Each week, we handle numerous repair quote requests from businesses and individuals across Manchester. To give you an inside look at what we deal with, we’re sharing some of the most common issues we encountered this week, along with our thought process in diagnosing and resolving them.
1. Laptop Battery Issues – M1, Manchester
A customer in M1 reached out with a battery critically low warning. They plugged in the charger, and it worked for five minutes before shutting down. After some initial troubleshooting, they measured the charger voltage output at 12V DC and the battery connector voltage at 10V.
Our Response:
Battery and charging issues can be complex, and we avoid rushing repairs like this unless it’s a straightforward battery replacement. Given that the laptop had already been opened by the customer, there’s an increased risk of a secondary short circuit. Customers sometimes unknowingly create additional issues, which can make repairs more difficult.
Our next step here was to ask for the full laptop model number to check for motherboard schematics. Without that information, we can’t determine if parts are readily available or if repair is cost-effective.
2. Screen Not Displaying – M23, Manchester
Another request came in from M23 stating that everything on their Acer Helios 300 was working except the screen.
Our Response:
Since they mentioned that the rest of the laptop was functioning, we assumed they had already connected it to an external monitor via HDMI. If an external display works, then the issue is likely with the LCD cable or the screen itself.
For Acer laptops, we’ve seen cases where the backlight fails, which can be diagnosed by shining a light at the screen. If a faint image appears, this suggests a backlight failure rather than a full screen failure. Unfortunately, in some Acer models, the backlight is integrated into one of the motherboard ICs.
We provided a quote based on a screen or LCD cable replacement, advising the customer that a motherboard replacement might be required if the backlight had failed internally.
3. Slow Performance – M40, Manchester
A business customer reported that their Asus laptop was extremely slow, taking ages to log in.
Our Response:
The lack of a full model number made it difficult to check exact specifications, but based on experience, this is almost always an issue with an ageing hard drive. If the laptop previously ran fine and gradually slowed down, the hard drive is likely failing.
We advised the customer to consider an SSD upgrade, which is one of the most cost-effective ways to breathe new life into older laptops. We also linked them to our previous blog post on Why Laptops Run Slow & How to Fix It.
4. MacBook Keyboard Fault – M40, Manchester
A customer reported that keys had started falling off their MacBook A1502.
Our Response:
For MacBooks, replacing individual keys isn’t always an option and the keyboard is spot-welded to the chassis. We will need to Replace the entire top chassis with a refurbished Apple part and we will also need to replace the battery as it’s glued to the chassis. Which makes removing the battery without damage very hard.
5. Laptop Overheating – M4, Manchester
A ROG Strix G16 user reached out concerned about high CPU and GPU temperatures, despite using an external cooling pad.
Our Response:
We reviewed their temperature screenshots, and everything looked normal. Many modern CPUs and GPUs are designed to run hotter than older models. We advised against repasting thermal paste just yet, as the laptop was only a few months old and likely still under warranty.
Instead, we suggested checking airflow by ensuring air vents aren’t blocked and elevating the laptop slightly for better cooling. If they were still concerned, we could replace the thermal paste—but warned them that opening the laptop might void the manufacturer’s warranty.
6. Smashed Laptop Screen – M13, Manchester
A customer with an Asus X1605E requested a screen replacement after dropping their laptop.
Our Response:
Since they described the screen as smashed, we were concerned about additional damage. If a screen impact occurs from the back, the LCD cover may also be damaged. For thin OLED displays, even minor damage to the chassis can cause screen misalignment.
To avoid unnecessary costs, we requested photos of the damage before issuing a repair quote. If the LCD cover was bent or damaged, we recommended replacing both the screen and the cover to ensure a long-lasting repair.
Final Thoughts
This was just a snapshot of our weekly repairs at Manchester PC. If you’re experiencing similar issues with your business laptops or desktops, we’re here to help.
