What are the options? New laptop (that would be nice $$$),
send the laptop to Dell for repair ($$$),
take it down to a local repair shop who would have to order a new hinge ($$),
or order the parts ourselves and take it on ($).
Have we ever taken a computer apart? No!
Do we realize what one static spark could do to the laptop? Yes!
But, heck, we have to give it a try. If we couldn't figure it out we could take all the pieces down to a PC repair shop and have them put it back together.
So ordered the hinge online. Then downloaded a zillion instructions from Dell on replacing different parts of the laptop. None of them hinges. But you kind of had to work around the hinges to replace other parts.
Hinges arrived. 2 shots of hard stuff to get up enough nerve to take this on.
DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING BEFORE GROUNDING.
Off comes the CD drive,
DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING BEFORE GROUNDING.
the hard drive,
DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING BEFORE GROUNDING.
the memory,
DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING BEFORE GROUNDING.
the control bar,
DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING BEFORE GROUNDING.
the display.
DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING BEFORE GROUNDING.
Next off with the display bezel and it's 8 screws and 18 snaps.
DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING BEFORE GROUNDING.
Take out the old hinges, one by one.
Argh! We can't get the new hinges to move by hand. Will they work?
Replace with the new hinge. Hmm! Seems to move as it should. Whew!
Display bezel, 18 snaps, and 8 screws back on. Don't strip the screws.
DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING BEFORE GROUNDING.
Display reinstalled
DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING BEFORE GROUNDING.
Control bar reinstalled
DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING BEFORE GROUNDING.
Memory reinstalled
DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING BEFORE GROUNDING.
Of course, we forgot.
Don't touch the connectors.
And, of course, we did.
DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING BEFORE GROUNDING.
Hard drive reinstalled
DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING BEFORE GROUNDING.
CD drive reinstalled
DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING BEFORE GROUNDING.
And....
TA DA! No screws left over, hinge works, hard drive, CD, and computer work!!! Good to go!
Experts in computer repair. Have Screwdriver will Travel!
Ha! Not!
