freaking half broken laptops

Ok,  I have come into posession, via family members, etc, of several half broken laptops.  I say half broken because although they do not work, they don't work because of one important component that has broken. 

Laptop 1:  Was dropped and in the process, the entire module that the fan plugs into on the motherboard was ripped off.  I think I have that glued back down well enough(the solder makes contact with the contacts of the plug and it is glued in place by the plastic of the connector)  Problem is, I need a whole new fan and heatsink as that was damaged as well.

Laptop 2:  Bad power plug,  can't seem to think it has power

Laptop 3:  Just doesn't show anything unless the monitor is at a very specific angle and even then it is just luck.


Whats killing me about all of these is that in each case it is something simple that has brought down the whole laptop.  A power connection, a switch that activates the screen, and the fan.  That sucks....  

I guess really this is more of a rant than a help question, but I guess I do have one question

Where do you get good spare laptop parts?  By good, I mean not from some shifty place that wants to charge you $100 for a fan and heatsink for the laptop?  I'm froogling, googling, ebaying, etc but am not coming up with a decent looking place that has a variety of parts for laptops, that aren't old, but aren't the current generation either. 

Suggestions?  I tried the manufacturer of one of the laptops's website and the site told me I would have to call for information about replacement parts for that model and that pissed me off so I went no further with it...


again...  this is more of a rant than a question, but ARG!!!

i'd keep collecting broken ones, and eventually cannibalize all the laptops and try to build atleast one working one from the lot.

MAKEZ SUPZA LABSSTOP! combime them all into one EEEEVIL MACHEENZ!

Search for service manuals for each of those laptops. That will help get you the part numbers you need. Then just Google those part numbers. This will usually lead you to a parts supplier - the kind of place that strips deceased laptops and sells off the parts, as well as supplying new parts. If you want to fix them, you *will* have to pay a premium for parts - $100 for a fan and heatsink is about the going rate. The manufacturers keep the parts prices high so that when a laptop breaks it usually forces the owner to buy a new one instead of repairing their broken one.

The other good source of parts is eBay. Lots of people sell off their damaged laptops (search for "laptop spares", "laptop parts", "laptop broken", etc, as well as searching for the specific part/part number you want). If you get lucky you might find a bashed-up laptop of the same or similar model that you can strip for the part you require, then sell the other parts to cover your costs a bit. Worked well for me when the power socket failed on my laptop.

>>3
seconded EEEEVIL MACHEENN!

Laptop 2:  Bad power plug,  can't seem to think it has power

My mum has two like that; such a minor problem, pretty frustrating that the whole laptop becomes unusable as a result.