Dead laptop: gather 'round techies, need some advice/help

[sellersm]

So, my daughter's laptop, and Asus K53Z is dead. I've tried to diagnose, the best that I can, that it isn't the display, nor the HDD, nor the RAM. I could be wrong, but based on the tests & symptoms (see below), it doesn't seem likely to me.

Symptoms: turns on, fan spins a few times, then shuts right down. My guess is the motherboard is dead. Could it be just the fan? I have seen desktops that do this when the fan's not working right, as the CPU heats up, then shuts itself off...

So, if it IS the MB, would you replace just the MB? I've never replaced a MB in a laptop, how much hair will I lose doing that job?

Opinions? Advice? Suggestions? I don't have a lot of $$$ into this, but I don't have any $$$$ just sitting around doing nothing, either.

Thanks in advance!

[Post Toastie]

Take the laptop and a .45 out to a field. Set up a chair and a camera and record rant about daughter. Near the end of the video, shoot a mag of .45 into the laptop. Post video on youtube. Done.

[LOL]

[sellersm]

Take the laptop and a .45 out to a field. Set up a chair and a camera and record rant about daughter. Near the end of the video, shoot a mag of .45 into the laptop. Post video on youtube. Done.

[LOL]

Hadn't thought of that approach!! Hmmmmmm........

[Zundfolge]

A replacement motherboard is probably going to cost more than half the cost of just replacing the whole laptop (and then there could be other problems ... WHY did the MB die? Is the power supply bad too?).

I'd hunt down an inexpensive laptop (you're in The Springs, so maybe head over to Tech for Less (http://www.techforless.com)). Then get an adapter to adapt the HD in her old laptop to USB (something like this (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3276554&CatId=3770)) and then you can copy her files over to the new machine.

[Post Toastie]

Then get an adapter to adapt the HD in her old laptop to USB (something like this (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3276554&CatId=3770)) and then you can copy her files over to the new machine.

Or, get one of these cases and you can use the HD for backups or large file transfers (I have one and it works well):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182276

[ray1970]

Opinions? Advice? Suggestions?

http://images.yourdictionary.com/images/definitions/lg/hammer.jpg

[kawiracer14]

trash

[Gman]

http://www.atomicarchive.com/History/twocities/nagasaki/images/H21.jpg

[Drucker]

Pull the battery and try another wall powersupply.