Laptop dropped-broken screen??

[GSB Ice Man]

My 1 year old daughter dropped my Dell laptop this morning, and it looks like broken white glass when turned on.

I talked to a friend and he said it was probably just the screen because the computor turns on and off.

I tried hooking it up to an old pc monitor, but nothing works that way.

Do you guys think it is more than the screen?

Any suggestions?

[delcecchi]

dropping can be hard on disk drives. Was it running when dropped?

[GSB Ice Man]

It was closed and plugged in, she pulled on the charging cord.

[GSB Ice Man]

UPDATE:

I was able to hook the laptop to my TV and use the tv for a monitor. The wife was telling me to press the F8 key, but then she realized it is F1 on the Dell.

I am thinking now it is just a screen needing replacement, any idea of what they cost??

Thanks

[upnorth]

Can come close the price of a new laptop. Best bet is to call Dell.

[Jim Almquist]

Because of the cost the wifes son just connects a monitor to his laptop. Not so mobile but at least it works. I would guess the price is going to be close to the cost of a nice laptop on sale...

[delcecchi]

You might check the large auction site. I just looked and they have many and prices are 100 or less mostly. I don't know what size/model you have, but that is worth a look.

[pureinsanity]

There are lots of screens on HSO-Classifieds. Its just a matter of it you have the skills to take apart the laptop and put in the screen with out shorting anything out.

Looks like most are under 100$

Good luck if you brave it, if not, id just spend a couple hundred more and buy a new laptop. Or use a monitor for a while until you can afford to get a new one

[DTro]

I know it doesn't help you much now, but this is the exact reason I buy the cheapest laptops I can find. More than likely, physical damage will be the demise of them. When I only spend 299 on them, I don't feel too bad tossing them around or having the dog knock them off the bed, etc, etc.

Best Buy has a really good deal on an ASUS right now for $349 and also a Compaq for $299.

Here's the kicker, I could sell my 2 year old 300 dollar laptop right now for about 150 on the big auction site, to a guy like you looking to use it for a damaged screen

[GSB Ice Man]

Thanks for the info guys,

I called around this morning and have a place in town replacing the screen tomorrow for $200. I know i could buy a new one, but with my quick books and office software, it would cost alot more to buy a new one.

I really appreciate all your responses, these computors can be way over my head.

Thanks

Crappie Commando

[spearchucker]

FYI, your Office and Quickbooks software could be installed on your new laptop legally without buying another copy.

[upnorth]

Office...depends, if it is OEM, no, that stays with the computer it was sold with. A phone call may to MS may allow you to legally re-install tho.

[Jim Almquist]

Might have been able to just move the hard drive over to a different laptop.

[upnorth]

You can if the hardware is close enough. If the chipset it different it will work, but never perform as well as if you install the OS from scratch in that hardware configuration. It messes with OS HAL.

[pureinsanity]

Ive had tooo many problems trying to make a computer preform with another computers hard drive. too much of a hassel.

[upnorth]

Ive had tooo many problems trying to make a computer preform with another computers hard drive. too much of a hassel.

Exactly...not impossible but very problematic.

[GSB Ice Man]

I just got the laptop back, a new installed screen was $205 out the door. I didn't think that was a bad price considering three other stored told me close to $400.

[upnorth]

That is a very good price!

[pureinsanity]

put some velcro on that laptop so your daughter cant move it very easily!