Water in my laptop

[snowbunny00774]

I had a disaster today and I need any suggestions or help I can get. I spilled water on my work laptop and it immediately shut down. I tried to dry what I could get at, without taking it apart. Nothing happened for a long time, no lights, anything. I went out for a bit and when I came back I removed the battery pack and put it back on and the battery light lit up green but hitting the power key did nothing. Battery is charged, and I have no ideas of where to even start. Work will charge me a hefty replacement fee, plus I have a tonne of stuff saved to it that I need. Any ideas/ suggestions of things I can try or should I not even bother? I'd appreciate any help. Thanks

 

[Liesje]

When they get wet, it's best not to turn them on until everything is dry because the water + electricity can short out the parts. It could either be damaged from the water, or any combination of the water + trying to start it up. You could suggest your company see if the hard drive is undamaged and simply put that in a new laptop.

 

[U2Man]

There's not much else to do than to wait until it's completely dry and then try to turn it on again. Remove the battery to avoid further short circuiting of the parts. Even if the memory or CPU is already dead, it is still possible that many of the parts - including the HD, as LivLuv said - can be saved. I would guess that your work has an insurance.

 

[snowbunny00774]

My work has insurance. It's that I am repsonsible for replacing the laptop if I break it.

The green battery light is still showing, but absolutely nothing happens, and I just wondered if I should take anything apart before I call our IT guys and nail myself. If either of you read this or anyone else, if you would be able to talk me through what things I should check (I know the keyboard and the monitor - that's how basic my knowledge of the hardware is), I would appreciate it. Please let me know at whiterabbit74@hotmail.com as it might be faster than msging here. Again, thanks for any help...and Thanks to LivLuv and U2man so far.

 

[Elvis]

Thats really odd that your work would hold you accountable for the laptop. As a business, they most likely have (and should) insurance. Many business pull a scam where they charge employees for crap like this, but STILL GET THE INSURANCE TO PAY FOR IT. Just call the IT guys, and play dumb... dont volunteer anymore information than 'its not working'.

 

[snowbunny00774]

Thanks for the kick in the rear Elvis, I needed that.

So I called and said that a client spilled something on it.

 

[U2Man]

Let's hope none of your bosses read this board

 

[snowbunny00774]

Let's hope none of your bosses read this board

Oh yeah....good point...something else to worry about!! I really hope they don't!

 

[U2Man]

You can always ask Elvis to delete the thread

 

[snowbunny00774]

I just got an email from out tech area saying that they are placing a service call, and I will be responsible for the repairs, and if it is not recoverable, I will be responsible for purchasing this laptop and they will supply me with another one. I'm trying to find my work contract, which is not in the file I usually have it in...If I signed a contract saying I AM responsible, which I think I did,...is it reasonable for me to ask them to guarantee they are not claiming this on their insurance?

 

[Liesje]

Why would a company ever ask employees to sign contracts like that? Don't they have warranties?

I work in IT for a college and we've never, ever asked for any faculty or staff to chip in with repairs. All of our equipment is under warranty for at least 1 year. I've seen dead laptops from water spills, knocking them off the table, smashing them - but all that is covered by our various warranties, service agreements, and the IT's budget.

If you didn't purchase the laptop in the first place, I can't understand why you'd be responsible for buying a new one. And if you do, be sure to keep it!

 

[snowbunny00774]

If you didn't purchase the laptop in the first place, I can't understand why you'd be responsible for buying a new one. And if you do, be sure to keep it!

They are actually making me buy the OLD dead one, and they will provide a new working one. They are also telling me WHERE I have to take the dead on to see if it can be fixed somehow, which I will be paying for...I can't even get quotes from other places. Someone suggested I claim it against my house ins., but then my premiums will go up.

 

[Liesje]

They are actually making me buy the OLD dead one, and they will provide a new working one. They are also telling me WHERE I have to take the dead on to see if it can be fixed somehow, which I will be paying for...I can't even get quotes from other places. Someone suggested I claim it against my house ins., but then my premiums will go up.

If you could get away with it, say you'll work something out yourself, give back the busted one, and get a deal somewhere. Then at least you get to keep it.

 

[Elvis]

Man, I'd never sign a contract like that. Thats obsurd.... what if the machine fried on its own? would they make u pay for that too? Not sure where you work, but thats really jacked.

 

[Bonochick]

Yeah, that is messed up.

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

I would assume the old laptop is already paid for. No?

That's a crappy deal.

 

[U2Man]

What exactly does your contract say? Cannot you just claim that an old, dead laptop isn't worth a dime?

 

[Liesje]

What exactly does your contract say? Cannot you just claim that an old, dead laptop isn't worth a dime?

Yeah, how the hell would they know the value of the water-laptop? It could've had any number of other problems before you spilled the water. And like Elvis said, if you play dumb and say it just died, you can't be expected to pay back for something that is worth nothing (well, maybe $100 total for various parts if they were going to strip it down).

 

[snowbunny00774]

Update. Still can't find the contract, but I'm still looking.
Did finally manage to talk to our IT guys this morning. Story is still the same. I am still responsible for the repairs, and if it cannot be fixed I will have to buy out the lease on it, the amount of which he is going to get back to me with. I said to him, that when I got this laptop, even though it was one of the newer ones issued, mine had been used previously, and he said it didn't matter, it was the same price (which he will let me know). I also asked was it not covered under any warranty, and he said yes, but not if I (or a client) spilled water on it. SO the lesson learned here is, that I am being nailed for admitting water got on it one way or another, and I should have lied and said it just died. Now the reason I didn't do that, as Elvis had suggested..sorry ...was because I thought they would find water damage when they looked at it ( I don't know how that works, like I said I know nothing about hardware...maybe some of the techies can tell us if you can tell if something like water has been spilled on a laptop, as, unlike pop or something it won't leave a sticky residue). If we know that you can't tell if water got into something, then my moral dilemma of a few days is gone and I sugesst you lie, plead ignorance, and claim your laptop just died. The only concession I got this morning was that rather than them placing a service call (billed to me) of where they wanted me to go, that I can take it elsewhere first and see if I can get something done myself seeing as I will effectively own it. The other fabulous news is, they had started switching all the mobile people over to desktops in their homes, and the only reason I still had a laptop was that it was one of the newer issues. Now that it has to be replaced, it will be replaced by a desktop...which sucks, as I like to work all over my house or bring the laptop to clients houses etc.


Thanks to everyone for suggestions, support ...nice to know I am not the only one who finds this ridiculous, and hopefully people will find this very educational when it comes to signing hardware contracts with your employer. I'll keep you posted on how it works out.

 

[neutral]

Thanks to everyone for suggestions, support ...nice to know I am not the only one who finds this ridiculous, and hopefully people will find this very educational when it comes to signing hardware contracts with your employer. I'll keep you posted on how it works out.

Wait a minute. It's leased?! So they want you to buy out the lease on a previously used, dead laptop.

 

[snowbunny00774]

Wait a minute. It's leased?! So they want you to buy out the lease on a previously used, dead laptop.

That's right...for the princely sum of $700 (that's cdn...not that it matters, it's still $700 to me.)

It wouldn't be dead if I hadn't killed it is the arguement. They just called back to tell me the price. I told them that if it comes to that, I want a copy of the master lease with the company they are leasing it from, and the buyout statement. She seemed reluctant but agreed. In the meantime I'm taking it to some repair shops to see what type of verdict I can get on if it is something that can be fixed and would *please please* be cheaper.

 

[Bonochick]

That is so ridiculous.

 

[pattip2000]

That's right...for the princely sum of $700 (that's cdn...not that it matters, it's still $700 to me.)

It wouldn't be dead if I hadn't killed it is the arguement. They just called back to tell me the price. I told them that if it comes to that, I want a copy of the master lease with the company they are leasing it from, and the buyout statement. She seemed reluctant but agreed. In the meantime I'm taking it to some repair shops to see what type of verdict I can get on if it is something that can be fixed and would *please please* be cheaper.

How's it going? Any updates?

 

[Liesje]

SO the lesson learned here is, that I am being nailed for admitting water got on it one way or another, and I should have lied and said it just died. Now the reason I didn't do that, as Elvis had suggested..sorry ...was because I thought they would find water damage when they looked at it ( I don't know how that works, like I said I know nothing about hardware...maybe some of the techies can tell us if you can tell if something like water has been spilled on a laptop, as, unlike pop or something it won't leave a sticky residue). If we know that you can't tell if water got into something, then my moral dilemma of a few days is gone and I sugesst you lie, plead ignorance, and claim your laptop just died.

Well, I don't usually do hardware for my tech job (mainly software and phone support), but it seems to me that if something shorts out, it doens't really matter what did it. As long as the parts are dry, I'd think you could argue it was plugged into a phone line and lightning struck nearby (this does happen a lot), or something like that and get the same results - motherboard death.

What brand laptop is it? model? specs?

 

[snowbunny00774]

What brand laptop is it? model? specs?

It is an IBM thinkpad T41. This is from the email I just got -
"System will not power on, removed all devices and also tried reseating CPU. Quote customer on replacing system board part # 39T5430. The cost for system board is $1297.69 purchase (IBM)."

The buyout price they gave me is $650+tax = $747.50.

The hard drive is fine, I am actually using it right now in another laptop. Does anyone know if the above quote seems reasonable? I've had that laptop for a year, and it had been used by someone else before it was assigned to me, so I am not sure how old it actually is.

 

[neutral]

Honestly that's probably about right. Laptop parts are ridiculously expensive, and that seems to be around what those laptops go for used now.

 

[tpsglick2424]

That is a crazy/ridiculous contract that you would have to sign...

 

[Vincent Vega]

I am not sure, but with mobile phones for example there are special stickers in the phone and when they get in contact with water or other liquids the sticker turns from white to red to indicate the water damage. The stickers are placed where you can't reach them, and sometimes don't see them at all so you don't remove them.
And with mobile phones there is no warranty if they got damaged by water.

It's really ridiculous that the company claims so much money for the laptop. I can understand if the claim some money for any damage that could've been avoided so that the employees are more careful with the laptops, but to claim that you have to buy the laptop at $700 or pay the repair isn't fair.
Generally with hardware specialists can often see what cause the damage, like overclocking, reducing the voltage or such, and possibly they also can see that water caused the hardware to die either with those stickers or just by watching the hardware.

 

[tpsglick2424]

shouldn't of signed that contract...

Was your boss like this when he/she found out?..

 

[VintagePunk]

This happened to me on Friday. Coffee. All over my laptop.

I unplugged the power cord and flipped it upside down within about two seconds (very good), but unfortunately I forgot to remove the battery (very bad).

I took it into my computer guy's shop. He said there's a 99% chance of getting my data off it (including 20 gig of music, pictures, and thesis work that I've devoted the past year and a half of my life to), but only about 20% that he can save the computer. He's leaving it to dry out over the weekend, and he's going to look at it tomorrow and assess the damage.

Wish me luck, guys.