Tablet repairs

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
I have an Advent Vega Tegra Note 7 that has recently been the source of much woe.

Alluded to elsewhere was a disastrous 'upgrade' to lollipop - that seems to have sorted itself out now after two factory resets, but i'm loath to get overly attached to anything on it in case/when another is needed, so i'm already part way along the process of 'letting go'.

Thing is, it's a perfectly good tablet, much about it is worth holding on to, but now the effing 'on' button seems to have slipped inside the casing, and nothing seems to coax it back out again. I know it has an almost full charge, and also know that it was fully shut down before it slipped out of use. No amount of prodding and poking has managed to elicit any response.

Question is, can it be saved? And if it can, who could save it?

Thoughts naturally turn to @wmrcomputers - it was initially purchased from Currys/PC World, to whom i'm even more loath to turn..

Any suggestions?
 

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
it was initially purchased from Currys/PC World, to whom i'm even more loath to turn..
I'll add that this purchase was long ago, so it is at best unlikely to be under any sort of warranty.

I'm not completely sure, but one does rather become inured to the inbuilt obsolescence of modernity, don't you find?
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
I know when I used to fix computers a laptop screen replacement was often as expensive as a new laptop, luckily they are a lot more generic nowadays.
 

wmrcomputers

Stafford PC & laptop repair specialist
Unfortunately, bpelectric has hit the nail on the head in saying it's a throw away world. I've not come across one tablet yet that is made to be serviced. They are all heavily glued together and usually removing the screen via prying tools combined with a heat gun is the first stage of dismantle..... 9 times out of 10 resulting in a broken screen. Therefore, I'm afraid, I won't touch them. :(
 

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
Funnily enough the back popped off quite easily. Amazingly enough it also snaps back on with equal ease.

The button is banjaxed, and i can't think of a way to bodge it. What i can do, for now, is pop the back off, press the button that the button presses (if you catch my drift), then snap it back on - not in any way an ideal state of affairs to be sure, but should eke out a few more moments of use. :)
 

monkey bidness

Well-Known Forumite
Funnily enough the back popped off quite easily. Amazingly enough it also snaps back on with equal ease.

The button is banjaxed, and i can't think of a way to bodge it. What i can do, for now, is pop the back off, press the button that the button presses (if you catch my drift), then snap it back on - not in any way an ideal state of affairs to be sure, but should eke out a few more moments of use. :)
Have a look at this company http://www.ijtdirect.co.uk. I have been buying kit from them for over 20 years when they were a camera shop on the Tottenham Court Road. They do manufacturers refurbished and clearance stock. You could replace yr knackered tablet with a new(er) one for less than the cost of a repair.
Cheers
 

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
Therefore, I'm afraid, I won't touch them. :(
Right...

I have affected a serviceable, if inelegant, solution to the 'on' button situation.

Secondary question re 'disastrous 'upgrade' to lollipop' - would it be possible to uninstall lollipop and reinstall kit kat? It has started with all the problematical shenanigans again, so yet another factory reset is on the cards. Not that i'm that bothered about doing so, but it would be nice to not have to.

Is that the sort of thing that you might be able to touch upon?
 

wmrcomputers

Stafford PC & laptop repair specialist
You could probably go back to Kit Kat via a reload using your PC following manufacturers guidelines. I personally now hate everything Android, and if I have to reset one then it's only ever via it's own setting to erase and start again, but that would assumably keep Lollipop.

I take it there's something about Lollipop that you don't like?
 

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
The most likely cause of the problem is that one of the apps you have on the tablet isn't compatible with lollipop. Start the tablet in safe mode and then enable each of the apps one by one until you get to the problem one. Once identified, delete it and Robert should be your mother's brother.
 

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
I take it there's something about Lollipop that you don't like?
There have been all sorts of problems with this particular device after the 'upgrade', it's not just mine - the worst being a vastly worse battery life accompanied with really bad over-heating, presumably the two are related.
You could probably go back to Kit Kat via a reload using your PC following manufacturers guidelines.
I think you maybe overestimate my abilities...
The most likely cause of the problem is that one of the apps you have on the tablet ...
I had a look at this earlier today and saw that someone claims to have found the offending app, so i will try to get rid of it later and see if it works.

Thanks folks.
 

wmrcomputers

Stafford PC & laptop repair specialist
You should be fine @tek-monkey if you follow youtube tutorials. I've not done a Z3 myself, these days I stick to doing only iphones as they are so easy compared to most.
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Mate, I'm so busy lately I'm not sure I'd do the job justice. What would you charge, on a failed fox don't care basis? Seriously, will buy the bits and pay you regardless of the outcome as I know you'll try your best.
 

wmrcomputers

Stafford PC & laptop repair specialist
Watching youtube videos might seriously put you off mate. It's just not for me I'm afraid. Anything glue'd the manufacturer didn't design to be fixed.
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
For future reference, the guys in the phone place near McDonald's do them. Took in my phone with screen, cost me £30 and was done within a few hours. Top service, would use them again.

I previously tried the market and the guys down the side of the guildhall but neither would touch a Sony.
 
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