# Potential repair question:



## Highlander II (Jun 15, 2008)

So, small child-like persons dropped a laptop and seemed to have broken the CD/DVD tray / entire CD/DVD drive out of it.  It's an Acer something-old-ish (I don't have specs b/c I don't have it with me).

Thus, the question is:  is it possible to replace the CD/DVD drive and how complex is such an operation on a laptop?

Okay, I'm sure it *is* possible to do it, obviously, thus maybe the question should be -  is this a 'DIY' type job, or should a 'pro' take this one on?


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## Overread (Jun 15, 2008)

with laptop repaires is almost always best for a pro repaire - infact some shops simply won't repaire them and send them direct to the manufacturer.
It should not be too hard to fix the problem and should be less than the value of the laptop (but check around and see anyway)


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## mosaix (Jun 15, 2008)

The first question is can you source a replacement part? 

If it's old, like you say, then this may be difficult. On the other hand I once went onto e-bay to try and get a new battery for a much loved Dell laptop, only to find I could get an entire, identical replacement laptop for very little more than I was prepared to pay for a new battery. 

But, to be honest, laptops are much harder to work on than desktops fro a DIY point of view.


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## The Ace (Jun 15, 2008)

The drives on these things are a standard type, and you could probably pick one up on ebay quite cheaply.  Whether it works is another matter.

Although technically fairly straightforward, this is not something an inexperienced user should attempt.  I'd suggest you get a few repair quotes and compare them to the price of new laptops, you may be surprised how small the difference is.


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## Highlander II (Jun 16, 2008)

It's my dad's laptop and he's done things like install drives on desktops before - not sure he's done much with the laptop though.  

But, yeah, that whole 'finding a replacement part' bit is the complicated question.  

Thanx!


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## TheEndIsNigh (Jun 16, 2008)

Maybe easier to get an external usb DVD. Might be cheaper in the long run and you don't loose the machine for six weeks. Also is it insured?


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## Overread (Jun 16, 2008)

desktops are easy to change as they are modular by design whilst a laptop (whilst also being modular) is also compact so there is very very little room for error.
And don't get too hung up on getting the same model of drive - a more modern one might be just as well suited, but check with a repaire place first before getting it - not hardware compatability but more space in the laptop itself to put the drive


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## Lenny (Jun 16, 2008)

The best ideas in the thread so far are get it fixed by the professionals, or get an external USB drive. I've got an external drive because my motherboard has a fatal flaw, and it works fine. Faster than the drive in my computer, in fact. 

Price wise, an external drive costs between £30 and £40, whereas fixing the laptop could easily be a couple of hundred pounds (oh wait, your in America, yes? Just double everything I've said).


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## Highlander II (Jun 16, 2008)

Yeah - I'm pretty good w/ the GBP to USD conversions.   You can speak in GBP. *g*

The external drive thing usually goes okay - had to do that with my old desktop b/c the CD drive died, but I needed to pull data from it... (or install stuff).

That may be the best way to go.


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## Erin99 (Jun 16, 2008)

Yes, if you're not sure what type of replacement to buy, get someone else to fix it. Also, I've replaced an Acer CD drive for a DVD-RW and one thing that disappointed me, even though the laptop's owner didn't mind, was that Acer had designed their lappys in such a way that a standard drive didn't look unnoticeable. Their machines have curvy edges, and standard drives are flat, so they stand out. And there's no way of removing the curvy part from the old drive and attaching it to the new one either... 

That's one of the many reasons I hate Acer. That, and their machines die...


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## Overread (Jun 16, 2008)

*hugs his Acer motherboard and graphics card*
don't listen to the evil loopy cat -


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## Erin99 (Jun 16, 2008)

LOLOLOL! You made me start coughing 


Acer PC's are probably quite good. I dunno. But I do know they make rubbish laptops, even if they are super cheap. I've known two Acer laptops; I've known two dead Acer laptops shortly after.


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## Overread (Jun 16, 2008)

must me - I heard very good things about their PC components - but then again they could be one of those companies that make very good top end and very bad low end kit - leading to a big divide in overall quality *sigma lenses are like that a bit *


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## Erin99 (Jun 17, 2008)

One thing I forgot to say - with external drives of the DVD/CD type, you usually have to have an external power supply, which means you lose the portability of your laptop if you also have to drag around an external DVD drive and its power supply...


Just a thought.


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## Highlander II (Jun 17, 2008)

Yeah, there is that.  But it doesn't seem to get 'ported' around all that much.  Up and down the stairs from time to time, but that's about it.  On trips where it would mostly sit in the hotel room, that kind of thing.  So, the portable drive would still be functional, just cumbersome.


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## Erin99 (Jun 17, 2008)

Well, sounds perfect then.  Before you buy one, just check that the internal CD drive can't be held back in place somehow. Maybe it just needs pushing back in until the connections meetup again, or perhaps the screws (there are usually two in Acer laptops, one holding the upper end of the drive in place, and one holding the end in) haven't snapped part of the casing, or anything simple like that.


Although you've probably checked already, in which case I'm stating the obvious. I always seem to do that. 

Anyway, it's my bedtime, so I must depart. Adios!


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## Highlander II (Jun 17, 2008)

I haven't checked anything on it - but dad might have. 

That '8hrs of work' thing got all in the way.


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