ACER A717-71G (709S) How to find replacement for malfunctioned motherboard

filip123

Hello all,

if anyone could advise me regarding replacement parts that would fit my notebook.

I have  A717-71G-709S  Notebook (  core i7 and nVidia gtx 1060 graphic).

Recently, its motherboad  malfunctioned.  In service told me that this malfunction is not covered by the warranty, despite the fact they could not determine why it had occured.

And a price of new motherboard is higher than price of new notebook. Every other part of notebook  works fine. So I seek for a replacement motherboard.

I came to idea to find used one (I would buy used notebook of the same kind and took the part that I need). 

I found catalogue number of replacement parts for a717-71G, but it lists several numbers of motherboard  which depend on type of processor and graphics.

My question is following: Should I seek exactly the same model with same characteristics as mine, or can I buy for example a cheaper model within A717-71G series ,and use only motherboard, regardless of  CPU and  a graphic card. since on my notebook those parts work fine.

NB.Q2Q11.008- should be the exact model of motherboard for my notebook, but could I for example use the NB.Q2Q11.007, NB.Q2Q11.006 , NB.Q2Q11.005, NB.Q2Q11.007, NB.Q2Q11.001?  (If everything elese except cpu and graphic is the same.It would be much more cheaper for me). 

I would appreciate if anyone could help me.

JackE

>>>In service told me that this malfunction is not covered by the warranty, >>>

(1) When did you acquire laptop?

(2) Was service ACER-certified repair center?

Jack E/NJ

filip123

1) I acquired notebook in February 2018

2)It was examined  in Acer authorised service, since malfunction occured during the warranty period. I contacted Acer customer support to check whether service is right. They told me that regardless the fact that authorised service cannot determine why the motherboard malfunctioned,  that this malfunction is not covered by the warranty since it had been caused by an outer factor. Whatever that could be they could not explain.

But to return to my initial question regrding replacement motherboard. I opted for used part  since new one is not affordable.

JackE

>>>It was examined  in Acer authorised service, since malfunction occured during the warranty period. I contacted Acer customer support to check whether service is right. They told me that regardless the fact that authorised service cannot determine why the motherboard malfunctioned,  that this malfunction is not covered by the warranty since it had been caused by an outer factor. Whatever that could be they could not explain.>>>

Did ACER authorized service examine the machine ***during or after*** the warranty period? The mainboards are apparently shared with the a515 and may have different graphics and vram as shown below . Jack E/NJ

filip123

Acer athorised service examined notebook during a warranty period. I bought notebook in February 2018. With 5 years warranty in total (2 years of manufactures warranty + 3 years of extended warranty that was additionaly paid).  This was relatively expensive notebook  at the time I bough it  (price about 1500 $). That is the reason why I would try to fix it.

Acer confirmed that they cannot determine cause of the malfunction, but that since the malfunction was caused by "outer factor" ( whatever that could be), warranty is not valid in this case. It was hard for me to accept this fact, since I thought that  Acer warranty covers every malfunction that occurs in the warranty period,  if it is in the scope of warranty terms.

The final answer of Acer stuff was:

XXXXXXXXXXX

But authorised service confirmed that there are no traces of any liquid that could have caused that, or that liquid could enter to cause that type of damage. They told me that they contacted Acer and that manufacturer told them that this is an influence of outer factor and is not covered by the warranty. Service confirmed to me that they never had such specific case. But their decision is determined by the attitude of Acer.

So to return to my question. Could I use any of the motherboard from the 15"  Notebook of the same serie, but just tae processor and graphic from mine, or those parts cannot be transferred from the malfunctioned motherboard?

My intention was to buy the cheapest used notebook which still has motherborad that could fit in mine a717-71G  (709S).

[Post edited to remove inappropriate content -Acer-Manny - Please review Acer Community User Agreement (ACUA).]

filip123

Also, not to forget.  I posted the initial issue with warranty on the following post. But they closed it , I do not know why.

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/577001/acer-a717-71g-warranty-fraud-problems#latest

JackE

@Acer-Manny closed the thread because the investigation was to be continued by personal messages between you and @Acer-Manny . If no personal messages have been exchanged yet then I suggest you send one to @Acer-Manny by clicking on his link and the personal message PM box on his screen.

The corrosion, if affecting solder connections or socket contacts, suggests that the laptop may have been exposed to or stored in salty or acidic humid air for an extended periods since leaving the factory. If you still have the mainboard, it might be salvageable by thoroughly rinsing it with rubbing alcohol, cleaning sockets with alcohol moistened cotton swabs, and re-seating all HDD, cable and RAM components repeatedly to try to clean contacts even further. Finally, if solder connections are involved, the mainboard can be solder reflowed in a conventional or tabletop oven.

The boards listed already have the graphics adapter and cpu soldered to the mainboard. The adapter and CPU is in each board's description. Nothing on your malfunction board would be re-used or needed on the  NB.Q2Q11.008 since it already would have an i7 CPU and 1060 graphics with 6GB VRAM soldered to it.

Jack E/NJ

filip123

The message that I posted under quotation marks and italic was final reply from Acer-Manny. He/she helped me to escalate the problem to the Acer customer service which is responsible for the authorised services.They confirmed that they were asked by the service about warranty. I tried everything I could since notebook was expensive and it would be worth repairing it.

Thank you very much for the advice regarding motherboard replacement, and steps to reapir it.  Could I send you the photos of the motherboard that I have in your inbox so that you could see more in detail? 

I am willing to clean it with alcohol at home. But for resoldering I have never done that.Could you advise me where to find detailed steps for that?

JackE

Sure, post photos especially closeup of the sockets if possible (HDD, RAM module slots, battery pack connector, BIOS coin battery connector)  because I suspect that's where most of the corrosion formed. Solder reflow is a last resort after we first see how the alcohol cleaning and connector reseating work out. Jack E/NJ

filip123

First I'll post photos from service. I started disassemblying of the notebook so I can remove other components if necessary.

filip123

Those are the pictures.  Could you tell me your opinion regarding the situation on the photos? I have never seen such traces on electronic.   I suppose I should clean all the spots.

 

JackE

>>> First I'll post photos from service. I started disassemblying of the notebook >>>

Are these your photos or ACER service photos? Jack E/NJ

JackE

Did you try to clean mainboard first with alcohol to see if it fixed the problem? A solder reflow should always be the last thing to try. Jack E/NJ

JackE

If the mainboard isn't salvageable, any of those listed earlier should fit your case as the form factors are pretty much identical. However, I think the NB.Q2Q11.006 is probably the lowest priced part, new or used. Jack E/NJ

JackE

>>>I tried to remove those orange stains with alcohol.But it seem that this was some kind of industrial chemical because it was not dilutable by alcohol. I could not remove it completely. Regarding motherboard, since you mentioned that 15" and 17" have the same.Are you sure that Gpu will not hve a problem with 17" monitor.I am just asking to be sure before I buy replacement. New motherboards are more expensive than new notebook.I asked in service. >>>

The orange stains looked to me like rosin solder flux. That's usually not a problem. Moisture and salty contamination are the main problems. The entire mainboard probably should've been dipped and swirled around in a shallow pool of alcohol in an aluminum foil tray to try to completely wash away all this contamination. The 1060 & 1050 GPUs should be able to handle any size screen. I however would check that whoever you buy from has a good returns policy. Jack E/NJ

filip123

The seller where I bought it could not give me a new part since Acer warranty does not cover an "outer factor". Seller tild me that their decision depends on  the authorised assessment report.In this report authorised service wrote that the cause of nalfunction was an outer factor without explaining what it is. I complained to the Acer customer support where they said that Acer warranty does not cover an  malfuncrions caused by outer factor And that authorised service does cannot know how it happened. Weird but true. 

Once again, thank you very much for your advice regarding repair. Next time I'll buy other brand since it seems to me that this was probably quality issue.Notebook malfunctioned after 1.5 year after it had been manufactured.

Deejay_tech

just use acetone solution (nail polish remover) to clean all the solder flux.
clean all the parts thoroughly. it requires lots of patience and thoroughness.
dip earbuds in acetone and clean it.
especially the pins of the embedded controller EC (that big chip with ene written over it.). 
then fit the m/b back and try to start ...
post what happens.