Laptop screwed. What to do?
2.5-3 year old Toshiba Satellite A-300. Tried to burn discs, fail. Tried to install Windows 7, fail. Had another issue of windows freezing as well. I am into the shop for $120 so far and just got a call. New DVD drive $260 + tax + labour. It looks like the effer will run me $500 to get fixed.
WTF do I do? The thing isn't even a full 3 years old. I paid 999+tx for it.
The fix is half the price of a new one. If I refuse the work and just get a new one, this thing won't be sellable with a busted dvd drive.
very confused.
Won't be back until 5 am to read any replies but I'd love to get some opinions from you.
WTF do I do? The thing isn't even a full 3 years old. I paid 999+tx for it.
The fix is half the price of a new one. If I refuse the work and just get a new one, this thing won't be sellable with a busted dvd drive.
very confused.
Won't be back until 5 am to read any replies but I'd love to get some opinions from you.
Comments
He'll set you up with a new one for a decent price.
Spending half for repair is too much imo.
i wonder if you can install windows off an external dvd player, this would solve things
anyways many electronics are made to put you in this position, printers are the worst as they give you half and ink cartridge free with purchase and when you go to buy ink its 45 dollars and a new printer (with half ink) is 80
I won't post my resume here but I have an advance computer science degree and decades of work experience.
Don't fix the integrated DVD.
Get a usb dvd really cheap.
Use the usb dvd drive.
Get a ATI Radeon 5xxx series video card. It supports 3 monitors.
Bytecc BT-300 USB 2.0 to IDE/SATA Adapter, Works with 2.5", 3.5" HDD, 5.25" CD/DVD Drive and SATA Drives | Canada Computers
Option b) is to make sure new laptop has an extra drive bay. Just remove the old one and add it to the new machine.
When it was dropped off, the wireless worked and the drive did at least spin enough to play a movie on. Hell, even the tech guy said HE played a full movie on it and also burned a disc (however, no files showed up on the burned disc) but it was at least, operational.
Dropped it back off, will hear more tomorrow. Not liking this...
this sounds like either a software issue or a misaligned part....
Just razzin on ya Reef..
I also just bought a laptop for $399.00 and it works fine. I can't 12 table on it but I don't know if I could 12 table on anything.
Carting around an external dvd drive is out of the question for me. It's a pain in the ass and takes up more space.
Lots of advice to just get a new one which begs the question, what brands do I absolutely need to steer clear of?
do you know for sure that this isn't a software (firmware?) or os issue?
just make sure to get a warranty that thats as long as you will keep or sell it, they're all made like crap, and the warranty's cost a little extra but the salesman will usually give you a deal on something else as they'll be happy about the commission on the warranty
QFT
Nothing is proprietary any more. They all use the same parts internally, and by the same, I mean the cheapest possible.
Fail. You just need the adapter in the link above. It comes with a power supply.
I have this one but the link above is a few bux cheaper.
Buy the Ultra USB 2.0 to IDE/SATA Cable Adapter at TigerDirect.ca
Sorry Moose but he said a SATA drive in his first post then ANCIENT IDE drive in the second so how was I supposed to know he meant IDE?
Secondly, these adapters are notoriously flaky, I would never trust any important data to this method of transfer. Too high a risk of corrupted data.
So much of this el cheapo electronic gadgetry from 3rd world countries is just that, el cheapo, so forget your "Fail" statements until you know of what you speak. You are not an expert on "everything" you know...;)
My old IDE drive has been sitting on my desk running flawlessly for over 8 months. My latest computer couldn't even connect to IDE anymore so I was forced to try one of these things. These cables are the bomb. I've never seen a more useful piece of computer equipment. I can pull any kind of hard drive out of any computer and plug it in with this thing. A must have device.
YMMV, Do what you want... You forget I live this stuff every day...