Computer repair shop

[Ben Scott]

On Mon, May 5, 2008 at 1:38 PM,  <VirginSnow at vfemail.net> wrote:
>  It's usually possible to solder the jack back on and epoxy it.

  I've also seen hacks where people have soldered leads on to the
existing connections inside the case, and run the wires outside to a
new jack.  Much less elegant, but easier, and easier to do over again
in the future.

> But some of the Inspirons have multi-layer motherboards.  On these boards,
>  there are runs *inside* the fiberglass, completely covered and
>  inaccessible to a soldering iron.

  Ohhh, that's a good point.  I didn't think of that.  Pretty much all
motherboards are multi-layer boards.  Four or six layers are common.
Still, the fact that people have managed to perform repairs
successfully proves that, for at least some boards, it is possible.

> And, yes, some designers had the dim-witted idea to run *power*
> through these internal runs.

  And how many laptop PCBs have you designed in your career?

  I challenge you to find me a mass market motherboard made in the
past ten years which doesn't do this.  They're designed to pack tons
of technology into a small space, which is not easy.    Surface mount
solder joints have spelled the doom of the electronics hobbyist, but
they enable a huge increase in density.  TANSTAAFL.  You want
something easy to do field repairs on, stick with a MITS Altair 8080.
Somewhat less portable and powerful than a modern laptop, but those
wire-wrap connections are oh-so-easy to service.

-- Ben