What does a beginner laptop repair specialist need to know and be able to do? Part 2

Traditionally, first a video of the repair to show what it looks like.

Ability to search the web

Seriously, this is one of the basic skills of a technician. You will have to spend a LOT of time on the Internet – looking for information on the problem you encounter, googling datasheets for different chips, looking for diagrams and boardviews.

The problem is that not everything is on the surface – a lot of information is hidden in the depths of the network. You will have to search not only on the web, but also in Telegram channels, for example. I myself am subscribed to a couple, where diagrams, board views and BIOS firmware with multicontrollers are regularly posted.

Some laptop schematics are not made publicly available by the manufacturer, and this applies not only to the newest devices, but also to those released several years ago. In this case, the schematics appear on the Internet in a roundabout way, so to speak. And they cannot be found on all resources.

And some of them, by the way, in particular forums, require payment for rare and not so rare information. So be prepared to pay a couple of dollars for a diagram or BIOS firmware.

Knowledge of solders and fluxes

It only seems that tin is tin, no matter where you are. In fact, there are different solders for different purposes. There are lead-containing, lead-free, high-temperature and low-temperature. Different solders are needed for different purposes. In some places you can get by with low-temperature solder, and in others, on the contrary, you need a higher melting threshold.

The same applies to fluxes. First, it is worth remembering that you can't do soldering without flux. You won't solder anything, because flux ensures fast solder melting and its homogeneity after solidification, without damaging the crystal structure. Fluxes come in different varieties, there are a huge number of them.

As a rule, a master does not need too many types of flux. But it is worth remembering that there is a flux that is great for unsoldering something, for example, a chip on a soldering station. And there is a flux that is designed to ensure good soldering quality of the same chip when replacing/reballing it. Different masters have different preferences, and yes, some types of flux are also counterfeited, so buy from trusted suppliers.

Micro soldering is extremely important

Yes, I have written more than once that you need to know how to solder. Moreover, different chips, modules, etc. require their own skill. Even MOSFETs are different, so they also need to be soldered differently, not to mention more complex microcircuits like a processor. If you do not know how to approach it, I advise you to watch a video on YouTube, often the masters give very valuable information, telling where and what needs to be tinned, what temperature of the soldering iron to set, etc.

In addition, it is worth learning how to solder different types of cables, this will save a lot of money – for yourself or your client, if you are engaged in service repairs. Here is an example of soldering a screen connector that gave colored stripes instead of an image on a laptop. A couple of contacts fell off – and hello, problem. I did this.

^{Very beautiful, but impractical}

^{Before renovation}

^{After repair (shows image without stripes)}

This display costs about 50 euros, so I managed to save money and reduce, at least a little, the volume of electronic waste. Usually, it's like this: there is a problem with the screen, it goes to the dump and a new one is bought.

As for the microsoldering process itself. It won't work the first time – you need practice. Practice on old/non-working devices, so that later it won't be excruciatingly painful if something doesn't work with a modern device.

Ability to repair laptop case

Quite often, plastic laptop cases wear out, the most common problem is the laptop hinges coming off because the plastic pins for the screws break off. This is not a big deal – a new case is often not needed, you can repair the old one. It looks like this.

And here is the already repaired fragment.

I made a video on this topic, here it is. I will note that many commentators disagreed with my method – this is normal. Some recommend epoxy for repair, others – liquid nails or plastic fragments that are melted and put to use. The main thing here is the possibility of repair itself.

Almost everything can be repaired if we are talking about torn fragments of plastic inside. If it is a crack on the outside – then not always and not everything can be repaired. But in any case, do not rush to buy new plastic elements, first think – perhaps there is a chance to repair the old one.

Ability to work with different tools

^{The picture is not mine, but it illustrates what was said perfectly.}

Yes, for repairs you will need a large number of different tweezers, dental instruments (some are very convenient), soldering irons, power supplies, etc. Not to mention screwdrivers, brushes, specialized knives. And all this is really necessary – when you see a repairman with a host of different devices on his desk, this is what he really uses.

You need to know how to work with each tool, find clever repair techniques, etc. So be prepared to spend some more time learning these techniques.

In general, repair is very interesting. For example, I do it precisely because I like it. But there is one peculiarity – I do not repair gadgets for someone, this happens extremely rarely and only for acquaintances. Basically, I repair for myself. I buy broken laptops, repair them, and then sell them or give them away. Thus, I reduce the amount of electronic waste and get a huge amount of pleasure.

If you have any questions or comments, welcome to the comments!