Korean Job Discussion Forums

gosia · Joined: 10 Jan 2006

The monitor on my laptop suddenly went out. I can still see things, but it's sooo faint that I can't read the text. Anyways, I need to take it in to someone to repair, and I am wondering if anyone knows of a reliable place to take it in.

Thanks

Juregen · Joined: 30 May 2006

I hope you are still under warranty, normally these things are very difficult to repair, because the screen is to much part of the laptop.

They pbbly would prefer to give you a new one then to fix the screen.

pdxsteve · Joined: 29 Sep 2004 Location: Bundang

gosia · Joined: 10 Jan 2006

It is a HP, and I bought it on Yongsan base over three years ago.... I hope I don't have to buy a new one...

johndoe · Joined: 29 Jun 2005

You could check your pm.

It might be a bit expensive since it's 3 yrs. old. Could be...

1.Inverter.
2.Backlight.
3.LCD.

cazador83 · Joined: 28 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

i had the same problem a few months ago.

i'll bet you it's the backlight. you can buy them for like $7 on ebay, but it's very trick to install yourself. it's not recommended unless you know what you're doing.

take it in to yongsan to one of those places and see if they can do it for you.
or google some online walkthrough and try it yourself.

luckily i was in the states when mine happened so i just sent it in to dell.

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

Yongsan station. Take it into the HP service center. They will give you an appraisel and extimate in a matter of minutes. They give excellent service and they speak some English and they speak excellent tech.

If it is something simple like a backlight or inverter you can get it repaired while you wait and it won't cost you an "arm and a leg."

If it is indeed your LCD that is shot, you can get your data put onto a couple of DVDs and toss the box away (it is 3+ years old). The replacement cost of the LCD will approach the cost of replacing the laptop with a slightly newer used model.

A new entry level desktop can be had for 400k (monitor included) and a used laptop can be had for about the same price.

gosia · Joined: 10 Jan 2006

Here is the update on my laptop monitor drama...

Because I seeked out convenience first, I took my laptop to Johnny Computer in Itaewon. It took him two days to figure out what was wrong (the inverter) and he said he would charge me $150. I told him not to do anything and that I was going to take it to the HP service center. He started yelling at me, telling me that it would cost me over $300 there. I said I didn't care and that I was picking up my laptop. He made me sit in his shop for over 2 hours telling me that my laptop was not put together yet. When he realized that I wasn't leaving, he finally gave it to me (it was not in pieces like he claimed, but hidden behind his desk). I then took it to the HP service center where they fixed it in one hour for $31.

Moral of the story....If you have a brand name electronic, it's much faster and cheaper to fix it in the service center. Johnny Computer is a RIP OFF.

If anyone needs directions to the HP service center .... it's in a building called Terminal Sanga on the third floor. If you know where the bootleged DVDs are, then it's the huge glass building on the other side of the parking lot. Great, fast, efficient service...

Thanks to all for your advice...