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Sorry I misunderstood. Reason is, it happened to me! I accepted a laptop in exchange for some work and it turned out to need a new screen, which cost 1/2 of the retail price of a newer model.
I do not know what country you live in, but in my country (UK) there are many repair companies that will give an estimate of repair costs. Often there will be a charge for this if you decide not to go ahead. Here are some advisory remarks from one such company
Repairs
The first stage in any repair is to decide whether you need to send the machine to us, or whether you can resolve the problem yourself.
Laptop Screen Repairs..
If your screen is smashed or damaged it will obviously require replacement, but if it has failed it may not, there are a number of other (and usually cheaper) components that can cause a screen to fail or to go very dark. Simply ordering a new screen will not necessarily resolve the problem, so we would advise sending the machine in for repair.
Unlike many laptop parts screen parts are very often interchangeable between models and brands. A screen used in a Dell, for example, may also be used in a Compaq or a Sony. We hold large stocks of new and used screens and machines for spares, and it is often cheaper to send the laptop in for repair, rather than to attempt the repair yourself, as we can select an alternative replacement panel. Once we receive the machine we will be able to give you an accurate price for repair.
Keyboard, hard drive and removable module repairs..
Most customers find that they can replace these parts themselves without difficulty. If you have ordered a keyboard, or hard drive, and need advice fitting it please email or call. If you are telephoning please have the machine and part in front of you when you call!
If you are not sure whether you can fit the component and need advice before ordering again please email or call.
Mainboard, power and other internal repairs..
These tend to fall into two categories. The first is machines that simply refuse to turn on, the second is machines that start but behave erratically or fail.
If your machine will not start there a couple of things to try before sending the machine in for repair. the first is to remove the battery and removable optical (i.e. CDROM) drives and establish if the machine will boot from mains power, a number of laptops will not boot with a failed battery fitted, for example. As a final test you may also wish to remove the hard drive and see if the machine powers up.
If your machine runs erratically it may have either a software or hardware problem. Please contact us for advice.
If you have established that the machine needs repair please contact us to establish whether a repair is possible. Internal components are usually unique to a range or even a single model of machine, we will be able to give you some idea of likely cost and availability of spares.
That particular firm says
If you decide not to go ahead with the repair once we have estimated the cost or we are unable to repair it we will charge a Ł35+VAT handling and postage fee to return your laptop via insured courier.
That is around $70 US + 17.5% tax = $82 roughly. Obviously if you took it to a local company there would be no postage fee.
I suggest you use Google or Yellow pages and contact a few local companies to get an idea of what service they provide.
On m'a dit que je suis nul ŕ l'oral, que je n'peux pas mieux faire !
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 20. April 2007 @ 00:15
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