Motherboard melted or crooked tech guy?

[XtnyDawn]

Hello i have an Asus X712J laptop that i purchased refurbished from best buy a year ago. It was used only 3-4 times because it was so slow i couldnt stand it. I thought maybe it was the wifi. It was kept in an insulated case in storage until a few months ago. It wouldnt charge wheni got it out of storage, and the port/ cors seemed loose so i took it to a tech repair shop. They charged 68 for diagnostic and that would be applied to the repair if you decided to haveuit fixed. I was surprised to find out that the repair was going to cost 279.00 because he said the motherboard is melted. I found that difficult to believe considering the limited use. I asked if it being in the heat alone could cause a melted MB… everyone ssid no.
I opened it yoday, and i dont see any signof melting or overheating. Capacitors look fine, board looks fine ( by my limited knowledge )… no sign of liquid leaking or cracks, no bulged areas or discoloration and no burnt electronic smell…
Is it possible to look completely fine but be melted ?

Video of the motherboard

 

[pcrepair]

It sounds like a frustrating experience, and I understand your skepticism about the diagnosis. A motherboard could indeed fail or have internal damage without showing visible signs like burns or discoloration. Here are a few possibilities to consider:

Component-Level Damage: The damage might be at a component level, such as small chips or transistors failing, which wouldn’t necessarily cause visible melting or burns. Some components might overheat internally without outward signs.

Solder Joints or Microfractures: There could be solder joint failures or microfractures in the board, which can happen due to thermal expansion and contraction, especially if the laptop was exposed to fluctuating temperatures. This damage is usually not visible but can cause electrical issues.

Loose Power Connection: You mentioned that the charging port felt loose. Sometimes, power delivery issues can affect the motherboard without causing any visual damage.

Repair Shop Misdiagnosis: It’s also possible that the repair shop could have misdiagnosed the issue or exaggerated the damage. If you’re unsure, it might be worth seeking a second opinion from another technician, especially if there are no clear signs of physical damage.

If the laptop is still in your possession, you could try powering it with an external charger or battery to rule out power issues before jumping to motherboard conclusions.

 

[XtnyDawn]

It sounds like a frustrating experience, and I understand your skepticism about the diagnosis. A motherboard could indeed fail or have internal damage without showing visible signs like burns or discoloration. Here are a few possibilities to consider:

Component-Level Damage: The damage might be at a component level, such as small chips or transistors failing, which wouldn’t necessarily cause visible melting or burns. Some components might overheat internally without outward signs.

Solder Joints or Microfractures: There could be solder joint failures or microfractures in the board, which can happen due to thermal expansion and contraction, especially if the laptop was exposed to fluctuating temperatures. This damage is usually not visible but can cause electrical issues.

Loose Power Connection: You mentioned that the charging port felt loose. Sometimes, power delivery issues can affect the motherboard without causing any visual damage.

Repair Shop Misdiagnosis: It’s also possible that the repair shop could have misdiagnosed the issue or exaggerated the damage. If you’re unsure, it might be worth seeking a second opinion from another technician, especially if there are no clear signs of physical damage.

If the laptop is still in your possession, you could try powering it with an external charger or battery to rule out power issues before jumping to motherboard conclusions.

Thank you for this insight. I dont think using an external charger will work though.that was the initial problem I had… it wouldnt charge…😞