consultation fees for computer repair

[hungryfriend]

was quoted $40 for consultation and if i agree to repair, $40 will be waived and only charged by parts. is it reasonable?

i was using the lenovo all in one b540 (bought 2.5 years ago) till it gave me the blue green of death and i not sure shld i repair it or buy a new one?

since i dont diy i heard just buy DELL will be good as its relatively cheap and able to fix onsite?

any recommendation? thanks for the help

 

[finalforce]

Problem is just blue screen? What's the error code and how often it happens?

 

[hungryfriend]

Problem is just blue screen? What's the error code and how often it happens?

most of the times it will show "error xxxx (i forgot the number) - operating system not found, press any key to restart" and if i detach and attach my internal hard disk it will somehow work but now it dont work anymore

 

[finalforce]

most of the times it will show "error xxxx (i forgot the number) - operating system not found, press any key to restart" and if i detach and attach my internal hard disk it will somehow work but now it dont work anymore

Online says that is either memory or hdd fail (link). HDD should be very easy to change. Think you should change HDD first and try. I don't know anything about repairing outside.

 

[Fatfool]

Change the HDD but the OS reinstallation is going to be a problem if the image resides on the old HDD (which is now dead)

So check if you have the recovery disk first. If so, buy a new HDD, pull out the old one and replace it. Put in the recovery disk and follow instructions.

Otherwise if you go for the repair place, they might charge you for labour + HDD + OS (OS is very expensive)

You're looking at about say... 100 + 100 + 150.

 

[hungryfriend]

Change the HDD but the OS reinstallation is going to be a problem if the image resides on the old HDD (which is now dead)

So check if you have the recovery disk first. If so, buy a new HDD, pull out the old one and replace it. Put in the recovery disk and follow instructions.

Otherwise if you go for the repair place, they might charge you for labour + HDD + OS (OS is very expensive)

You're looking at about say... 100 + 100 + 150.

i do not have the recovery disk and i read that making my own recovery thumbdrive or disk can be quite complicated

i also feel that i shld buy my own hdd and try but i need to solve the booting up part, any idea where i can buy win7 home premium rec disk?

 

[Fatfool]

i do not have the recovery disk and i read that making my own recovery thumbdrive or disk can be quite complicated

i also feel that i shld buy my own hdd and try but i need to solve the booting up part, any idea where i can buy win7 home premium rec disk?

You can only make your own recovery image if your current drive is working (which it is not of course since the HDD is dead). So this option is out.

You can buy your own HDD but you'll have to buy an OEM or retail copy of windows. (at least 150 if I remember correctly. You might try windows 8 since yours is a touch screen) you cannot buy a Home premium recovery disk unless you go back to the manufacturer (lenovo) where they'll charge you a silly amount anyway.

 

[OngHuatHuat]

i do not have the recovery disk and i read that making my own recovery thumbdrive or disk can be quite complicated

i also feel that i shld buy my own hdd and try but i need to solve the booting up part, any idea where i can buy win7 home premium rec disk?

1. Make a bootable thumbdrive using link from qoo10.
2. Buy product key from the same seller.
3. Reboot. F10. Enter bios. Set the first boot device as flash drive.
4. Install windows.

Dunno if it works. But I know the bootable flash drive can be used. I tried it yesterday.

 

[A-game]

i do not have the recovery disk and i read that making my own recovery thumbdrive or disk can be quite complicated

i also feel that i shld buy my own hdd and try but i need to solve the booting up part, any idea where i can buy win7 home premium rec disk?

Taobao windows 8.1 15rmb, tried and tested

 

[OngHuatHuat]

Taobao windows 8.1 15rmb, tried and tested

Do they allow you to update?

 

[hungryfriend]

1. Make a bootable thumbdrive using link from qoo10.
2. Buy product key from the same seller.
3. Reboot. F10. Enter bios. Set the first boot device as flash drive.
4. Install windows.

Dunno if it works. But I know the bootable flash drive can be used. I tried it yesterday.

can i use back the product key found at the back of the computer?

 

[OngHuatHuat]

can i use back the product key found at the back of the computer?

Maybe can... Never try never know. Just make the bootable flash first.

 

[hungryfriend]

Maybe can... Never try never know. Just make the bootable flash first.

hi i made the flash drive and try to reinstall windows on my com but the system cannot detect any mass storage driver.

can i conclude that my hdd is really spoilt? or some other problem like the motherboard or anything?

thanks

 

[Piezoq]

If you can boot up from the flash drive (or a DVD/CD), the system is intact. Reinstall onto a new HDD or better yet, an SSD. You can use the product key, but you may have problems with the OEM version.

 

[OngHuatHuat]

hi i made the flash drive and try to reinstall windows on my com but the system cannot detect any mass storage driver.

can i conclude that my hdd is really spoilt? or some other problem like the motherboard or anything?

thanks

Press f10, see if they can detect the hdd and ram. If they can detect ram, means hdd spoilt. If cannot detect ram, means ram misplaced or spoilt.

If hdd spoilt, buy new hdd. Use the same bootable flash and product key for installation. Windows oem is tied to motherboard, so as long as you use the same motherboard, it should be fine.

 

[hungryfriend]

Press f10, see if they can detect the hdd and ram. If they can detect ram, means hdd spoilt. If cannot detect ram, means ram misplaced or spoilt.

If hdd spoilt, buy new hdd. Use the same bootable flash and product key for installation. Windows oem is tied to motherboard, so as long as you use the same motherboard, it should be fine.

so from here is it that my ram is ok since its able to detect my 4gd ram but cannot detect my hdd since both sata 2 and 5 is empty?

thanks

 

[OngHuatHuat]

so from here is it that my ram is ok since its able to detect my 4gd ram but cannot detect my hdd since both sata 2 and 5 is empty?

thanks

You mean both hard disks cannot be detected?
if this is the case, you may need to check the connection of hdd?
Think the probability of both spoilt together is quite low.

 

[hungryfriend]

You mean both hard disks cannot be detected?
if this is the case, you may need to check the connection of hdd?
Think the probability of both spoilt together is quite low.

i think i shld have only one hard disk but two partitions c:\ and d:\? no?

how to check for the connection? wiring fault? but shld be quite unlikely?

thanks

 

[OngHuatHuat]

i think i shld have only one hard disk but two partitions c:\ and d:\? no?

how to check for the connection? wiring fault? but shld be quite unlikely?

thanks

If you have only one hard disk drive, I doubt the fault is due to connection. But no harm trying disconnect and reconnect, and reenter bios to see if it can detect. If still cannot detect, most likely hdd fail.

 

[naked123]

no need to buy new OS cdkey. just use back. cdkey is tied to the motherboard not hdd.