[plug] Fluid damage to Laptop

[Jonathan Young]

On 9/12/2006, "Gavin Chester" <sales at ecosolutions.com.au> wrote:

>If you care about trying to revive the laptop at all, spend the money at
>Dick Smith, Jaycar or wherever and get a proper PCB cleaner and contact
>cleaner (for all those switches and connectors).  If the laptop is dead,
>then so be it, but if your actions bring it back to life for the $20 you
>paid for the cleaners then you're ahead, aren't you?

Thanks to everyone who offered advice.  I learned quite a lot about what
you can and can't do when it comes to cleaning laptops and can also
apply that knowledge in other situations such as damage to mobile phones
too.

Odds are with this particular laptop that the wine did not make it onto
the mainboard.  The speaker and keyboard (the only two places it got in
it would seem) are reasonably well sealed and the curviture of the unit
meant most of the wine flowed around underneath it while it was slightly
raised off the table.  After 3 days drying out, it should be safe to
boot and continue using... But that is not a risk worth taking on a
$3000+ PC.

So.....

Not wanting to take a chance and have it slowly corrode and fail later
on, I made the decision to book it in with a Toshiba recommended
warranty repairer who are currently stripping it down to boards,
cleaning it thoroughly (using the best methods available) and
reassembling it.  I could have tackled it myself, but would have had to
buy the materials needed.  Also because I RARELY take apart notebooks
and do not know where all the screws, plastic clips etc. are on this
model, I did not want to risk breaking.  I would rather let them take
responsibilty for the repair.

Thus, Portacom are charging $120 for the service, but have promised it
back squeeky clean and good as new.  Unfortunately should the mainboard
fail later there will be no warranty on it because Toshiba will have a
record of the fluid ingression.  On the plus side, there is the a very
good chance that any potential damage will be stopped before it begins. 
I think I have given it the best chance possible by calling in the
professionals in this area.

I will let the list know when it comes back and goes back into service. 
If you don't here about it again after that, you can assume it survived
to a normal age.

Thanks again for all the information - glad I asked!


Jonathan Young
Director of PC-PHIX
jonathan at pcphix.com

Phone: 0410 455 674
Web:  www.pcphix.com