<p>Got a call from son that he was walking with his laptop and holding part of the screen with his hand and now that part of the screen is messed up - almost like smashed pixels. He can still see and use most of the screen except for this one corner. The screen itself is not cracked.</p>
<p>Any ideas of a fix or if it can be fixed??? Computer is 3+ years old - don’t think we had that much warranty on it. Bought it at Costco. He’s going to see if his IT office is open tomorrow or look for a computer repair shop in his college town.</p>
<p>If he squeezed the LCD panel part of the screen too hard, he may have inadvertently damaged part of the LCD panel. If that’s the case, the only fix is an LCD replacement which will be expensive for both the part and labor involved. </p>
<p>If he can cope with using it without doing the repair…either using the screen and/or using an external monitor, that might be the most cost-effective option until he saves up enough to buy a new machine. That is what I’d ultimately recommend considering expense of LCD replacement and age of machine.*</p>
<p>One thing he may end up learning, always hold the laptop by the body…not the screen.</p>
<ul>
<li>I’ve done LCD panel replacements for clients. However, they’re usually corporate/small businesses who require the use of the same laptops due to data/security/standardization of equipment issues.</li>
</ul>
<p>I agree with cobrat.
I closed my laptop not noticing part of the cord was in there & so now it has a couple cracks across the lower corner of the screen.
But it doesn’t appreciably change my ability to use it & it is at least three yrs old.
Unfortunately not worth the cost of making it look brand new again.
Carrying the laptop by the screen is not a good idea.
I agree with having him live with it until he can afford to replace it.</p>
<p>An external monitor might be the best way to go. It’s cracked, just not in a way that your son can see…yet.
Know that some brands are much more prone to screen problems than others and even a slight bump can crack the screen somewhere- and the crack isn’t always obvious either. Because of its age, it’s probably not worth replacing the screen. I’ve learned all of this the hard way- and my eldest works for Microsoft, so it’s the voice of experience!!</p>
<p>And if that’d had happened to one of my laptops and the damage was small enough to enable me to continue using it as is, I’d probably continue to use it until the general hardware’s too slow for my use…even if I had the money to get a new notebook.</p>
<p>I base this on my track record of using computers for 5-8+ years and only replacing them when they got too slow for my professional/personal use or I got newer machines for free or nearly free due to the work I’m in or the free/bargains on CL.</p>
<p>My H dropped a laptop once several years ago, and shortly after it sprouted what became known as the “spot of doom” in the upper left. It wasn’t too big and he learned to work around it, though it gradually grew a little larger. He was able to live with it till the computer as a whole needed replacing (for a couple years). He’d shrink or move the frame when he needed the back button, file, etc. He says it was a big pain.</p>
<p>I did think about the external monitor as an alternative - just a regular monitor you buy for a desktop or is there some other nifty option I don’t know about ??? Also wondered if he hooked his laptop up to his tv screen if that would make the view any better.</p>
<p>He is headed off to a student teaching experience in January in Chicago so I’m thinking the their might be a laptop under the Christmas tree - if he can manage till then…</p>
<p>Most likely the laptop would not have a hdmi connection, it is a very recent addition to the laptop world and you have to pay for it.</p>
<p>The RGB connection is fine, I have to do a lot of rigging to get the sound over to the TV speakers, it is a bit messy, but it can be done. Plugin and Unplug became a chore, nevertheless.</p>
<p>He actually does have a HDMI connection on his laptop and that is what the computer store he stopped at suggested he do! He said they tried it right at the store and it worked perfectly with a clear picture. </p>
<p>I decided to follow up with our extended warranty through Costco and American Express - it appears it MAY still be covered - according to the person we filed a claim with he has to submit an estimate from a computer store of either the repair $ to fix it or a written “estimate” saying it can’t be fixed and American Express will credit us. I’m completely surprised at this and not sure what to “hope” or direct the store to decide. They CAN fix it, but they seemed to indicate with its age that it might not be worthwhile to fix.</p>
<p>If by “fix” they mean repair the original LCD panel, then it can’t be fixed. The entire LCD panel will have to be replaced which if one factors in part and labor costs…will be so much the cost-benefit ratio will favor getting a new machine. Especially if it’s a consumer-grade machine from a bigbox store like Costco or Best Buy.</p>
<p>I’d hope that repair place will say it can’t be repaired and allow AMEX to credit you the amount.</p>
<p>Yes, I agree the LCD screen needs to be changed, but doing so is really not that difficult of a process.</p>
<p>There would be plenty of Youtube videos out there demonstrating how to do it, The most difficult part is there will be small, flat, ribbon cables from the screen to the body of the laptop that need to be connected and are a PAIN to connect. If your student is wary of technology and not the type that takes apart electronic devices to see how they work, he can most likely find another student on campus that has done it before - does he know any computer science or EE majors? Also there most likely is some type of computer assistance on his campus that may help.</p>
<p>Yes, if you go to a repair shop, they will charge a ridiculous amount for labor. Most places will charge $80+ just for touching a system, although this repair would probably only take them 10-15 minutes to do + the cost of the part, the repair would be over $100. If you PM’d me the make/model of laptop, I could give you a specific cost for the replacement screen (or you can just type it into Google or eBay to get an estimate).</p>
<p>Connecting it to an external monitor would work. The problem is with the screen and not the video output, so connecting it to a TV or any other external monitor will work, then the only time the screen issues would be an issue is if the laptop is used in class, etc.</p>
<p>They said with it’s age of 3 years old it might not be worthwhile to fix??? I HATE people in my industry like that!!! A 3 year old laptop has a lot of years left. The one I am currently typing on right now is 12-15 years old. A replacement screen is a $30-50 part depending on the model of laptop and it’s about a 15 minute repair for anyone familiar with removing the screen from the laptop. Unless it’s a REALLY cheap laptop, it most definitely is worthwhile to fix. Years ago I was in a computer store looking for some parts and 2 women came in when their floppy drive wasn’t working and I overheard the clerk tell them that it was an expensive/complicated repair and they would be better replacing their system. He then used the opportunity to show them all the new computers available. A floppy drive was a $10-15 part at the time and is also a 10-15 minute repair. (And I never again purchased anything from that shop as they seemed to be pretty unethical). Also years ago one of the news magazine shows did a segment on competency in computer repair locations. They took a razor blade and made a small slice in a cable running to the hard drive a part valued at a few dollars and then took the system to a variety of computer repair stores - most said the hard drive was bad or that the entire system needed to be replaced…only 1 of the stores they visited actually correctly diagnosed the faulty cable. Like any other industries get recommendations before taking your computer to anyone.</p>
<p>The only REALLY expensive computer/laptop issues that are not worth fixing are motherboard or processor issues.</p>
<p>A 3 year old laptop does have a lot of years left in the rest of the hardware, but unless one knows how to do the laptop screen replacement themselves and the LCD screen is as cheap as you quoted…which isn’t always the case, it will probably end up being a not insignificant portion of the cost of buying a new consumer-line budget notebook typically seen at bigbox stores like Costco or Best Buy. </p>
<p>Moreover, while it may be “easy” for us to do such repairs due to our experience and being meticulous around those ribbon cables/screen, I’ve known too many folks…including CS/CE majors who ended up accidentally destroying the replacement LCD panel, ripping apart the ribbon cables, or seriously damaging other parts of their notebook in the process of an attempted DIY repair…even with the youtube/online documentation. Worse, if the notebook is still covered under a warranty of most types…going the DIY route will void that warranty…especially if it is obvious from the additional damage.</p>
<p>Well yes, if it’ under warranty, then there definitely shouldn’t be an attempt to fix it, but if it’s under warranty then their should either be a demand that the company repair it or replace it.</p>
<p>If it’s not under warranty, then why not try to fix it for $30-50? The other option would be throwing out a perfectly good laptop and purchasing a new one anyway. The worse case scenario is that you break a computer that is already broken? Personally I’d buy the part and find a friend who’d replaced a screen on a laptop or even smartphone before and take the risk that I might be able to avoid buying a new system. (But then again I’m EXCEPTIONALLY frugal)</p>
<p>The ideal scenario if the laptop is still under the AMEX extended warranty coverage is that the repair place deems it “unrepairable”…which is likely from friends’ experience with using such warranties and AMEX refunds them the cost of purchase so the OP can apply that toward the purchase of a new laptop. </p>
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<p>I am also exceptionally frugal for the most part. However, I also run a cost/benefit calculation to see whether the underlying technology/condition of other parts of the notebook is such that the $30-50 isn’t better applied towards saving for a new notebook some time down the line. </p>
<p>Especially considering older notebooks have a higher chance of having subsequent hardware failures…such as an 8 year old budget corporate HP model a friend sent to me to examine only to find the issue is due to a ball-grid array issue with some solder joints on the motherboard and hard drive connector board so not worth the time/effort to repair considering the age/severity of the problem. Friend agreed and opted to replace it with a new notebook rather than bother with a motherboard & hard drive connector board repairs or replacing both boards. </p>
<p>I had a 1998 era Toshiba notebook which still runs well to this day. However, it became too slow for my needs and a friend needed it for basic school/job application stuff so I gave it away to him. </p>
<p>I’ve also sold off/given away all computers greater than 7 years of age as they’re no longer suitable for my needs and I keep getting newer machines for cheap/free because of my line of work.</p>
<p>S was told the replacement screen would be $125ish and then another $40ish for labor - that was just when he took it in for an over the counter look from the store staff - he will go in tomorrow for a formal estimate.</p>
<p>As a non computer fixer person - and my son most definitely is not a fixer either! - I’d much rather go to a trusted shop for repair - I’m thrift too but some jobs to me are worth the “pro” becoming involved .</p>