Tinkering w/ Broken USB

Laptop: Satellite A65-S1062

A few months ago, the plastic part of the laptops rear USB broke off. This was not a big deal until weeks later I tried plugging my power adapter in, and I "missed" the power hole and pushed it into the open USB port causing a shower of sparks. It fried all 3 USB ports but everything else works.

The laptop is not really used much anymore so I would like tinker with it and see if I can fix it (which I doubt since I assume the only thing to fix it would be a new board).

Can any body recommend any ideas? If its some kind of chip, I wouldn't mind trying to replace it and soldering a new one on if this is possible.

 

I think your laptop has PCMCIA( PC card) slot so you can get a PC card that has a couple of usb ports on it( basically a USB 2.0 PC CARD). If your laptop has a express card slot they also have USB ExpressCard


BTW I also have a USB port with a the plastic missing on my laptop(in sig) and on one occasion i plug a usb device into it incorrectly(somehow) and my lappy went dead (shorted it) but luckily all my usb ports still work...thankfully i wasnt trying to plug my power adapter in

 

I should have mentioned in my post that the PCMCIA slot is being used for wireless.

I might be able to buy a internal wireless card, but I would have to probably run antennas through the LCD?

 

Well you could always buy a PC card with a couple of USB ports and then buy a wireless USB network adapter which should work and it definitely safer then getting access to the motherboard and desoldering/soldering(I assume that is what is involved in repairing usb ports)

 

Hehe... I don't care if it isn't safe...

I've had it for 3 years, I must say the build quality is crap. But this baby was dropped in a targus chicago bag from 18 feet onto a tile floor and kept on ticking. The keyboard is warped, the lid clasps all broke, the battery casing broke, and the plastic surrounding the I/O ports cracked in a few places... I think it has 9 lives

 

Is that all? I dropped my ancient laptop(in sig) multiple times from 18/20(bed height with carpet floor)+ inches(one occasion my brother's leg got caught in the power adapter cord and sent it "flying" and the the total damage is 2 cracks , 2 broken/flaky usb ports and a bent AC power adapter plug and i think a laptop feet at the bottom is gone and the best part, my power button is loose. I had to use a "tape" mode because it kept on going under.

 

nice! You gotta love re-seating keys on the keyboard when you open the lid and they fall off the LCD