disabled professor needs laptop repair

[professor21]

Hi! I am disabled from lung problems and hearing loss and my laptop HP pavilion screen just broke. It shows only black and white areas with a red line. Is it cheaper to get it fixed or buy a used laptop/desktop for 2000baht? I don't have a lot of money, but the laptop is an I7 with a 350GB HDD, maybe it's salvageable at zeer rangsit or fortune town. but all the prices are really high here, is there an ebay site where I could buy from Bangkok and avoid shipping? Thanks very much!!!

[Crossy]

Prof. where are you located?

Zeer would be best for a (possibly used) replacement screen if someone can buzz your machine down there.

[thedemon]

From your description it sounds like the LCD panel is kaput. Was it dropped or did it just suddenly go on the blink? If the latter, it's possible that the problem is caused by a bad connection to the panel. You may be able to diagnose that by squeezing along the bottom edge of the lid (just below the screen). If that changes the colours and lines on the screen or even temporarily resolves the problem then it's likely the problem.

A cheap and easy fix might be to just connect an external monitor to the VGA port on the Pavilion and use it like a desktop.

[professor21]

yes it suddenly stopped working and I pressed the screen and it started flashing grey/black lines. I really need to fix it or buy a laptop for 2000BHT? I'm in Bangkok now, NW of the airport

some people on ebay will ship to Thailand but the cost may be high

I think for the DV4 you can just unscrew the screen and replace it with a new one at zeer. I've heard prices at pangsit are too high

Edited June 23, 2015 by professor21

[KhunHeineken]

From your description it sounds like the LCD panel is kaput. Was it dropped or did it just suddenly go on the blink? If the latter, it's possible that the problem is caused by a bad connection to the panel. You may be able to diagnose that by squeezing along the bottom edge of the lid (just below the screen). If that changes the colours and lines on the screen or even temporarily resolves the problem then it's likely the problem.

A cheap and easy fix might be to just connect an external monitor to the VGA port on the Pavilion and use it like a desktop.

A cheap emergency fix would be for the OP to connect it to the TV in his room. This would save buying a monitor.

[professor21]

I really need the computer for work and study. yeah I'm in the hospital so maybe I'll head over to zeer tonight. I actually don't have a TV in my room but maybe I could move. I think you can just unscrew the screen and remount a new one or used one.

the screen looks like a big fractal, by the way are there interesting mathematics, science lectures in Bangkok?

Edited June 23, 2015 by professor21

[thedemon]

I think you better wait until the morning to go to Zeer since it's almost 9pm in BKK.

Yes replacing the screen looks pretty straightforward:

[Crossy]

Top floor of Zeer are many laptop repair places, talk to any one (they'll find a panel from others).

Negotiate price!!

IIRC that last laptop panel I had done was about 2k all in (new panel, the used price was only slightly less).

Don't bother going before 11.30 AM, they'll all be asleep.

EDIT Also loads of places with used machines too, if it turns out to be beyond economical repair, but you're not going to get much for 2-3k Baht .

[professor21]

I guess I'll see if a screen replacement will work hopefully. I think they are about 40-100 new online...it's terrible to pay internet cafes for internet... so a decent laptop with a dual core or 1GB of ram 1.5GHZ clock speed for 2000-3300 is a good deal?

Edited June 24, 2015 by professor21

[professor21]

I replaced the screen for 1700 BHT with a used one, I think you can't ever drop a laptop bag or you need a cooling pad. I took a bus and a van and these vans are 30BHT. I'm not sure how much life it has left the touchpad is barely working so I got a USB mouse. they were telling me a used PC Is at least 3k, don't go later than 8pm they were all closed at 8:40.

I'm not sure if Thailand pays well for IT, coding, I'm learning Python and have some coursework in mathematics?

Edited June 25, 2015 by professor21

[Crossy]

Great that you got it sorted, and within budget

I've bought a number of used PCs (but never laptops) for various family member's kids. Around 10k (negotiate) gets a usable and fairly modern Dell i7 with monitor, keyboard, rodent and 4Gigs RAM. It will have a hookey copy of W7 but gets a genuine W8 and Office via my MS Partner account.

Result happy kids and happy parents for a relatively low cost

[professor21]

I don't know the used screen already has a line on it....I was looking to buy a computer for around 1500-3000BHT. I heard the Shangri la hotel has some computer dealers outside?

[Crossy]

I don't know the used screen already has a line on it....I was looking to buy a computer for around 1500-3000BHT. I heard the Shangri la hotel has some computer dealers outside?

Did they offer any sort of warranty? If you can live with it I'd leave alone, it's a million times better than it was.

Does the line change if you (gently) flex the screen? Could just be a loose connection that the repair bod could fix in a jiffy.

I know you're on a budget, but a sub-$100 laptop is going to be well into its end-of-life slippery slope, used laptops are like used cars

Time to start saving for a decent replacement whilst this one is still operational.

[professor21]

I don't know the right leg mount for the screen is damaged too and shows a wire. Yeah it seems like you can't really fix laptops easily like desktops which seem to last longer.

http://ark.intel.com/products/43560

By the way so the i7 620 with 6GB ram is going to be faster than buying a core 2 duo or centrino, intel M or pentium 4? I don't know I'm having speed problems on the laptop for study videos. anyway terribly exhausting trip to Rangsit and I couldn't even get a good screen there.

they were telling me prices for used computers are at least 3000BHT? is it true?

Edited June 26, 2015 by professor21

[professor21]

I really don't like the long term quality of the hp dm4, the touchpad has failed too and the speed even with 6gb is slow for internet, the screen mounts also are damaged and aren't durable. and it runs really hot, I think I might need to get thermal paste or a cooling pad to lengthen the life of the machine??? where do I apply the thermal paste

What is the config panel to change startup programs?

[professor21]

and it was just a waste to go to zeer to pay 1700BHT for a messed up screen. I could have gotten the same price at Pantip, but the guy at Zeer was the last one open and said to call him for issues but he didn't reply yet

[professor21]

can I convince the guy at Zeer to fix my screen for free; I think they soldered the wires wrong and I'm getting a completely black screen but it works with an external monitor. what is the cheapest way to get to Zeer Rangsit? or can I get a cheap screen monitor somewhere? I've heard they have some shops near the Shangrila hotel?

[professor21]

can I convince the guy at Zeer to fix my screen for free; I think they soldered the wires wrong and I'm getting a completely black screen but it works with an external monitor. what is the cheapest way to get to Zeer Rangsit? or can I get a cheap screen monitor somewhere? I've heard they have some shops near the Shangrila hotel?

[professor21]

I should have went back to replace the messed up monitor since he was only giving 7day warranty. but the guy was an IDIOT at Zeer and on the laptop repair he opened it up and broke the touch pad. these tape wires are very sensitive and easily broken.

a

where can I buy tape wire parts for my HP DM4? is the thin tape wire at the top left of the keyboard the monitor or the wireless? I think it's at the end of its life the screen failed. they do have dual cores for about 1300BHT at zeer but without monitors or keyboard

[BB1950]

HP/Compac laptop computer parts are usually made in China. You can easily get them from Ali-Express or E-Bay. The cable you're referring to should be about 300 THB.

Google is your friend! Search for "hp dm4 display cable". They easily should be available in the Bangkok area too! Sounds like you just need to go to another shop. The shop you went to doesn't seem to be very good. Those cables are easily damaged.

Heck, I've even seen a complete copy of a HP laptop that was difficult to tell difference between the original! Upon opening it up all the components even had HP component stickers on them!