a deal; he gives you money and a broken laptop, you give him back a working laptop. You made a mistake - it happens - and now it's going to cost you a bit more to get his working laptop back to him. But you still owe the guy a laptop. Sure, it's frustrating, but occasional mistakes are a cost of doing business.
I mean, if I took my car to a mechanic to get the oil changed, and while they were doing it they accidentally broke the windscreen, I'd expect them to replace the windscreen - not to give me back the car with a broken windscreen, or to offer to go halves with me on a new windscreen.
Get the guy a new laptop - or give him cash equivalent to the fair market value of the laptop he gave you, so he can buy his own new laptop.
posted by Mike1024 at 3:27 PM on March 1, 2010
It's an IBM with a common problem.
Do the following to test:
Turn the laptop off, apply a ton of pressure with your palm to the keyboard just to the left of the pointer stick (red nipple mouse). I tend to lay my palm on the keyboard, straighten my arm, and then lean into it. While applying pressure, hit the power button. If the machine magically comes back to life, you're looking at a GPU reflow.
It's painful, but it can sometimes bring the machine back to a usable state for a little while longer.
Also, this didn't happen as a result of anything you did. It was a manufacturing defect related to the pin package used for the ATI graphics on those machines. It affected IBM T40-43 models.
posted by tmt at 3:46 PM on March 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
Do the following to test:
Turn the laptop off, apply a ton of pressure with your palm to the keyboard just to the left of the pointer stick (red nipple mouse). I tend to lay my palm on the keyboard, straighten my arm, and then lean into it. While applying pressure, hit the power button. If the machine magically comes back to life, you're looking at a GPU reflow.
It's painful, but it can sometimes bring the machine back to a usable state for a little while longer.
Also, this didn't happen as a result of anything you did. It was a manufacturing defect related to the pin package used for the ATI graphics on those machines. It affected IBM T40-43 models.
posted by tmt at 3:46 PM on March 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
See if it will run without the battery connected. Sometimes they fail in an odd way that causes the computer to not start at all.
But yeah, I'm with Mike1024. Maybe you don't owe him a new laptop, but you can't really charge him. Unless the work was done on a "we'll give this a shot" basis. In other words, there was a clear understanding that you aren't responsible for incidental/accidental damage.
posted by gjc at 7:32 PM on March 1, 2010
But yeah, I'm with Mike1024. Maybe you don't owe him a new laptop, but you can't really charge him. Unless the work was done on a "we'll give this a shot" basis. In other words, there was a clear understanding that you aren't responsible for incidental/accidental damage.
posted by gjc at 7:32 PM on March 1, 2010
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Did you look into replacing the clock battery, if that's possible?
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:30 PM on March 1, 2010