Broke my friends MBP screen..

[RedTomato]

I've read that if I just plug his laptop into mine with a usb cable and boot it holding down the "T" key it should make his laptop appear as an external drive on my computer. I think that would help as well.

That's Firewire Target mode, and it only works via Firewire, not USB. It's incredibly useful, and I've used it many times.

Just to make clear, turn off his laptop, use a firewire cable to connect the two laptops, (yours can be still on) hold down the T key on his laptop, and start it up. After a couple of minutes it should appear as a firewire external drive on your laptop.

Here's a pic of what the screen looks like on a mac booted in firewire target mode:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Target_Disk_Mode

Is your laptop a mac too? Windows machines may have trouble reading the OSX HFS+ disk format.

x

 

[madog]

I agree with the whole "If it were me I'd settle for nothing less then apple fixing it." I'll give him the options, and that's obviously one of them. ****ing highway robbery, but I guess I'll deal with that one.

The reason I still have to get the external monitor is because there, as far as I've been able to tell (according to apple.com), there isn't an apple store in the netherlands. He'll need his computer now, we have school/finals/etc. So I'll at least get him using it until I can actually get it repaired once we get back to the states in a few weeks.

I'm fully expecting him to be salty about it for a long time, but that's life.

And thanks for appreciating my honesty, i feel like complete ****, so that helps.

The only problem with Apple repairing it is it will cost you at least $400 for an LCD from them (not including labor). At my old job, we found it was cheaper and easier to ship out screen repairs to TechRestore (there are other similar services but that's all I personally know). I don't work for TR, but we used them dozens of times and other than one or two repairs that weren't perfect we were very happy with them.

 

[broketrouble]

I definitely plan to recommend Techrestore as an option.

I've given him a large amount of money now, that should pay for that. He'll get to keep the remainder for his trouble if he goes somewhere cheaper.

Obviously if he needs more though, he gets what he wants.

one hour until I have to tell him. painfully waiting.

 

[harperjones99]

I definitely plan to recommend Techrestore as an option.

I've given him a large amount of money now, that should pay for that. He'll get to keep the remainder for his trouble if he goes somewhere cheaper.

Obviously if he needs more though, he gets what he wants.

one hour until I have to tell him. painfully waiting.

You are a good guy...many people would be avoiding the responsibility. Good job.

 

[Jason Beck]

Sell it as is on ebay for repairs, and save that 750 bucks, when it sells you'll have close to a thousand bones.. so why can't you just buy him a used one off ebay after it sells? You should be able to get 250-300 for it as is. Hard drive and memory and all that jazz on there, super drive. Just the screen is messed. You will have like 950 dollars dude.
Think before you leap.

 

[broketrouble]

Welp.. He came and I told him the bad news. I was shaking I was so nervous hahaha.

He was fine with it, he gave me a hug because he felt so bad.

All the information you guys helped me give him was great. He's completely cool with it. I'm astounded.

Now he off examining the options I gave him and is figuring out what he wants to do.


thanks again guys. long time lurker, first time poster. you saved my ass.

 

[harperjones99]

Now is the time to turn it on him...make him feel bad for leaving his laptop out where you nearly broke your hand on it because it was in the way. Soon enough he will be paying YOU

Kidding...well done

 

[dr. shdw]

The screen new from Apple (in the US) is about $500 and labor should be like $30. Not sure how it translates overseas, but should be similar.