Replacing a Shattered Laptop Screen

Here is an example of a smashed LCD screen on a Dell laptop.

This is a stock image

When this machine is checked in, we run a backup as the first order of business to preserve the customer’s data. Once the backup is complete, we run a diagnostic with special attention to the health of the harddrive, since this laptop was probably dropped.

In this case the harddrive passed diagnostics. If it had not, we would probably recommend that the customer start looking for a new computer, since the cost of replacing the harddrive and the screen would be more than the computer hardware is worth.

Unfortunately, the process to replace laptop screens on this model is somewhat labor intensive.

The bottom panel, optical disk drive, and motherboard must be removed to access the connector for this screen. Once the new screen arrives, we disassemble the body, remove the old screen, and install the new screen.

We double check that all other lid accessories connections are properly seated, then reassemble the body.

Then for the moment of truth: Power on

Success!

That is a job well done.

Now we check for os updates, antivirus, and other vulnerabilities and offer to mitigate those while the computer is in the shop.

In this case the customer thinks that is a good idea, so we spent another half hour removing quicktime and an expired mcafee

We install the free version of Avira and perform windows updates.

We finally do a final quality check for missing drivers, making sure all network interfaces work, and a myriad of other checks to make sure this computer is ready to go.

In this case, the costs pan out to:

Backup and Diagnostics: $42.50
New Screen: $78.00
Screen Install Time: 45 minutes $63.75
Security Check: 30 minutes $42.50
Total: $226.75

Not bad for a secured computer configured just the way it was.