Laptop screen replacement

ChasingButterflies

This morning I dropped my vaio, half the screen was ok (going diagonally across) other half was scrambled.

It fell around 90 cm and landed on the floor now I know the screen is bust - but is there anything else that I could have messed up? i.e. if I find somewhere to have the screen replaced will they find something else that needs fixing? I am trying to weigh up if it is "worth" repairing...

Also would it be ok to turn laptop on*, plug in PC monitor (dell) and then will I be able to see what I am doing so that I can transfer everything on the laptop HD to an external HD? (DD1 had started a project on laptop last night for school and I want to be able to rescue it) * 1st thing I though to do was to shut it down and take battery out?! don't ask me why I was in a state of shock!

No accidental cover on household insurance *rolls eyes* I am normally so careful with things I didn't think we needed it lesson learned.

If there is something I should or shouldn't be doing could someone please advise me? Or if you can recommend a repair place please reply.

tia

exup

could try ebay for a similar laptop that is being sold as "parts"

fwor

ChasingButterflies wrote: »

Also would it be ok to turn laptop on*, plug in PC monitor (dell) and then will I be able to see what I am doing so that I can transfer everything on the laptop HD to an external HD? (DD1 had started a project on laptop last night for school and I want to be able to rescue it) * 1st thing I though to do was to shut it down and take battery out?! don't ask me why I was in a state of shock!

Yes, if it's only the screen, you should be able to connect an external monitor, but you will probably have to press one of the Function keys to enable it - on my Compaq it's F4, but it may be different on a Vaio. The correct key should some vaguely screen-like symbols on it.

If it was turned on at the time, the hard disk may also be damaged. You can use the command line chkdsk utility to test this.

ChasingButterflies

Thanks guys - had a look on ebay but a bit overwhelmed with the number of items returned - none of them match either of the codes (one below screen or the one on the underside of the laptop) I think it is about 3 years old - maybe not quite but thereabouts...

Need to go pick the kids up from school - once they are in bed (and DH is home) we can have a bash at trying to recover what was on Laptop.

Sony are calling be back with a quote for repair - that should be a hair raising experience...

It was on at the time, I had hope that because the screen stayed and it let me shut down it should be ok (the info on the hd) although I am expecting the worst

fwor

ChasingButterflies wrote: »

It was on at the time, I had hope that because the screen stayed and it let me shut down it should be ok (the info on the hd) although I am expecting the worst

The possibility of damage to the HDD is pure lottery. If you're unlucky the heads will have been over a critical part that is used for system data, and it won't boot without further attention. If you're lucky they will have been over some part of the disk that you don't care about.

If you have a Windows installation CD/DVD it would be worth booting from that and running chkdsk from the Recovery console. Beware, the syntax of chkdsk is slightly different there. If you type "chkdsk /?" it should tell you the options available.

Conor_3

To give you an idea of the cost of the repair, I did a Dell about a month ago whose owner had got so sacked off with it, she put her fist through it. I got a refurbished screen from eBay for £110 delivered and it took me under 30 minutes from start to finish to change it over but a fair bit of that time was due to working out how it came to bits.

Andys1

Can you see the liquid actually seeping a little? If it's just corrupt/garbled graphics, there is a small possibility it's actually the screen connector that's become dislodged a little from where it connects to the main board.

ChasingButterflies

Hi again,

It has turned on and started up ok and I have managed to save the project to the external HD :j

I am just trying to get the important "stuff" saved to the HD just some templates and things that make me a little bit more organised. I am not sure if I can copy itunes over but will give it a go. Then DH will try and set up the e-mail for me.

Thanks Conor, DH will have a look for a screen tomorrow that is the sort of figure I would be happy with not the £175 (diagnostics) + £160 to 430 (parts) + vat that sony were quoting - tbh I guess they would be happier with people replacing rather than fixing.

Andys1, there is not a visible crack on the screen (although you can feel the difference) I think I have the liquid seepage (there are a few black areas) The right hand side is white with some lines down it.

I think I was "lucky" with where the impact occurred, I can see most of the screen from the windows start menu up and then across to the right... I can see enough at least to be able to remove what I want to - at least for the time being.

Maybe I should change my screen name to ButterFingers?