dead laptop

Been in R.P. couple years now, My Toshiba finally died. So my choice is buy a new one or fix it.

I have a choice to fix an older celeron laptop which probably needs a new MB or possibly ram OR to buy a new one. Can't imagine what the cost of new MB replacement would be, probably not worth it?

In checking with the various shops their so-called "warranty" involves sending a broken unit out to cebu or manila which could take a month (maybe longer?) to fix. Not a good warranty at all. How long have you had to wait?

My questions are: What do local shops charge to give an estimate on repairs? I am getting one long beep and two short beeps on startup and brief ok screen that disappears in a minute or two soon as the laptop starts to warm up. A knowledgeable tech should know immediately the problem, but my understanding is there are few knowledgeable techs here in Dumaguete with many incompetents mixed in?

What has been your experience with turn around time on laptop repairs, either new under warranty or used?

Are there any shops with reasonable prices on used laptops that give a warranty? Since the warranty for new kinda sucks, might consider used. For new I probably will only consider asus or toshiba, which have the best repair/service records (they all are pretty bad). BTW if anyone here replies with I have a used unit for you, the price had better be good and you better have complete specs or I won't answer. ;-) Thanks.

 

Laptop repair,second floor Robinson Mall..Estimate 400,repair 1500...Miguel

 

PCDoc is one of the members here. I have used her successfully in the past, but not on a totalled computer. She will come to your house.
@PCDoc

 

I have ha good service from Algorithm. I can't remember their charge out rates but they were reasonable.
Algorithum is about 100 meters north on Changs on the north national highway (same side of the road).

 

Hi! notanewbie,

One long beep and two short beeps on startup may be video failure, which may require MB replacement depending on the unit. Also depending on the age of the laptop and where it was purchased, a MB replacement may be too expensive for the value of the laptop.

We stop at Robinsons or downtown several times a week. We could meet you at McDonald's or Robinson's and if you bring your laptop we may be able to look at it and give you an idea of what it will take.

If you'd rather take it to a shop, they should be able to give you a diagnosis and estimate for not a whole lot.

You can google laptop repair dumaguete and my website should be near the top. Contact info is there. You may also be able look at my member profile here to get the info.

I would not recommend buying a used laptop here unless from someone you know and you know it has been cared for.

Regards,
Yolly

 

I will second that - Yolly is pretty amazing and their customer service is the best in town. They have done two jobs for us - one of them a complicated tear down and video card replacement on a high-end gaming laptop. Provided photos of all the work as she was doing it and helped us find where to get a replacement video card on Hong Kong Ebay.

First rate!

Sounds like a video card failure which requires a new MB. You'd be better off with a new system. Check out Lazada dot com. They sometimes have specials on decent laptops and you can get a good deal. And I wouldn't buy used here either - unless (like PCDoc noted) you know the seller very well.

 

Thanks for your reply, Yolly.

Funny thing is I have spoken to about 5 so called computer techs here in Dumaguete and none of them had an idea of what was wrong with it.

Apparently they don't know beep codes for Toshiba computers. The bios is Phoenix but have read that Toshiba has it's own set of bios beep codes.

A tech that does a lot of work on Toshibas should know immediately how to diagnose the problem. I was told by Ace Logic that they were unable to determine if it was the motherboard, they have no way of diagnosing it. A tech at the big shop in Robinsons mall also gave me a big spiel that showed he really does not have a clue.

Real shortage of qualified techs in this town, no suprise for a town of 140K or so. Yes, it could be the motherboard, but until I find a tech that has the skill, knowledge and equipment to definitively diagnose such problems no sense even risking giving him my laptop to mess with. Did find one guy who claims he does not charge if he cannot fix it, so that was refreshing. Probably just buy a new laptop with one of the "no warranty" warranties being offered. Send it out and wait till hell freezes over to get it back, if ever?
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Thanks, I took a cursory look at their website. No physical address, only a phone number and email. That could be trouble especially as I am trying to avoid customs. If they are in Manila, ok, but another country, probably not. What has been your direct experience with them?
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This was a question I had as well. They CLAIM that they pay both ways, but could offer not comment on "what if it gets damaged in shipping or lost"?
Also estimates for turn around time varied from one month or longer. IOW, no real warranty if you need to have your computer any time soon.
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I went to this shop the second or third week I was here. The owner or the name of the guy recommended on this board (cannot recall on top of my head) refused to come talk to me in person and was told he was too busy. Haven't been back since and he lost a few orders to Ace Logic since then.