View Full Version : Replacing Dell motherboard
I recently purchased a new Dell laptop (1525) for my daughter to take to college. Well, it didn't make it to the end of summer because her boyfriend spilled a drink on it. It was on at the time, and now it won't turn on at all.
Dell advises that it is probably the motherboard and that for $525, up front, I can mail it back to them for repairs. (And before you ask, no, I did not get the accident insurance - what was I thinking??) I asked the IT guy at work about it and he said if I ordered the motherboard he could put it in. However, he is typical IT geek (no offense to anyone :-)) he is nearly impossible to have a conversation with. Soooooo, I found on eBay a Dell 1525 motherboard for $215, but how do I know that it's the right one?? Is every 1525 built on the same motherboard? I do trust that he can install it, but I don't trust that I know what I'm buying.
Any advice at all would be greatly appreciated!!!
Patonb
07-08-2008, 02:26 PM
Yha if the specs are the same it is. I'm not sure of your model, but usually all have 1 motherboard for a few models. So unless its VERY weird, you'll be safe with the ebay one.
I've done this too. It's not hard but alot screws. It'll take him like an hour.. If he remembers to switch the ram that is..........
Okay, just seen the ebay ones, and it claims no onboard video card...... Which is weird cause i didnt think you could take them off..
You might want to ask at the DELL forums...
http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/?category.id=inspiron
Thank you!
I was wondering about the video card, but I didn't know enough to know if that was weird or not.
Fresco
07-08-2008, 05:32 PM
Hi Gigi,
Considering the costs and uncertainty of the different repair options, and the price of new laptops currently, I would be inclined to replace the laptop, and buy a new one, for several reasons.
First, as you mentioned, there are several different versions of the 1525 available, and the parts (including the motherboard) used in the different versions are not interchangeable with one another. That is just the first of many problems that I see with trying to buy a motherboard from a vendor on ebay and having someone put it in for you.
The second possibility, sending it to Dell for $525 is also risky, because you don't know right now what is the extent of the damage that was done to your daughter's laptop. The drink very easily could have damaged other expensive parts, such as the hard drive, memory, wireless adapter, and keyboard, in addition to the motherboard itself. So replacing the motherboard may not even solve your problem. You might end up getting a message from them saying that you need to spend even more money to get it working.
In a case like this, there really are no good options. The only other possibility would be if you bought it with a credit card that gives you automatic insurance for damage, loss or theft for a period of time.
Lewis
07-08-2008, 05:49 PM
Hi Gigi,
Considering the costs and uncertainty of the different repair options, and the price of new laptops currently, I would be inclined to replace the laptop, and buy a new one, for several reasons.
Second.
What was the drink that spilled on the laptop? After the spill the battery needs to be removed immediately, and then the laptop needs to dry out for one or two weeks.
Lewis
07-08-2008, 09:33 PM
What was the drink that spilled on the laptop? After the spill the battery needs to be removed immediately, and then the laptop needs to dry out for one or two weeks.
Indeed, and anything with sugar is a recipe for disaster.
rybread
07-08-2008, 11:10 PM
If you get your computer opened up, there may be a revision number on the motherboard. Typically this same model and year of a computer will use the same motherboard that has interfaces for the optional upgrades. I can't imagine it would be different and if you found a revision number on the motherboard and they match, it's almost guaranteed it's the same one. When you do a BIOS upgrade, it upgrades the chips on the motherboard. There pretty much all the same and I'll bet there was an option for a different video card for your computer, that's why the video card is removable. What fresco says also makes sense about their potentially being other problems but if nothing else got wet, it's probably fine, and this may give you a good opportunity to upgrade your memory just in case anyways. It's really cheap these days.
If worse comes to worse, you can resell the motherboard and any other parts to pay for a new laptop.
I wasn't there, and haven't asked what the drink was, but I would place my bet on it being soda.
Unfortunately, I paid with my debit card, so no credit card insurance (though that would have been a good tip - I even got excited for .5 sec before I remembered I didn't charge it).
My first thought was, in fact, that I would have to just buy a new one. I was just so incredibly bummed about that. Not to get into a big thing, but for some reason this hit me emotionally. I left my husband two years ago, he makes substantially more than I do, and I carefully allocated my tax refund so I could do this for her, even upgrading memory and stuff so she would really have what she needed for the whole four years - so I feel like I've been punched in the gut. No harm intended, of course, and it wasn't even her that did it, but it just hurts. (Boyfriend nobly offered to pay, but sadly has no job at the moment, so that is a bit of a vain offer just now.)
However, after looking around eBay, I am wondering if selling it off chop shop style might not put me well on my way to a replacement. In fact, if it goes well, I'm hoping to start a new eBay business buying new laptops and selling them off piece by piece for a profit! Mostly kidding, but seriously, it has a perfect screen and probably many other parts that would be marketable to the right person.
Last question to ponder - if I just start over, does she deserve an equal replacement? Does she deserve a replacement at all? Not her spill, but it was under her care, custody and control. I want her to have a new one, but is that the best mom move in the situation? Dunno....
Thanks guys, for the ideas and for someone to bounce it off of!
trainman
07-09-2008, 04:00 PM
I agree that their may be other problems than the motherboard, especially if it was pop as you suspect. If your IT guy can take a look, he may be able to tell you.
If you're concerned about your daughter, and find that only the board is the trouble, have her buy the ebay one. Having, for her, a good chunk of money into it may make her be more careful.
Patonb
07-09-2008, 04:48 PM
Last question to ponder - if I just start over, does she deserve an equal replacement? Does she deserve a replacement at all? Not her spill, but it was under her care, custody and control. I want her to have a new one, but is that the best mom move in the situation? Dunno....
Thanks guys, for the ideas and for someone to bounce it off of!
Honestly, any system is more than enough for university/collage.. okay unless shes graphic design stuff.
Re the b/f.. No job doesn't mean he can't spare 5 or 10 bucks a week on it.. and your daughter the other half.
What you can do, is buy the inexpensive 1525, and swap parts..... It'll void the warrenty though if its processors, unless all you upgrade was ram which will be fine. However, theres a killer deal omn at dell right now of 350 off, bringing it to 650.
It looks like the LCD screen (http://www.screentekinc.com/search-lcd-screen.shtml?lcds_product=Dell+laptop+1525) is worth around $295. If you are comfortable with eBay, sell the monitor and put the money towards a new laptop.
You may want to consider having the boyfriend pay for the accidental policy insurance. Bottom-Line: it was an unfortunate accident.
Good luck.
Hey, I like that idea, have him pay for the accidental insurance on the new one. That way going forward we are covered.
Yeh, the more I think about it, I think starting over and selling the parts is the way to go. There are so many ifs in trying to repair it - finding more wrong after replacing the motherboard, etc. I paid $875, Dell wants $525 to fix, making the differnence between new and repaired $350. And once I send it to Dell they could find more wrong, costing even more. So, fingers crossed that I can get $350 out of the parts!