Acer laptop spares supplier wanted.

Seaching Google for acer laptop spares yields 12,900 hits from the UK.

DG

Thank you. That would never have occured to me.

Having started with Acer themselves and working down to the people who now do the repairs for Acer, I've drawn a blank as far as this particular spare part is concerned. I was hoping to hear from someone who actually *knew* something helpful (rather than from bored smug gits).

Tim

Not a very helpful reply. Laptop spares are available but it's a closed market with little third party interest (it's nothing like the desktop PC marketplace). A small number of companies offer to repair laptops around the UK - that would certainly be a better Google search. However, they mostly offer to fix "standard" problems like damaged screens or the notebook refusing to power-up. However, they might offer you some advice if you phoned.

So, in other words, yes, getting a used model from eBay is probably the quickest and cheapest option.

ps Using Google properly and searching for "acer laptop spares" (surrounded in quotes) brings up eight results, one of which you might find interesting:

Have you spoken to ICR - Independant Computer Repairs?

Yes. They were the first company that Acer suggested. No joy.

Tim

I think that's what it's going to have to be. :-(

They don't list the appropriate part and nor do many of the others I've looked at.

I must admit, I was hoping (foolishly I now realise) that a PCMCIA card socket might be a fairly generic sort of part but of course, because it's for a laptop, the manufacturers *have* to make it irrepairable as quickly as possible.

Tim

Digikey carry a couple of bare cardbus sockets, but I guess the chances of them physically fitting may be somewhat remote, not to mention the SMD rework gear you'd need access to...

They are. But there are many, many variants. You may be able to chase down the part number for the one you need, but then you'd need to hire someone to fit it onto the board.

Remember, that you may well be able to resell the bits of the laptop if you get one from ebay. For example I'm currently looking for 'plastics' for a toshiba 3110CT, so that I can play with doing custom mods to it. I don't care about any of the insides.

(I want to add illumination on the keyboard.) I've already picked up a couple of spare motherboards, just in case (I've got two of these laptops, and love them, one bought just for spares, but got working) and also to use as low-power servers.

If you find a supplier for Acer parts, can you please pass the details on Acer?

I've waited 2 weeks now to get my laptop back because they're waiting for spares :-(

Have you tried:-

?? As the part in question plugs into the motherboard and is secured with screws, I don't quite follow your logic here. Any suggestions on how to find the part number?

Hadn't really thought of that.

Cheers.

Tim

This will be a custom part, almost certainly unique to one Acer line, possibly even just one model.

The socket soldered/screwed to this board may well be a generic one, from AMP/molex/...

Hmm... similar but but not close enough I fear. What's SMD rework gear?

Tim

Ooo... the Molex site looks promising.

The double doodad job on

Not sure if they take private orders though. I suspect I'll have to still play "hunt the stockist".

Thanks for your help.

Tim

Yes thanks. No help I'm afraid.

Tim

Is the "absence" of this card slot stopping the whole laptop from functioning ? It shouldn't really.

No but once you've got used to wireless broadband, you don't want to go back to wires again. Also stops me boring guests with my digital photographs etc. ;-)

Tim

Soldering this on is going to be a serious problem, even for most electronics hobbiests.

Is it the actual socket that has failed, or is it the guides. On some, you can replace the guides without needing to resolder. Alternatively, USB wireless adaptors are not that expensive.

It's what you need to attatch it. Do you know how to work a soldering iron?

Look at the connectors pins where it attaches to the board. You have to solder all of the wires, without shorting any/... This is quite tricky.