On / Off - CAPUT

[bobm]

My computer decided to not co-operate by breaking it's on/ off button . My wife took it to a large computer store to have it repaired. She had to leave it as it was close to closing time until next day when she could come in in the late afternoon to see what it would cost to have it repaired. They quoted $299 plus tax. She brought it home. Next day I took it to a specialty computer shop, one look and the guy said that it would take 7 hours of labor plus $35 for the on/ off switch + anything else that they may find. total of @ $259. I took it to another small computer shop... the guy immediately took the back panel off, took out a small appliance that looked like a pen , placed the fine point of the "pen" on the plastic of the switch , which heated the plastic to it's melting point then switched sides and turned on a "light" that made the plastic get hard. Tested the switch... put the back back on... walla... 20 minutes later and $ 29 the computer works. HOWEVER ... the first store returned the wrong charging cable to my wife, so now I have to go back to the original store to get the right one back. Guess who is NOT doing any business with the other two stores ?

 

[flowerbug]

you're lucky to have any computer
stores around that will do anything
at all.

easiest solution would be to take out
switch, solder wires together, use a
plug with a switch in it... plastic sux.
will eventually fail again. use wall
plug switch from now on IMO.

 

[aftermidnight]

My computer decided to not co-operate by breaking it's on/ off button . My wife took it to a large computer store to have it repaired. She had to leave it as it was close to closing time until next day when she could come in in the late afternoon to see what it would cost to have it repaired. They quoted $299 plus tax. She brought it home. Next day I took it to a specialty computer shop, one look and the guy said that it would take 7 hours of labor plus $35 for the on/ off switch + anything else that they may find. total of @ $259. I took it to another small computer shop... the guy immediately took the back panel off, took out a small appliance that looked like a pen , placed the fine point of the "pen" on the plastic of the switch , which heated the plastic to it's melting point then switched sides and turned on a "light" that made the plastic get hard. Tested the switch... put the back back on... walla... 20 minutes later and $ 29 the computer works. HOWEVER ... the first store returned the wrong charging cable to my wife, so now I have to go back to the original store to get the right one back. Guess who is NOT doing any business with the other two stores ?

A good example of why one should shop around, unbelievable.

Annette

 

[majorcatfish]

heck my first guess would have been the power supply.... good for you

 

[bobm]

you're lucky to have any computer
stores around that will do anything
at all.

easiest solution would be to take out
switch, solder wires together, use a
plug with a switch in it... plastic sux.
will eventually fail again. use wall
plug switch from now on IMO.

Your solution would apply in the days of old ( like -- day before yesterday ) ...NO real switch, only a contact point in plastic, No wires -just printed circuit boards. You need an new type of fine point "pen" to heat the plastic to melt , then shine a special light wave to harden the plastic to reattach the contact point. Us backyard shade -tree jack of all trades fixer-upers are rapidly engineered out of actually doing anything at all. Progress or a way to get into your wallet ?

 

[baymule]

planned obolescence

 

[catjac1975]

My computer decided to not co-operate by breaking it's on/ off button . My wife took it to a large computer store to have it repaired. She had to leave it as it was close to closing time until next day when she could come in in the late afternoon to see what it would cost to have it repaired. They quoted $299 plus tax. She brought it home. Next day I took it to a specialty computer shop, one look and the guy said that it would take 7 hours of labor plus $35 for the on/ off switch + anything else that they may find. total of @ $259. I took it to another small computer shop... the guy immediately took the back panel off, took out a small appliance that looked like a pen , placed the fine point of the "pen" on the plastic of the switch , which heated the plastic to it's melting point then switched sides and turned on a "light" that made the plastic get hard. Tested the switch... put the back back on... walla... 20 minutes later and $ 29 the computer works. HOWEVER ... the first store returned the wrong charging cable to my wife, so now I have to go back to the original store to get the right one back. Guess who is NOT doing any business with the other two stores ?

The difference besides price is the last guy actually knew how to "fix" things. The others knew how to replace units.

 

[digitS']

Sounds like the switch on my vacuum cleaner.

A couple months ago, I felt that there was little hope but I pulled apart the handle. The problem was one plastic post had to line up with another plastic post. There was too much "play" in the external button! It was like getting a drunk to touch his nose with a finger.

I could probably fix it by gluing a cap on one of the posts to enlarge the surface area. I can't think of anything small enuf - it would need to be much smaller than a tire valve cap. Might work with a bead. Patience and repeated taps turns it on or off. At least, it wasn't an electrical problem.

Steve

 

[flowerbug]

lol, yah! this pc is 14yrs old and due to be replaced as soon as i can decide on something and order it... considering it is a hand me down from my brother it has been worth every penny i spent on it (replaced mobo a few years back and some added memory). dvd player doesn't work any more, sound card is from previous machine and is nearly 20yrs old, snipped some wires to a fan that was making too much noise in the power supply, other fan still working so far, etc... it's due... barely can play vids from youtube even on slow speed.

my power supply went many years ago and i took the machine to a then local shop. i clearly told the guy that it was sparking and smoking and he still insisted on plugging in some high tech gadget to it and then plugged in the wall socket. then of course things lit up and smoked and he rapidly unplugged it. gave me a look... um... not my fault... he had an old spare power supply that fit so i came back with that installed and then after a few months pulled a different one out of the junkpile in the closet and replaced it.

um, where was i? oh yeah, wires, plastic, splice, melty goodness... i'd be in trouble for sure.

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

Wow. Just wow...