Re: Man up, Nancy . . . @AC
OK, it's difficult to unsolder surface mount components
Ironically (as the original OP), that would NOT have been a problem - I have worked with SMDs pretty much from the day they became available (and initially soldered them manually), and I have used pretty much every tool going for their removal and refit. The main issue is that the smaller laptops have become, the smaller mounting materials had to be to go with it, to the point where screws were abandoned by some because screws need places to screw into.
Yes, I've been digging into laptops such as Toshiba and IBM and that was relatively easy, but they were *massive* in size compared with current slimline devices. It appears it's a binary choice: have some degree of repair ability or have a slimline device. I guess it depends on your budget and your trust in the supplier which one you choose, plus how many idiot users you have that ruin keyboards with drinks. Parts that ought to remain quickly swappable are keyboards and touch pads IMHO.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
