Trying to source a new board for HP 3125

[kcscomer]

Before you suggest its not worth replacing the board. This particular customer's laptop is a purpose built tool they use on the job. It has specific software built in and integrated to the Windows 8 OS that would be much more expensive to be redone on a different notebook or to have the company who sold it send them a new one. To the tune of many thousands.

Apparently there is unique security IDs for their employees and a hardware specific security dongle tied to it so swapping laptops is not a cut and dry answer here.

So, seems to me, if I can source a motherboard (part #702960-501) all should be well.

However, I am not having much luck. There are a couple of ebay ads for used boards with a price of like 40 bucks and I am pretty sure I need not touch those with a ten foot pole.

The HP Partsurfer site shows the part as a backorder and offers the option to checkout for $287 but no mention of what kind of time period could be expected, where it is coming from etc.
(http://partsurfer.hp.com/Search.aspx?searchText=702960-501)

Can anyone here shed any light on a time period for a backordered part or any additional info? I would like to buy a new board direct from HP if possible.

Aside from that, I haven't found another source for a board. The board I have has a blown backlight fuse that seems to have melted the inner most post and I am concerned about trying to solder any kind of bypass for the fuse...number one because it is so small, number 2 because there is not much material left on the one post and number 3 because the laptop definitely has to contend with high temperatures while being used to monitor a building full of temperature sensors.

The ideal option would be to put a brand new board in regardless of expense. Second and less desirable option is to slap solder on the board and bypass the blown backlight fuse. 3rd and definitely the worst option is to have my customer spend 5k+ to have a new notebook built out for them with the original software.

So, hopefully that covers all the things that will put me even further from finding the kind of answer I am looking for and perhaps someone here might be able to point me towards a NEW motherboard HP Spare Part #702960-501?

[EddyK · Accepted solution]

Hi kcscomer,

I'm not sure if you already checked but I used part #702960-501 in the HP Part Store here and found that is was available for purchase - it's just that it's back ordered and may ship at a later time. Keep in mind that the link will forward you to the American HP Parts Store so please change that accordingly.

I don' think new motherboards will honestly be available for purchase - many are at least a bit old.

You can also refer to this site for HP Authorized Resellers: https://parts.hp.com/hpparts/Part_Resellers.aspx?mscssid=BB9EB4D2A6A64791822E24D9D7E1A152&geo_code=L...

Hope this helps,

kem579

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[kcscomer]

@kem579

Thanks for the response. Yeah, I did the same with the parts store and saw it said it was available for purchase. I was looking for some sort of timeline as this is a customer's device I am trying to get fixed for them. Not ideal to only be able to say that I hope to have a new motherboard someday. 

Anyway, it seems this is all pretty much a no go anyway. I was hoping I could figure out a way to keep the current Windows installation, swap out boards and input a new Windows product key. 

I needed to do that because the company that sold the laptop to my customer installed a fairly complicated bit of software that is fully integrated into the Windows OS and I cannot transfer or reinstall it.

Even if the new board was $500+ and a Windows 8 key was $150, that is still about 10 times less costly than what the original company is saying it will cost to redo the software. 

Honestly, I am finding it to be pretty ridiculous that the whole service hinges on one single little laptop and the company that sells the equipment doesn't have some kind of solution to get the software moved to a different laptop since as everyone here knows, all hardware fails eventually.

So, I appreciate your time but it seems I am a bit further out from a solution than I originally thought. A new board will require a new installation of Windows and whatever the process the original company did would need redone.

Least as far as I am figuring out so far. Just another day in paradise. 🙂

[EddyK]

I wish the best of luck to you.:smileyhappy:

Kind regards,

kem579