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hbomb168

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 23, 2010
14
0
I have a 3 month old Macbook i5. I took it into get fixed because the backlight on the screen went out. They discovered sticky soda (Coke maybe) on the motherboard and the screen cable. It will cost $1400 to replace the motherboard and maybe more if they have to replace the screen cable. I feel like pulling my hair out. Any ideas?
 
Well if they discovered it, it means either you spilled something or they spilled something. I find it unlikely to the latter, so either pay or refuse. I don't think you have any other options.
 
Cha-ching!!

Well if they discovered it, it means either you spilled something or they spilled something. I find it unlikely to the latter, so either pay or refuse. I don't think you have any other options.

Well the OP could flog the system on fleabay, seems to be a ever growing number of them appearing there! Perhaps it's time for Apple to consider making a splash proof MacBook and charging a small fortune for the thing?

cha-ching.gif
 
So I think my options at this point are:
1. Pay $1400 for a new board with the possibility of another $600 or $700 down the road for a new screen.
2. Pay $1800 for a brand new computer. (I'm using my old iMac G5 for now)
 
Since the computer is likely a loss, you might as well try and clean it.

Buy yourself a soft-bristled toothbrush and distill some water. Lightly scrub the board (you'll have to remove it) and whatever else you can see that has the residue on it (you'll obviously take out the battery and unplug it while doing this).

Put everything back in and see if it works after it is completely dry.
 
So I think my options at this point are:
1. Pay $1400 for a new board with the possibility of another $600 or $700 down the road for a new screen.
2. Pay $1800 for a brand new computer. (I'm using my old iMac G5 for now)

Its a no-brainer, why throw good money after bad. You're getting almost nothing in return for 1400, where as you get a fully warrantied laptop for 1800.
 
I used to work at a pc repair shop, they had some liquid they would dump whatever part that had gotten soda on it and it would rinse it without harming the component.
 
Since the computer is likely a loss, you might as well try and clean it.

Buy yourself a soft-bristled toothbrush and distill some water. Lightly scrub the board (you'll have to remove it) and whatever else you can see that has the residue on it (you'll obviously take out the battery and unplug it while doing this).

Put everything back in and see if it works after it is completely dry.

Its a no-brainer, why throw good money after bad. You're getting almost nothing in return for 1400, where as you get a fully warrantied laptop for 1800.


I gotta agree with these two replies. Since it pretty much is totalled (as I agree with second poster, pony up the extra 400 and get a brand new computer with all new components that also has a warranty) why not try to clean it up yourself and see if you can't fix it.

If you can't, buy the new computer. For 400 extra you get a brand new computer with a warranty so you'll at least be covered if something breaks in a year. And since it is new, less likely something else will break anyways. I'd consider it extremely foolish to bother spending 1400 just to fix the motherboard, at that point the computer is totaled.
 
sell it on ebay, people want to buy macbooks then fix 'em and sell 'em.

other then that just fork up the 1400...
 
So here's what I did:
I paid to have the board cleaned off. They told me that the computer works (except the screen). I'm going to buy a mini displayport cable and use it for a few weeks on an external monitor. If it still works I might sell it on eBay or possibly repair the screen. Does anyone know how long you can wait before you know that corrosion damage will not happen? I don't want to sell it on eBay and have it quit working for the buyer.
 
I used to work at a pc repair shop, they had some liquid they would dump whatever part that had gotten soda on it and it would rinse it without harming the component.

Deionized water is used to cleaning PCBs.
 
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