Laptop Repair in The Fix in North Star Mall

Laptop Screen Cracked or Not Charging in San Antonio?

Laptops balance portability with performance, making them indispensable for students, professionals, and families across San Antonio. Whether you're working remotely, attending online classes at UTSA, or managing household finances, laptop failures disrupt everything. Cracked screens, keyboard malfunctions, and battery issues demand swift resolution.

At Laptop Repair in San Antonio, TX, we service all major laptop brands at our North Star Mall location. From budget Chromebooks to premium business ultrabooks, we handle hardware failures that interrupt productivity at 7400 San Pedro Ave #2310, San Antonio, TX 78216. Our technicians understand the unique construction methods different manufacturers use and apply appropriate repair techniques.

Screen Replacement and Hinge Repair

Laptop screens fail from physical impacts, pressure on closed lids, or manufacturing defects. Cracks, dead pixels, backlight failure, and hinge damage are common issues. Screen replacement requires careful disassembly—bezels snap into place with hidden clips that break easily if pried incorrectly.

We source replacement screens matching specifications for resolution, brightness, and color accuracy. After installation, we test all brightness levels, verify proper backlight function, and check for dead pixels across the entire panel.

Hinge failures often accompany screen issues. Plastic hinge mounts crack from repeated opening and closing, especially in laptops with heavy screens. We reinforce damaged hinge mounts using epoxy and metal brackets, preventing future cracks.

Battery Replacement and Power Management

Laptop batteries degrade over charge cycles. After 300-500 cycles, you'll notice shorter runtime, unexpected shutdowns, or charging to only partial capacity. Windows and macOS provide battery health metrics identifying when replacement is necessary.

We remove depleted batteries and install fresh cells meeting specifications. Some manufacturers glue batteries into chassis, requiring careful extraction to avoid puncturing cells. Fresh battery installations restore hours of unplugged operation.

Power management IC failures on the motherboard can prevent charging even with good batteries. We diagnose charging circuitry using multimeter testing and thermal imaging, identifying failed components requiring microsoldering repair.

Keyboard and Trackpad Replacement

Spilled liquids, worn keycaps, and failed membrane layers make keyboards the most commonly replaced laptop component. We stock keyboards for popular models and can source parts for older systems.

Keyboard replacement difficulty varies by design. Some laptops allow keyboard removal by releasing a few clips, while others require complete disassembly including motherboard removal. We handle both designs without damaging surrounding components.

Trackpad failures present as intermittent cursor movement, unresponsive gestures, or phantom clicks. We replace failed trackpad assemblies and verify proper gesture recognition and sensitivity after installation.

Storage Upgrades and Migration

Upgrading from mechanical hard drives to solid state drives delivers dramatic performance improvements. Boot times drop from minutes to seconds, and applications launch instantly. For laptops with sufficient RAM but slow performance, SSD upgrades provide the best value.

We clone existing drives to preserve Windows installations, applications, and data. After migration, we verify successful boot, test major applications, and confirm all data transferred correctly.

For laptops with failing drives showing bad sectors or imminent failure warnings, immediate backup and replacement prevents total data loss.

Overheating and Cooling System Maintenance

Laptops pack components into tight spaces with limited airflow. Dust accumulation in cooling fans and heatsink fins causes overheating, leading to thermal throttling and unexpected shutdowns. San Antonio's dusty environment can accelerate buildup.

We disassemble cooling systems, clean fans and heatsinks, and reapply thermal paste to CPUs and GPUs. Fresh paste improves thermal conductivity, reducing temperatures by 10-15°C under load.

After cleaning, we stress test laptops using CPU and GPU intensive applications while monitoring temperatures. Proper cooling allows processors to maintain boost clocks, improving performance in demanding tasks.

RAM Upgrades and Memory Issues

Insufficient RAM causes slow performance when multitasking or using memory-intensive applications. Upgrading RAM improves responsiveness and allows more simultaneous applications.

We verify motherboard compatibility regarding maximum supported capacity, RAM speeds, and required configurations. Some laptops solder RAM directly to motherboards, preventing upgrades. We identify upgrade potential during diagnostics.

Failed RAM causes blue screens, random crashes, and application errors. We test memory using diagnostic software and replace failed modules with compatible replacements.

Charging Port Repair and DC Jack Replacement

Laptop charging ports fail from repeated cable insertion, physical impacts, or power surges. Symptoms include intermittent charging, requiring cable wiggling to charge, or complete charging failure.

Port repair difficulty varies by design. Some laptops use modular DC jacks easily replaced, while others solder jacks directly to motherboards requiring microsoldering expertise. We handle both designs, restoring reliable charging.

Liquid Damage Recovery

Spills on keyboards are common laptop killers. Liquid reaches internal components through keyboard openings, causing immediate shorts or delayed corrosion failures. If your laptop suffered liquid exposure in San Antonio, TX 78216, power it off immediately and bring it to us.

We disassemble systems, use ultrasonic cleaning to remove residues, and inspect under magnification for damaged components. Early intervention significantly improves recovery chances. Attempting to power on contaminated systems accelerates corrosion and reduces recovery likelihood.

Motherboard Failures and Logic Board Repair

When laptops won't power on despite good batteries and chargers, motherboard failure is likely. Common culprits include failed power management chips, damaged voltage regulators, or shorted components.

We perform board-level diagnostics using multimeters and thermal imaging to identify failures. Component-level repair through microsoldering can restore function without expensive motherboard replacement.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Module Replacement

Wireless connectivity issues often trace to failed network modules. These mini-PCIe or M.2 cards can be damaged by static discharge, power surges, or overheating.

We replace failed wireless modules with compatible units supporting current Wi-Fi standards. After replacement, we test connectivity, signal strength, and Bluetooth pairing across multiple devices.

Windows and Operating System Issues

Not every laptop problem requires hardware repair. Corrupted system files, malware infections, or failed Windows updates cause symptoms resembling hardware failure.

We attempt software recovery before recommending hardware repair. Clean Windows installations, driver updates, and malware removal resolve many issues without parts replacement.

Screen Hinges and Structural Repairs

Broken hinges prevent laptops from staying open or closing properly. Hinge failures often crack plastic mounting points in the screen lid or bottom case.

We repair structural damage using epoxy, metal brackets, and replacement plastic components. After repair, hinges operate smoothly through their full range of motion.

USB and Port Repair

Failed USB ports prevent external device connection and data transfer. We replace damaged ports and verify proper data transfer speeds and power delivery for charging peripherals.

Protecting Laptops Long-Term

Laptop cases provide shock absorption during transport around San Antonio. Hard-shell cases protect against impacts, while soft sleeves cushion against compression in bags.

Screen protectors prevent scratches from keyboard contact when closed. Keep vents clear of dust by cleaning monthly with compressed air.

Visit The Fix Today

Your laptop deserves expert attention. Stop by our North Star Mall location and let our team diagnose what's preventing proper function. We provide honest assessments and cost-effective repairs at 7400 San Pedro Ave #2310, San Antonio, TX 78216.

Common Questions About Laptop Services in San Antonio

Q: Can you upgrade my laptop's processor?

A: Unlike desktop PCs, most modern laptops solder CPUs directly to motherboards, making upgrades impossible. Some older business laptops and gaming systems use socketed processors that allow upgrades, but compatibility is extremely limited. We assess upgrade potential during diagnostic evaluation, though RAM and storage upgrades typically provide better value for improving performance.

Q: My laptop gets hot enough to burn my lap—is this normal?

A: While laptops generate heat, excessively hot bottom surfaces indicate inadequate cooling. This usually results from dust-clogged heatsinks or dried thermal paste. At our San Antonio location, we clean cooling systems and reapply thermal paste. Persistent overheating can damage internal components and should be addressed before permanent hardware damage occurs.

Q: How long should a laptop battery last before needing replacement?

A: Laptop batteries typically retain 80% capacity after 300-500 charge cycles, roughly 2-3 years of daily use. Usage patterns affect lifespan—keeping batteries between 20-80% charge extends life compared to always charging to 100%. When runtime drops below acceptable levels or Windows reports battery service warnings, replacement is advisable. We test battery health during diagnostics and provide honest recommendations.