To sit down in front of a laptop computer, a model you have never worked on before, and to attempt to figure out how you are going to dismantle it, and then put it all back together again, can be a little unsettling. This is the scenario I have faced many times when my diagnosis have led me to the fact that the laptop in question does indeed need a new motherboard. The motherboard going bad in a laptop is not an extremely unusual occurrence, but it is going to be one of the most expensive hardware repairs that a laptop owner can face.
I always recommend that the owner of the laptop stop and weigh out the options. Is the cost of the repair, (parts and labor), going to be more than a new, used or refurbished replacement laptop would cost? If the repair cost is less than the cost of a new laptop, how much less is it? Is the difference worth taking a chance on the old one? Maybe the laptop, with a new motherboard, will last for several more years. Maybe after the motherboard is replaced a stick of RAM or something else decides to go bad, and a sense of a money vacuum sets in. Ultimately it is up to the owner of the laptop to decide on how to proceed.
In my experience, if the laptop is not all that old and otherwise functions properly, then the cost of parts and labor is just a fact of life and would ultimately wind up being the most economical way to go. I do like to mention also that a new laptop will come with a warranty of usually at least a year. This helps put a stop to the potential money vacuum of repairs, but new laptops can have motherboards go bad also. Then there is the cost of time that it takes for the laptop to be repaired under warranty.
Parts going bad are just a fact of life. It happens in vehicles, home appliances, audio video equipment and computers. Laptops do not sit nice and stationary like a desktop computer does. Laptop cases are built to be quite sturdy from the outside. They are taken into many different environments and often tossed around slightly, but they are designed to be treated this way to a point. Although there are no moving mechanical parts in a laptop, other than fans and drives, the design of the circuitry on a motherboard is actually rather sensitive to heat and power fluctuations.
It is a good idea to keep laptop computers free of dust as much as possible. You should especially make it a point to keep the vent areas of the case that cover the laptop fans free of any form of dust or blockage. A vacuum or even a can of compressed air are adequate for keeping this area free of dust. Only use the proper rated power adapter for the laptop. Be weary of unstable power sources or plugging the laptop into an already over crowded power strip if possible. These simple tips will help to prolong the lifespan of your laptop computer.
Toby Barns is a computer and networking consultant with over ten years experience as an independent representative of many major computer manufactures and retailers. Toby has worked in tech support call centers, led teams of advanced technicians in the computer manufacturing industry, done consulting for retail computer outlets, and as a field representative for many major computer warranty service providers.
Toby is pleased to currently be part of the team at http://priceit.biz
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