Where to get a laptop repaired in Pattaya?

[Mattd]

7 hours ago, JSixpack said:

In fact it is, from a reputable vendor. If you google around you can find out how that's true.

Reputable doesn't make it genuine.

There is no way on this earth that Microsoft endorse the sales of activation keys for their products in this way, they didn't build a huge company by giving their software away!

 

7 hours ago, JSixpack said:

If the offer included the software then you'd merely claim it wasn't genuine software too. Anyway, it would make no sense: you download the software directly from Microsoft. 

In instances such as this, then I'd agree the software is genuine, as in it was written and produced by Microsoft, but that is where it ends, the chances of it be licensed are zero, zilch, nil, you are buying an activation key, not a license.

 

Have you ever tried to download the software from Microsoft?

All sounds nice and easy, until you go ahead and do it, even trying to download a WORKING USB boot software is not as easy as it sounds, everything has to match 100%.

 

7 hours ago, JSixpack said:

Of course, loads of places can install legal software as well. If they don't have it, you can provide it from other sources.

Legal? It would only be legal if you paid for the license.

 

A lot of the genuine Win 10 software licenses you buy here are the OEM (System Builder) version, which is a little cheaper than the retail version and is perfectly fine, the main difference being it is tied to one computer only, change the motherboard and it is no longer activated.

 

Don't get me wrong, I have used hooky software myself, however, in this day and age, the OS and AV software I pay for.

If a business, then it is a no brainer, Thailand, believe it or not, do go and check this kind of stuff regularly.

[essox essox]

On 3/14/2018 at 11:47 AM, bkk6060 said:

Try Wattana off Pattaya north road near Foodland. Probably 3000 b.

WATTANA is not on north road....IT IS ON PATTAYA KLANG

[bkk6060]

Just now, essox essox said:

WATTANA is not on north road....IT IS ON PATTAYA KLANG

Read the tthread you will see it has been corrected.

[JSixpack]

1 hour ago, Mattd said:

Reputable doesn't make it genuine.

There is no way on this earth that Microsoft endorse the sales of activation keys for their products in this way, they didn't build a huge company by giving their software away!

 

In the end being genuine makes it genuine, as you find out when you activate it from Microsoft itself. So that's the same as with other products--initially you trust a reputable vendor that your, say, Rolex is genuine. Microsoft doesn't need formally to endorse the selling of genuine keys by particular third-party vendors who currently own them. Nor has M'soft given away anything. Problem is, you don't have a clue and are confused. You really should google around as I advised earlier and educate yourself. Been some discussions on the IT forum.

 

Quote

but that is where it ends, the chances of it be licensed are zero, zilch, nil, you are buying an activation key, not a license.

 

Duh. You buy a license and then you activate.

 

Quote

Have you ever tried to download the software from Microsoft?

All sounds nice and easy, until you go ahead and do it, even trying to download a WORKING USB boot software is not as easy as it sounds, everything has to match 100%.

 

Amazing. By a coincidence I downloaded Win 10 German from Microsoft for a friend of mine yesterday. And it's trivial to download a tool to create the USB installation medium on a USB stick from the .iso. Not sure what the "match" issue is. Sorry you find it so-o-o hard. Maybe get some knowledgeable help.

 

 

Quote

Legal? It would only be legal if you paid for the license.

 

Which you do. Makin' progress there, man.

 

 

Edited March 16, 2018 by JSixpack

[Mattd]

1 minute ago, JSixpack said:

Which you do. Makin' progress there, man.

I repeat, buying a cheap activation key off the web is not the same as purchasing the individual license, you are buying a key that may or may not activate Windows, 99% of the time these keys are from either MSDN, bulk licenses or OEM software.

The fact that is works doesn't make it legit and MS could pull that activation anytime they like.

You are purchasing this at your own risk and have no idea if it has been activated already etc. and it is highly unlikely it will reactivate if you have to change the motherboard

 

The biggest single advantage of having a legit activated version of Win 10 is that you get all of the updates and support and with Win 10, that is going to be forever, or at least so MS say.

 

23 minutes ago, JSixpack said:

Sorry you find it so-o-o hard. Maybe get some knowledgeable help.

Interesting you think this, especially as you have no idea about me, or my knowledge, I have not offended you and do not see any reason for the reverse, this is a forum that actively encourages fair debate, lets keep it that way please.

 

Really, anybody that thinks that it is legitimate that they can buy a few dollar activation key off the web, download Win 10 for free from MS is kidding themselves, if this was the case, then MS might as well just stop selling the software in the way they currently do, because nobody would buy it.

 

At the end of the day it is up to the individual what they want to do and it is their business either way.

[JSixpack]

1 hour ago, Mattd said:

I repeat, buying a cheap activation key off the web is not the same as purchasing the individual license, you are buying a key that may or may not activate Windows, 99% of the time these keys are from either MSDN, bulk licenses or OEM software.

 

You could avoid repeating yourself if you'd read what I said. Here it is again:

 

2 hours ago, JSixpack said:

Duh. You buy a license and then you activate.

 

Lemme try to get through this "activation key" fixation.

 

1. Nobody has mentioned anything about buying an "activation key" but you.

2. Nobody is selling an "activation key" unless perhaps some Nigerian scammers. Any such mythical activation key would be useless w/o a license.

3. You don't buy an "activation key." You buy a license, then activate via Microsoft as usual. Yes, the keys bought from reputable online vendors always activate; if not, then you get a refund or another key. 

 

Repeat this 10 times: "I had the activation process backwards. I imagined somebody said something about an activation key. You buy a license online, not an activation key."

 

Quote

The fact that is works doesn't make it legit and MS could pull that activation anytime they like.

 

Yes, the fact that it activates and then the software updates normally makes it legit. M'soft wouldn't "pull" that activation because it was legit, it had already "sold" the key, and M'soft wants as many Win 10 users as possible, even gave free upgrades (still possible).

 

Quote

You are purchasing this at your own risk and have no idea if it has been activated already etc. and it is highly unlikely it will reactivate if you have to change the motherboard

 

As always, see Rolex example. Refund or change from the vendor, pal.

 

Yes, it will reactivate if you merely purchase a retail key. If you purchase an OEM key then when you realize that you'll be out another USD13 you'd need to declare bankruptcy after you've curled up onto a fetal position and had yourself a good cry. Why didn't I buy that THB3900 license? Buyer's remorse is a terrible thing, no?

 

So many of our members change their motherboards, too. Almost a daily occurrence around here.
 

Quote

The biggest single advantage of having a legit activated version of Win 10 is that you get all of the updates and support and with Win 10, that is going to be forever, or at least so MS say.

 

Exactly. Got that right. Check!

 

Quote

Interesting you think this, especially as you have no idea about me, or my knowledge,

 

On this topic, which is all I'm discussing, the level of your knowledge is very clear.

 

Quote

Really, anybody that thinks that it is legitimate that they can buy a few dollar activation key off the web, download Win 10 for free from MS is kidding themselves, if this was the case, then MS might as well just stop selling the software in the way they currently do, because nobody would buy it.

 

Same clueless nonsense. You only need the license to install not to download from M'soft. Go find the link.

Edited March 16, 2018 by JSixpack

[sikishrory]

I took a laptop to a guy in tukcom about a month ago. it had a damaged hard drive and wouldn't boot. I was quite amazed at the simple fix. they test first to make sure but then sold me a hard drive cover. which is basically a case that you insert the hdd into and it turns it into an external had basically. I am guessing the fact that you don't have to boot windows and can just directly view the files inside is why it works. it was 450 baht. then you need a hdd for your laptop. they do second hand for about 900 or about 1300 for new. also starting at 1300 on lazada. they are easy to put in yourself. I ended up just using one from my ps4 and replacing the ps4 one with a 2tb drive so I could fit more games. laptop then only had the 500gb from the playstation but it was old and on its last legs anyway. I had kept the guys business card but have lost it. he was 1 floor down from all the playstation/gaming shops. when you come up the escalator look to the right corner and he is there. that fixes the hdd. for software i bought a copy of windows 7 from another shop in tukcom. yeh not genuine but very cheap. windows 10 is free i believe although you would need to download it.

[Langsuan Man]

23 minutes ago, sikishrory said:

windows 10 is free i believe although you would need to download it.

And that is when Micro$oft will note that it is not genuine, so don't count on a Win10 upgrade 

[Mattd]

54 minutes ago, JSixpack said:

Yes, the fact that it activates and then the software updates normally makes it legit. M'soft wouldn't "pull" that activation because it was legit, it had already "sold" the key, and M'soft wants as many Win 10 users as possible, even gave free upgrades (still possible).

Sorry, but we are going to have to agree to disagree, I still stick to my statement that you are purchasing a product activation key that was most likely licensed elsewhere, it is and not and never will be licensed for the machine you activate it on.

This from the Win 10 license agreement:

 

  Authorized Software and Activation. You are authorized to use this software only if you are properly licensed and the software has been properly activated with a genuine product key or by other authorized method. When you connect to the Internet while using the software, the software will automatically contact Microsoft or its affiliate to conduct activation to associate it with a certain device. You can also activate the software manually by Internet or telephone. In either case, transmission of certain information will occur, and Internet, telephone and SMS service charges may apply. During activation (or reactivation that may be triggered by changes to your device’s components), the software may determine that the installed instance of the software is counterfeit, improperly licensed or includes unauthorized changes. If activation fails, the software will attempt to repair itself by replacing any tampered Microsoft software with genuine Microsoft software. You may also receive reminders to obtain a proper license for the software. Successful activation does not confirm that the software is genuine or properly licensed.

 

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-windows_install/windows-10-oem-keylicense-off-ebay/a90bf3c5-e7c7-45ee-959c-6c5415af4b7d

Edited March 16, 2018 by Mattd

[JSixpack]

2 hours ago, Mattd said:

Sorry, but we are going to have to agree to disagree, I still stick to my statement that you are purchasing a product activation key that was most likely licensed elsewhere, it is and not and never will be licensed for the machine you activate it on.

This from the Win 10 license agreement:

 

  Authorized Software and Activation. You are authorized to use this software only if you are properly licensed and the software has been properly activated with a genuine product key or by other authorized method. When you connect to the Internet while using the software, the software will automatically contact Microsoft or its affiliate to conduct activation to associate it with a certain device. You can also activate the software manually by Internet or telephone. In either case, transmission of certain information will occur, and Internet, telephone and SMS service charges may apply. During activation (or reactivation that may be triggered by changes to your device’s components), the software may determine that the installed instance of the software is counterfeit, improperly licensed or includes unauthorized changes. If activation fails, the software will attempt to repair itself by replacing any tampered Microsoft software with genuine Microsoft software. You may also receive reminders to obtain a proper license for the software. Successful activation does not confirm that the software is genuine or properly licensed.

 

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-windows_install/windows-10-oem-keylicense-off-ebay/a90bf3c5-e7c7-45ee-959c-6c5415af4b7d

 

I think we'll just need to agree that there's just no way you'll be able to overcome the bizarre fixation on "activation key." There're no sellers of "activation keys" and no buyers. Nor is an "activation key" "licensed" in any way. No such thing exists. It's not in the portion of the license agreement you quoted. Therefore there's no such thing as "licensing elsewhere" of an "activation key." That is imaginary. Your reference isn't to official M'soft policy but to an opinion by an employee who's hedging w/ "probably." Do you read the M'soft tech support forums often? 'Nuff said.

 

As you can't understand the process of Windows installation and activation, you aren't qualified to discuss the matter of keys sold online by third-party vendors.

 

Hence I would advise members interested in purchasing online product keys cheaply to pay no attention to your confused posts on the subject. Is an online license worth USD15? Yep, members can decide for themselves.

 

After ignoring my other points--you're welcome to the education; find that download link yet?--you've conveniently misinterpreted the significance of the terms of the license agreement. The product keys sold cheaply by reputable vendors on the net are genuine keys and your using one of them does constitute a proper use of the license--strictly speaking--and so your copy will be properly activated when it contacts M'soft. That your copy is subject to the same rule as the copy for which you paid your THB3900 means doesn't mean your copy isn't properly licensed.

 

And so far out of the thousands of product keys sold cheaply online for the past few years nobody has reported any serious problems. As noted, M'soft wouldn't wish to do that. It's even been lax w/ upgrades of pirated Win 7 copies. M'soft really wants you to use Win 10 for obvious reasons.

 

So, we done? That was fun.

Edited March 16, 2018 by JSixpack

[frodo77]

howtogeek.com explains it all.

[DrTuner]

I do all my IT DIY and use lazada and InvadeIT. Go to youtube and educate yourself. If you get scammed, feel free to hit yourself.

 

What ever you do, do not let the common Somchai within 5 miles of your equipment. Better to throw it in trash yourself. There's a reason Thais don't want to buy second hand anything. They know Somchai was there.

[stanleycoin]

42 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

I do all my IT DIY and use lazada and InvadeIT. Go to youtube and educate yourself. If you get scammed, feel free to hit yourself.

 

What ever you do, do not let the common Somchai within 5 miles of your equipment. Better to throw it in trash yourself. There's a reason Thais don't want to buy second hand anything. They know Somchai was there.

+1 

[franckfranck]

On 3/14/2018 at 1:38 PM, AsiaCheese said:

Try Pattaya2U. They now have two shops - one (again) in Tukcom, I think it's 3rd floor, go straight to the back of the floor when coming off the escalator. The other is close to Tukcom parking - when you're standing in front of Tukcom parking, look 90° right, about 200 meters (corner shop).

 

These guys are really good, no rip-offs, and when they tell you a HD is fried, you can believe them (they've got some pretty good tools).

 

They repair Windows and Mac machines. Got a battery in a 3-year old MacBook air replaced (original parts!) at a dream price. And there's warranty on all they do. If they can't fix it, it's free. Highly recommended (disclaimer: I have no other connection to them aside from being a highly satisfied customer).

Do you know if they repair smartphones too?

[AsiaCheese]

12 hours ago, franckfranck said:

Do you know if they repair smartphones too?

I don't think so (but don't know for sure). There's a pretty competent shop named "FixIt" or something similar on the mobiles floor. When you come off the up-escalator, turn 90° right and go all the way to the side wall.

[giddyup]

On 3/14/2018 at 9:05 PM, jimcarr65 said:

No Question on this one...........Pattaya2U. Me and other residents have used this place countless times with no problems. 

Has anyone used them recently? I took my Acer (eMachines) laptop to them a couple of days ago because it wouldn't turn on. As soon as the guy looked at it he said it would cost 3500 baht to fix. When I balked at the price he immediately reduced it to 3000 baht, said it was a problem with the main board. Knowing no better I left it with them and the next day he rang to say it was fixed. When I collected it I asked what did they do and the guy showed me a piece of plastic around 4X4 inches like a printed circuit that they supposedly had replaced. My fault for not shopping around and getting another couple of quotes, but I have a nasty feeling I might have been ripped off, badly.

[Langsuan Man]

3 hours ago, giddyup said:

My fault for not shopping around and getting another couple of quotes, but I have a nasty feeling I might have been ripped off, badly.

I have used them for over 10 years and I doubt that you were "ripped" off,  any repair place these days is not going to endanger their reputation by cheating a customer, especially as the PC market is dying a slow death 

 

I had them rebuild a LCD monitor for me and at 1,000 THB I would have paid twice that amount since the square monitors are no longer available

 

I would suggest that you take the old part that they gave you and walk around the other repair shops at Tukcom and ask how much they would charge to purchase and replace that part.  I am sure you will be quoted approximately the same amount

[giddyup]

21 minutes ago, Langsuan Man said:

I have used them for over 10 years and I doubt that you were "ripped" off,  any repair place these days is not going to endanger their reputation by cheating a customer, especially as the PC market is dying a slow death 

 

I had them rebuild a LCD monitor for me and at 1,000 THB I would have paid twice that amount since the square monitors are no longer available

 

I would suggest that you take the old part that they gave you and walk around the other repair shops at Tukcom and ask how much they would charge to purchase and replace that part.  I am sure you will be quoted approximately the same amount

I guess I found the immediate 500 baht discount a little suspicious. I didn't actually keep the part (have no idea what it was) they showed me, and of course there is no guarantee that it came from my computer. Of course, when, like me, you have no inkling as to the workings of a computer, it's easy to be suspicious about being overcharged.

[Langsuan Man]

36 minutes ago, giddyup said:

it's easy to be suspicious about being overcharged.

Then you have to ask yourself " was it worth the 3,000 THB to have your laptop back and working in a day " ? 

 

Also knowing that the repairs are guaranteed (which Pattaya2U does)  

[giddyup]

4 minutes ago, Langsuan Man said:

Then you have to ask yourself " was it worth the 3,000 THB to have your laptop back and working in a day " ? 

 

Also knowing that the repairs are guaranteed (which Pattaya2U does)  

Not if it was a 5 minute fix with no new parts it isn't, but I guess I'll never know. He initially only offered me 1 months warranty, only when I pushed him did he change it to 3 months.

[balo]

9 hours ago, giddyup said:

As soon as the guy looked at it he said it would cost 3500 baht to fix.

Did he open the laptop in front of you and looked at the main board before he told you the price ? 

 

Last time I had a problem , was in Chiang Mai and they did not give me a price until 2-3 days later  a technician normally needs some time to locate the problem.  Unless it was just the power IC on the motherboard  that needed to get replaced, it's easy to do. 

 

[giddyup]

2 hours ago, balo said:

Did he open the laptop in front of you and looked at the main board before he told you the price ? 

 

No.

[balo]

Then I suspect he took advantage of you. Essy money for him.

[billd766]

1 hour ago, balo said:

Then I suspect he took advantage of you. Essy money for him.

 

Who really cares.

 

giddyup is happy as his laptop has been repaired at a reasonable price, so why would anyone else care or need to comment.

 

giddyup got what he wanted at a price he was happy with, the fixer did the job and at a fair price.

 

The two people involved were happy with the result.

 

Why should anyone else care?

[KneeDeep]

14 hours ago, billd766 said:

 

Who really cares.

 

giddyup is happy as his laptop has been repaired at a reasonable price, so why would anyone else care or need to comment.

 

giddyup got what he wanted at a price he was happy with, the fixer did the job and at a fair price.

 

The two people involved were happy with the result.

 

Why should anyone else care?

 

giddyup posed the question in the first place;

 

 

So he (or she) really cares. balo was just replying to the query by giving an opinion.

Official ACER service in Chonburi does excellent work at a reasonable price. Starting at 400 baht + V.A.T.

Had them fit a new dual core CPU to a ten, now eleven year old ACER laptop; 400 baht + V.A.T.

Had them fit an SSD to another ten year old device that needed to be totally disassembled in order to do so; 400 baht + V.A.T.

What more the work was done so cleanly, that you would have little to no idea of any work having been done on the machine.

 

The times I had work done on laptops in the past at Tukcom, they broke the casing, on both occasions. In addition, the quotes were over the top.

 

3500 baht quoted off the top of someone's head smells like a rip-off.

If the official service centre charges 400 baht + V.A.T for a strip down, fitting of a new part and reassembly, 3500 baht is patently ridiculous.

 

Here is a typical ACER/eMachines Motherboard;

 

 

Perhaps you can show me a 10 x 10 cm part there that would cost up to 3000 baht to replace.

 

 

 

[KneeDeep]

I should add the the ACER service centre completed the work whilst I waited. 

Power IC chips can cost as little as 50 baht a piece. Capacitors equally inexpensive, so you are paying waaaaaay over the top for labour charges in their made up prices.

If they replaced the whole Motherboard with a refurbished or new piece, then one could justify charging something closer to that amount. But by their own admission, they did not.

The main issue is that giddyup agreed to the 3000 baht price.

 

It's reasonably clear that they quote a price for changing the mainboard/Motherboard, but don't actually swap it, as the real issue is something cheaper to remedy.

The customer is often none the wiser.

 

 

[balo]

I have worked as an IT technician myself so all I can say is 3500 baht for something that looks like a minor job is way too much. Remember laptops today are not expensive . You can get a new motherboard for under 3k.

[DrTuner]

Fairly easy way to check for motherboard price is to go to ebay and plug the model in. Always use a reference outside Thailand, calculate on the local labor prize and start asking around and blacklisting repair shops.

 

More than likely you'll end up in square one: DIY.

[topt]

On 4/28/2018 at 1:33 PM, KneeDeep said:

Had them fit a new dual core CPU to a ten, now eleven year old ACER laptop; 400 baht + V.A.T.

Presumably the actual CPU was a bit more than that?

 

I only query as I have an older Acer 17" laptop (2006/7) languishing in a draw and was told some time ago that it could not be upgraded as the processors were integral or something but this was a techie guy in China. If there was a chance of upgrading it at a reasonable cost I might consider it?

[KneeDeep]

29 minutes ago, topt said:

Presumably the actual CPU was a bit more than that?

 

I only query as I have an older Acer 17" laptop (2006/7) languishing in a draw and was told some time ago that it could not be upgraded as the processors were integral or something but this was a techie guy in China. If there was a chance of upgrading it at a reasonable cost I might consider it?

 

Bought the CPU on eBay for 270 baht. So 698 baht in total.

The original single core CPU was useless when attempting to run Windows 10. The upgraded CPU at least allows programs to run. Won't win any prizes, but at least now a usable machine.

CPU benchmark from 465 to 992.

Device is from Feb.2007.

Post the model number and we'll take a look.