satellite A15-S157: repair or replace?

I've had a Toshiba Satellite A15-S157 for almost 3 years now. The hard drive just died so now I'm trying to decide whether to just get a new hard drive (and fan, since it's been very noisy), or replace the whole computer. Does anyone have any idea how long I could expect the laptop to last with a new hard drive? Are there any common problems that are likely to appear soon?
I would've been happy enough with the speed etc of my current laptop, if the hard drive hadn't died, so I'm not sure that's enough of an inducement to pay the extra money to get a new computer. I'm just worried that more parts will break down soon and the money spent on replacements now will be a waste.

Thanks!

 

I have a Satellite A25, it's from the same generation as the A15. If the harddrive and the fan (which are particularly known to die in the A15-A20 lines), then you've got a very cheap repair bill. Personally, I'd repair it for a couple reasons. First, it's a very cheap, easy fix. Second, the machine's still got a good spec and Toshiba's are known to be hardy (my dad's from about 10 years ago still runs like a champ), so you could probably sell it if you decide to get something new for yourself. The only part I'd be really concerned about just wearing out are the hinges. I literally cracked my hinges in half in under two years of use. Otherwise there's no reason for anything to really break down unless you physically damage the computer (ie: dropping it or spilling liquid).

 

I would look into keeping it - a new HD will run you as low as $40 to over $150 for a nicer, high-end one. The notebook itself sounds intact, apart from the HD, so I'd say its worth it to look at getting a new HD (I recommend going for a cheaper HD rather than a more expensive one, just in case something goes wrong/computer's busted). As far as the fan goes, I wouldn't worry about it too much, unless you're starting to get problems with the notebook when its running - repairing it could potentially cost a lot of money depending on it location/size.

 

The fan in that model is accessible by removing 4 screws. It's a $13, 3 minute repair. Personally, I think repairing the fan is worth it, and it's something that just about anyone is capable to doing themselves.

 

If repairing the fan is that simple, then the HD and fan replacement are totally worth it, especially if they're both easy to replace (I thought the fan may have been hard to access).

 

Yeah, that's a reasonable thing to think. I've personally replaced at least a dozen of those fans at one of my jobs, it's very, very simple.

 

thanks very much for your advice! I think I will replace the parts.

 

I've just been looking for replacement fans and it seems like the official toshiba part costs $30-40, at least. Can I just get a generic fan of the same size? What is compatibility based on?

 

I don't know of any place that offers generic fans - you might try eBay or NewEgg for that. However, I would probably just stick to the Toshiba one, just in case anything else goes wrong in the notebook.

 

The fans are $13 through the store I work for that's Toshiba certified... more than that's definately a rip off. The eBay idea might work, though.

 

The reason I wouldn't recommend a generic fan is because if anything else goes wrong with your notebook, Toshiba won't cover it (unless your warranty is already out of date).

 

my warranty is already out of date, so I think I'd prefer the cheaper option, if it's still going to work.

Dragonesse, does your store sell online, or do you know the part number I could look up? Or could I just go to a local computer store and tell them what I'm looking for?

Thanks for all your help!

 

Unfortunately, I work for a small, private store at a university, during the academic year only. I'm full time at another company for the summer, so I can't look up a part number for you. I'm sorry I can't be more helpful than that.