Laptop Screen Smashy!

Nephtys · Post by **Nephtys** » 2006-05-16 09:07pm

Aaaarrgh. I fix my desktop's graphics card, and a freak accident results in a smashed laptop screen.

I've got a Compaq V2000, a pretty cheap economy model that's barely a month and a half old. It's got/had a 14 inch widescreen LCD. What're my options for repair and the rough cost?

Naquitis · Post by **Naquitis** » 2006-05-16 09:31pm

Month and a half? Less that 60 days? I do believe that they'll repair it for you.

Laird · Post by **Laird** » 2006-05-16 09:39pm

Under warranty, guranteed.

Nephtys · Post by **Nephtys** » 2006-05-16 09:39pm

Naquitis wrote:Month and a half? Less that 60 days? I do believe that they'll repair it for you.

Apparently not. HP told me they'll repair it... if I pay them THREE TIMES my purchase cost.

Post by **Beowulf** » 2006-05-16 09:45pm

Nephtys wrote:
Naquitis wrote:Month and a half? Less that 60 days? I do believe that they'll repair it for you.
Apparently not. HP told me they'll repair it... if I pay them THREE TIMES my purchase cost.

Better Business Bureau. It shouldn't cost 3x the purchase cost regardless. It shouldn't cost more than about $500(15in 1400x1050 display would have cost me $700 to fix

)

It should still be under warranty, regardless. If the tech insists on that price, insist on talking to a manager.

Nephtys · Post by **Nephtys** » 2006-05-16 10:18pm

Office Depot refuses to do a thing, while trying to sell me a warranty on a product that's already broken. Way to go.

Compaq continually refuses to service any form of LCD damage, and says their price is 'fixed' for all 'non-minor' damage to this machine. Grrr. 1000 bucks for a 350 dollar laptop?

Uraniun235 · Post by **Uraniun235** » 2006-05-17 01:22am

You could try yelling at HP until they replace the entire laptop.

Real quick Googling suggests that a new laptop screen may cost as much as the laptop originally did. You could get one for less if you're willing to accept "slightly blemished".

If you pay someone else to do it, that's more money (and have fun finding someone who knows what he's doing - I doubt most computer techs have experience swapping laptop screens), and if you do it yourself it's possible you could screw it up.

If you can't get HP to cooperate, and if you could get another laptop at the same price, I suspect you'd be better off just getting another one and eBaying off the broken laptop as a "parts laptop" or something.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2006-05-17 01:29am

Your homeowner's insurance may cover the damage.

Spyder · Post by **Spyder** » 2006-05-17 06:10am

I work in retail, your chances of getting HP to repair a smashed screen under warranty are the same as picking up a random stone and getting a blood transfusion from it. Warranties typically only cover the unit if it fails on its own under regular operating conditions.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2006-05-17 07:13am

How did the screen smash? If you dropped it, closed the lid with something on the keyboard or did something else that could be construed as clumsiness or carelessness, then they'll likely refuse you. HP really are bitches when it comes to helping a customer out with these things, especially with laptop screens where they extort anyone for repairing them (as you say, paying more than the whole unit is worth).

Keep pestering them. If it doesn't work, or your insurance won't cover it either, then you'll just be better off buying another laptop, preferably from someone reputable.

Post by **Edi** » 2006-05-17 07:15am

Replacing laptop screens is an expensive proposition. The cost of a replacement screen runs easily into the $250+ range just for the component and then you can expect to pay between $60 and $120 per hour for the work, which is going to take a minimum of two hours, though they're likely to bill you for three or more.

The way you want to go about it is check if the homeowner's insurance covers it, take the machine to a computer repair shop and have them do it, cheaper that way. If you've taken laptops apart before, you could do it yourself and you'd just be set back the cost of the screen, but I don't recommend it if you aren't sure about what you're doing.

Edi

Naquitis · Post by **Naquitis** » 2006-05-17 09:32am

Well my experience with HP repair wasn't too bad. It was under warranty, I had burned the back of the screen with a candle(Don't ask, it was really really stupid) and they repaired it almost instantly. Although it might be noted that beforehand I had had a previous experience with a problem with the version of Windows that came with the computer and I raised all hell about it. I assume that after that fact, my name was tagged in their records and I was forever known as a bitcher.

The service didn't bother me enough to stop me from buying a second HP computer, but I don't plan to buy a third.

One must ride into the deepest darkest pits of hell to get any kind of support from HP, but I've been there and done that so they don't want the devil on their ass anymore I guess.

Nephtys · Post by **Nephtys** » 2006-05-17 03:27pm

Admiral Valdemar wrote:How did the screen smash? If you dropped it, closed the lid with something on the keyboard or did something else that could be construed as clumsiness or carelessness, then they'll likely refuse you. HP really are bitches when it comes to helping a customer out with these things, especially with laptop screens where they extort anyone for repairing them (as you say, paying more than the whole unit is worth).

Keep pestering them. If it doesn't work, or your insurance won't cover it either, then you'll just be better off buying another laptop, preferably from someone reputable.

I got shoved into the curb by some jerk who was in a hurry. I only realized what happened when I got home and opened my case.

Spyder · Post by **Spyder** » 2006-05-17 04:17pm

Naquitis wrote:Well my experience with HP repair wasn't too bad. It was under warranty, I had burned the back of the screen with a candle(Don't ask, it was really really stupid) and they repaired it almost instantly. Although it might be noted that beforehand I had had a previous experience with a problem with the version of Windows that came with the computer and I raised all hell about it. I assume that after that fact, my name was tagged in their records and I was forever known as a bitcher.

"My unit overheated and this happened."

That does sometimes work, the service techs aren't exactly CSI.

Sriad · Post by **Sriad** » 2006-05-17 04:19pm

If you can represent (to whoever you end up going to for this) with sufficient vehemence that the incident definately wasn't your fault, you might be able to get a break, but I sure wouldn't hold my breath if I were you. I got stuck paying to replace the motherboard on my HP Pavilion, though they were nice enough to cover shipping and labor charges, at least.

PS- post pictures!

Vendetta · Post by **Vendetta** » 2006-05-17 04:23pm

Especially not HPs. They have great difficulty coping with even mildly technical issues, because they tend not to be terribly well trained. If at all.

Though I don't quite think that will fool them. It certainly won't fool the guy who takes the laptop to bits to fit the new screen. They will simply send you a bill as soon as they get it.

Accidental damage is universally not covered by manufacturer warranty. The warranty is there to protect you from the product breaking down due to defects in manufacture, not from misuse (which includes accidents).

Your home contents insurance should be able to pay for the cost of the repair if it provides you carryout cover (mine does). A local repair technician will almost certainly be able to undercut HP's price by a significant margin, as long as they can get a compatible screen.

Post by **Edi** » 2006-05-17 04:52pm

Vendetta wrote:A local repair technician will almost certainly be able to undercut HP's price by a significant margin, as long as they can get a compatible screen.

That's not a problem, as the parts are generally ordered from the manufacturer according to a compatibility list. I should have some idea, seeing as how I'm currently working in a computer repair shop that does that sort of thing. The reason why HP and otehr such companies are so anal about tech support is that it doesn't generate money, it just generates net losses, since you need to pay people to do things that don't bring money in. When you add the fact that they don't have a lot of people doing it, a huge customer base and the "tech support" personnel often can't find their own arse with a map, compass and instructions, no wonder it's hard to get anything from them. They'd much rather the customer outsource it to a local shop, gets them off the hook.

Edi

RThurmont · Post by **RThurmont** » 2006-05-17 06:41pm

I had a similiar problem with my ThinkPad. Two weeks after putting it into service, the LCD fractured, and Lenovo attempted to charge me $800 for the repair, claiming it was due to "accidental damage". Nevermind the fact that my IT hardware handling proceedures border on the obsessive compulsive...

After a month's worth of fighting with various managers, they finally agreed to do it, and I got my ThinkPad back. Your warranty basically gives you the right to sue if something breaks, but is not in and of itself neccessarily a Fiorinized Compaq. Honestly, faced with the choice of fixing a low-end HP product or chucking it and getting a different brand, I would probably do the latter (although admittedly their quality is starting to improve under Hurd-still, Dell, Apple or IBM they are not).

Nephtys · Post by **Nephtys** » 2006-05-17 07:09pm

I called them again, and told them the damage was from 'computer overheat' and they still won't cover it, apparently, even as a 'manufacturer problem'. They refuse to cover any LCD issue it seems except dead pixel out of box, or dead backlight out of box.

Bastards. Arguing with this tech today for about 30 minutes, he offered a generous fee of twice my purchase price to repair it, as opposed to three times my purchase price last time. I told him that it should cost only 250 bucks instead of 700, and he spent five minutes chatting with a manager before telling me basically a polite form of 'bite me'.

So screw you, HP. And your ability to worm your way with vague wording on your hard to find warranty.

Seggybop · Post by **Seggybop** » 2006-05-17 11:38pm

When I had a smashed laptop screen, I took it out, found the model number, and searched for it on google. I got a replacement for around $250 (15" 1400x1050).

Laird · Post by **Laird** » 2006-05-18 12:04am

Well this might not be the perfect answer, but you could look on ebay for a replacement, that or just hook up an external monitor to your laptop.(Atleast you'll still be able to use it.)

JLTucker · Post by **JLTucker** » 2006-05-18 01:02am

I also have a laptop from HP. When I went to Best Buy to purchase the laptop, I was offered an extended warranty that would fix the screen if something were to happen to it. It was, if I remember correctly, an extra $200. I did not purchase the warranty. Were you offered an extended warranty, nephtys?

I didn't want to create a thread for a similar problem. The damage to my laptop isn't as severe as nephtys. The 'F' key cover on the keyboard broke off. I had a bottle of Windex on the tv next to my laptop at school. I moved the television to gain access to a roach and the bottle of Windex fell on the keyboard, knocking off and breaking the 'F' key cover. Do you think HP will replace it if I offer to pay? Price? Could I take it to a computer repair business and have them fix it for me?

Post by **Edi** » 2006-05-18 01:39am

JLTucker wrote:I didn't want to create a thread for a similar problem. The damage to my laptop isn't as severe as nephtys. The 'F' key cover on the keyboard broke off. I had a bottle of Windex on the tv next to my laptop at school. I moved the television to gain access to a roach and the bottle of Windex fell on the keyboard, knocking off and breaking the 'F' key cover. Do you think HP will replace it if I offer to pay? Price? Could I take it to a computer repair business and have them fix it for me?

You could and they'd be happy to do it. You would probably need to have the entire keyboard replaced, laptop keyboards are like that. Cost of parts plus cost of work would be around $200 or more at a guesstimate.

One reason (aside from finances) I simply won't buy a laptop is that if anything happens, it'll cost an arm and a leg to fix it, whereas for a desktop machine you just swap out the damaged parts yourself and no problems. Unless a damaged power supply has fried everything on the machine, in which case there's little you can do.

Edi

Glocksman · Post by **Glocksman** » 2006-05-18 02:26am

If you're comfortable dismantling the thing (and while I know how to do it, it's not something I enjoy doing), you might be able to find a replacement LCD on ebay fairly cheap and replace it yourself.

If not, consider this a learning experience and make your next laptop purchase a Dell or a Lenovo with the optional 'complete care' warranty that even covers user damage such as this.

As an aside, I'll give you $50 for the unit as is.
If I can actually fix the display with a cheap replacement from fleabay, I'll sell it back to you at cost plus $50 for my time and effort.

If I can fix it, I've made $50 or gained a working laptop at a bargain if you don't want it back.
If I can't fix it, I've gained some upgrade parts for my laptop and/or replacement parts for customer machines (I work on PC's on the cheap as a side moneymaker) at a bargain price.

And you're right about the price of the display being about $250 or so, as the AU Optronics panel that HP-Compaq uses in those models can be found on Fleabay for around that price.

You could buy it from fleabay and then pay a local shop (the job should take about an hour or so going by my limited experience in replacing the screen on a Dell Inspiron 1100) to replace it.

Nephtys · Post by **Nephtys** » 2006-05-18 02:53am

I've got a local shop that'll charge me 250 for screen and replacement. I'm thinking that's worth it, given that the component won't be cheaper than 200 on ebay and I don't trust myself to replace it. 250 is practically free installation, and they'll do it within a day I can pick up. Minimal hastle...

I guess I'll rely on that if I can't find a wayo ut.