Soda on notebook

[nvansip]

I have a notebook since july 2018 (HP probook 450 G5). Unfortunately I spilled some soda on my notebook. I contact the shop were I bought it, I wille have to send them the notebook so they can make an proposition. They told me if the motherboard is broken it's 600-700 euro + working hours. Do you think that is a normal price? Something else I could do. My son is a student and he will need his notebook urgently.

[WAWood]

@nvansip

Any liquid spilled on a laptop can do really serious damage --often shorting out not only the keyboard but the motherboard, as well.

The price you're looking at is not only for a replacement motherboard, it's also for all the labor to disassemble the notebook, remove the motherboard components, remove the motherboard, replace the motherboard, reattach the motherboard components, reassemble the notebook, and then run some diagnostics.

Another issue is that the Windows license is tied to the motherboard, so when they replace it, you lose your Windows license.  They are then most likely going to fresh install Windows for you, and it it does not reactivate (Which it likely will not, with a different motherboard), you are also looking at the cost of a new Windows license.

All-in-all, with this much cost, it might be cheaper to get a new laptop. If you look around for sales and/or specials, you might be able to find a new one for less money.

[nvansip]

@WAWood

We will bring him in to let him check by technicians. The windows license is not a problem, he is a student, it's a free one.

Hope we will not have to buy a new one. Notebook is 2 months old!

[WAWood · Accepted solution]

@nvansip

Only 2 months old! OUCH -- that's going to cost a LOT to replace it, so it might be cheaper to repair it.

As to the license, the Win10 install on that PC was tied to the specific OEM product key embedded into the firmware of that motherboard. When you replace that, reboot the PC and boot into Win10, it is most likely going to do an activate check, and since the new motherboard does not have the same ID as the old one, is then likely to deactivate Win10.

But, if you have a new license you can the apply, you should be OK.