1
I recently got a job (1.5weeks in) as a 'laptop/component repair tech' in a small shop and I'm in over my head. I've replaced/re-soldered AC/audio jacks before and can strip down a laptop to diagnose components but not much beyond that (did one solder reflow in my oven). The tools they had there were an old school multimeter, solder, iron. I brought a desolder pump, capacitance meter, copper braid.
Last two machines (both Toshiba satellites weirdly) I got were like this:
No power, no lights. Stripped down didn't help. Adaptor OK, AC jack OK, Fuses were all ok. Visual inspection gives me nothing (Burned northbridge or some such would be noticeable)
From there where do I go? I guessed it needed a reflow since I didn't have any other brilliant ideas. I haven't been able to find schematics for many boards either which would help (I could check the power IC possibly?).
If anyone here is familiar with this type of work I'd really appreciate talking you for as much as you'll have me. I like the work and I am learning a lot but I'm probably going to lose my job soon, and I'm not sure what resources I can learn from (other techs there can't even solder... had no idea what a de-solder pump was).
2I'm not familiar with this kind of work on the level you're doing it, here, but I can tell you schematics for proprietary laptop motherboards are going to be hell to come by. I don't know of anybody who seriously does the sort of stuff you're talking about in the interest of laptop repair. Even if it WAS something like a burnt northbridge that you can localize and (potentially) replace...nobody does that. You just purchase a working replacement motherboard. – Shinrai – 2010-10-22T22:57:39.697
It IS done. But generally they have a rework + reflow station afaik. Buuuuut the guy before me apparently had a >80% success rate with the same tools I have. He left for a different job and I'm stepping into this freak's giant shoes. Which makes it a bit daunting. When there were no laptops to repair he fixed random dead components left in the shop... like sticks of ram or inverter boards. I wouldn't be shocked if the dude made his own resistors from bits of scrap he found in the shop. – Ambiwlans – 2010-10-22T23:56:10.807