Fatal or just ever so slightly inconvenient?

Hi there

I've got an Acer Aspire 9300, I've had it for about a year or so now and I think the warranty may be out, or very near to being (I'd know more if I could find the box the thing came in but I can't and I don't remember sending off anything for the warranty...)

Anyway I digress, the problem is the righthand (as your sitting in front of the notebook with it open) hinge has broken away from the plastic casing on the monitor, looks like the plastic has just sheared off and the casing opens itself where the hinge is when I close the monitor.

So what I'm wondering is this - the notebook opens fine, and works fine, but is the fact the hinge is broken going to be fatal, even possibly terminal. I'm saving up for a new notebook anyway and should have the funds for a new one in about 3-4 months but I'd like to know if I'm looking at losing the Aspire 9300 in the meantime.

I use it everyday for work (I work on a 24hr IT helpdesk at night so I need to pass the time somehow ) and I really don't want to return it to Acer even if I can as I'd be without.

So if anyone could advise me on whether I should be using it, and what the risks of doing so could be I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance for any advice

 

A picture might be helpful, but I don't think that will be "fatal" in a matter of a few months.

 

I would replace the hinge. Their is a ribbon cable, which connects your screen to the motherboard/video card in your laptop. If this cable gets forced by the faulty connection of the screen, than you can rip the cable out of its connection, or worse tear the ribbon cable.
Here is a link to the information on your computers lcd hinges:
http://www.excelcomputerinc.com/html/details.asp?ref=2990&category=misc

If you are going to scrap this system, when you get a new one, I recommend selling the individual parts, as to make money to offset the cost of your new laptop.
You should be able to make a few hundred, selling the individual components.

K-TRON

 

It's not the hinge that appears to be the problem, it's where it screws into the plastic casing of the screen. The plastic bits have sheared off the plastic case with the screws still in them so replacing the hinge wouldn't do anything as I can't screw it back on.

I'd need to replace the casing of the screen on the back, but everywhere I look that has the item doesn't have it in stock.

What I'm more worried about is doing the notebook damage in the meantime, I've done a few calculations and I can replace it with a new one in 8 weeks, but that's 8 weeks of uncertainty every time I open the lid...

 

Are any of these what you are looking for:
these are all of the plastic pieces which are part of your laptop:
http://www.excelcomputerinc.com/html/details.asp?ref=1126&category=case

http://www.excelcomputerinc.com/html/details.asp?ref=1162&category=case

http://www.excelcomputerinc.com/html/details.asp?ref=1165&category=case

http://www.excelcomputerinc.com/html/details.asp?ref=1505&category=case

I hope this helps

K-TRON

 

3rd link is a yes, I looked there, but - it's out of stock... Everywhere I've looked it's out of stock...

Anyway I'm not confident I'd be able to fit it myself so I'd end up paying a "repair man" to do it and that'd mean I'd be without and I really can't be doing with that, I guess I'll just have to be very very careful for the next 8 weeks...

Damn Acer, JohnB (think that's the guy here) warned me Acer are of poor build quality...

 

Yup, Acer isn't known on this forum for build quality.

 

You shouldn't have problem... I had to use my old Acer like that for a while. Just be careful when opening and closing it.

 

Yeah I just tried to take the case off the monitor, no dice, but I managed to prise it apart enough to check where and what is around the right hinge and I couldn't see anything vital that it may be rubbing against so I should be ok for a few months...

 

I had a Dell with a similar problem some years back. I drilled some small holes each side of where it was falling apart, bent some bits of paper clip into U_shapes to span across between the pairs of holes and then smothered it all with epoxy resin glue. Finally I went over the glue with a black marker pen so it matched the black plastic. That was 2 or 3 years ago and it's still fine.

John