Charging ports are damaged

[samwerling]

I have a two year old Spectre, it has the USB-C type charging ports.  I have been noticing that both ports are loose and have been having to wiggle to get the computer to charge.  Recently, I haven't been able to find the "sweet" spot and can't get it to charge.  I took it in to have it looked at by an authorized HP repair shop.  They told me that because the ports are soldered onto the mother board, they weren't able to fix it.  I really like the computer and spent a lot of money on it, is there away to get this part replaced?  I would rather not buy another computer...but if I have too, I can guarantee it won't be an HP.  With the amount of money that I spent on the computer, you would think it would last longer than two years.

From other posts I've read online, it seems that this is an ongoing issue/design flaw.

[Huffer]

Do the ports work for other usb-C purposes like data transfer? 

[WAWood]

@samwerling 

The HP repair shop gave you the correct answer -- as HP does not do motherboard repairs, which is what it would have taken to replace the charging ports.

Since this is out of warranty, even if you could find a motherboard (which is unlikely) and someone to replace it, you would still then have to buy a retail version of Windows to replace the one you have because the existing Windows license is tied to the original motherboard, not to the owner -- and when you replaced the motherboard and got back into Windows, it would automatically deactivate itself.

Sorry, but that is the situation with HP laptops and motherboards.

[Huffer · Accepted solution]

Yes the answer from the Service Center is correct. The USB-C ports are soldered. They can be replaced only by someone with high end equipment and mad skills. Shops that can do this run permanent auctions on eBay and you would be looking at maybe $100-150US but you would have to ship the laptop and it might take 2 weeks to get it back. HP would no longer have the motherboard in stock. But replacement new used or refurbished boards are available in the market. They tend to cost more than it makes sense to pay and more so if you have to pay labor. As long as the replacement board is a "Windows 10" not a FreeDOS board it has a license attached to it which can be activated when you do the replacement. However, as I said almost nobody replaces a motherboard in a laptop out of their own resources. I have done it but only because I don't have to pay a tech. Most would charge like $200 US for the labor. No laptop maker will warrant against 2+ years of plugging and unplugging a power adapter. Even if it happened under warranty damage to a charging port would be out of warranty. An add-on insurance policy would cover it.

[samwerling]

No, it does not.  

[samwerling]

Thank you.  I just sucks that my laptop is just a really expensive paper weight now.