Acer Travelmate P236 - Do I need a new motherboard?

Riff88

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Apr 21, 2009
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Hallo,

I have an Acer Travelmate P236, 4G ram, i3 intelcore, windows 7 64-bit. It is 8 months old.

I had a power issue with the laptop - the machine would power up, then die after a few seconds.

I made the unbelievably stupid mistake of opening the laptop and try to fix it myself while it was under guarantee. I tried advice which i found on many forums saying I should "hold down the power key with the battery and power cable out". It seemed like a quick fix.

I accidentally dropped the laptop and two of the plastic encasers (or whatever you call them) that was connecting the motherboard with two cables to another part of the laptop broke off. I was fortunate that nothing else broke off. (please see attached pictures)

I phoned Acer and from what they can discern from my discription over the phone, they say I need a new motherboard. Still, I would like another opinion from someone having seen the pictures.

My question is, do I need a new motherboard, or can this be solved with a simple repair? The power issue still isn't fixed. It powers up for a few seconds, then dies.

(for the pictures, I only removed the battery for a better view)

Thank you in advance.

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Solution
I'm not really sure those ribbon cables broke off. They're designed to pull out. I've run across three types.

  • ■You just insert the ribbon cable and it's held in by friction.
    ■A plastic retaining clip slides out, you insert the cable, and you slide the clip back. The black ribbon cable to the left leading to the trackpad is this type. That plastic block closest to the ribbon slides towards the ribbon. When you've slid it back far enough, it releases the ribbon (due to its width you need to ease both ends off with a flathead screwdriver one after the other).
    ■A plastic retaining clip flips up, you insert the cable, and you flip the clip back down.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwhK54inwhU...



Before you post, you can click the preview button. The picture link is broken.
 
I'm not really sure those ribbon cables broke off. They're designed to pull out. I've run across three types.

  • ■You just insert the ribbon cable and it's held in by friction.
    ■A plastic retaining clip slides out, you insert the cable, and you slide the clip back. The black ribbon cable to the left leading to the trackpad is this type. That plastic block closest to the ribbon slides towards the ribbon. When you've slid it back far enough, it releases the ribbon (due to its width you need to ease both ends off with a flathead screwdriver one after the other).
    ■A plastic retaining clip flips up, you insert the cable, and you flip the clip back down.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwhK54inwhU
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtWsFkDvgbE
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1v8K8pzuq8

Judging from the picture, it looks like the two connectors you've pointed out are the type with the flip-up retaining clip. And during the fall the clips popped off and are on your floor somewhere. If you can find the clips and put them back in place, and the conductors in the ribbon cable are still intact, that might be all you need to do to fix this.
 
Solution