Repair Case Studies
Full repair stories and sixteen short workshop records. See what we found, what we did and how each job ended, including unsuccessful attempts.
These are historical cases. Amounts and turnaround times describe the individual jobs, not current prices or promised completion times. Customer names and contact details are omitted.
Full Repair Stories
The diagnosis, repair and result from individual jobs.
Short Workshop Records
Board-Level Repair
These cases show faults addressed through board-level diagnosis and repair, including replacement components and damaged connections.
2025 to 2026
A failed GPU power controller
The Asus would not power up. Diagnosis identified a fault in the GPU power-delivery controller. We ordered a replacement chip with an expected delivery time of up to two weeks.
The customer agreed to a £100 non-refundable attempt fee, with £300 remaining only if the repair succeeded. The quoted total for a successful repair was £400.
After the chip was replaced, the laptop passed several hours of stress testing and was collected in January 2026.
2020
A burnt board trace and a damaged screen
A shorted capacitor and burnt resistor had damaged a copper trace on the motherboard. We replaced the components and rebuilt the trace. The laptop then powered up.
The customer also approved a used 4K touchscreen. The agreed price was £600 for the board repair and display, plus £19 return shipping. The £128 already paid was deducted, leaving £491 to pay.
2019
A burnt resistor on a Surface Pro 4
Testing led to a burnt resistor on the motherboard. Replacing it restored operation. We then re-bonded the display, assembled the tablet and confirmed it was ready for collection.
The customer collected the Surface and paid £200. This was the fault found in this device; a similar power symptom on another Surface does not establish the same diagnosis.
2025
A failed capacitor on an Asus laptop
Replacing a faulty motherboard capacitor restored the laptop to working order. The customer was notified and later collected it.
The customer remarked on the quick completion when collecting it.
2020
An iPhone XS tested through the weekend
We restored power to the phone, then traced the remaining Face ID problem to the proximity-sensor flex assembly and repaired it.
The technician tested the phone through the weekend with a workshop SIM, including normal use. The customer collected it and paid £350.
2021
Missing board components replaced
Around twelve capacitors and resistors were missing from the board. We soldered replacements into the affected positions and confirmed that the phone worked.
The customer collected it and paid £80.
Data Recovery
The priority here was access to files. The recovery work and the condition of the device afterwards are separate outcomes.
2020
Restoring access to an iPhone XS backup
Touch still did not work after a screen replacement. The customer’s priority was the data. An attempt to control the phone using a mouse adapter did not provide access, so work moved to the logic board.
The technician separated the stacked board and used a donor board during the repair. The phone then worked well enough to create a backup. The customer was informed that the backup was available for transfer to another phone.
The record confirms recovery and a £550 payment. It does not establish that the handset was returned as a lasting everyday repair.
2020
Galaxy S6 data read from its storage chip
Thermal inspection found abnormal heat around the storage area. The technician removed the storage chip and read it using an easyJTAG programmer. The notes confirm that photographs, contacts and video files were recovered.
The customer postponed taking the recovered data. The final note records collection of the handset and a £25 payment, with the recovered data still available at a quoted £750. That quote was not a completed £750 sale.
This was a recovery route for this particular device. It should not be read as a promise that removing a storage chip will recover data from another phone.
Laptops, Desktops and Everything Else
Replacement parts, system work and corrosion cleaning, with the result recorded for each job.
2024 to 2025
A desktop rebuilt with a replacement motherboard
We sourced and fitted a replacement motherboard. The job also included power-supply and cooling work, followed by a fresh Windows installation.
The workshop confirmed that the system worked. Reinstalling Windows was part of this job, not a rule that applies to every motherboard replacement.
2020
Hardware repair followed by a Windows boot fault
After the motherboard swap, the Dell started with a workshop SSD but blue-screened with the customer’s drive. That separated the remaining boot problem from the replacement board.
The agreed £300 package included the motherboard swap, a replacement SSD, an enclosure and Windows installation. The replacement SSD was fitted and Windows reinstalled. The enclosure arrived before collection.
2020
An HP laptop working after corrosion cleaning
We cleaned corrosion from the motherboard. The technician then confirmed normal operation, including the fan.
The customer paid £99 and collected the laptop.
2025
A broken front arm on a DJI Mini 4 Pro
The drone had a broken front-right arm. We ordered the replacement, fitted it and tested the drone.
The customer also tested it on collection. The recorded repair price was £150.
Declined and Unsuccessful Repairs
Four cases where we declined a repair, stopped an unsuccessful attempt or refunded a repair that failed. The amounts below are the historical charges or refunds for those jobs.
2019
A recurring Surface Pro 4 board fault
Replacement components did not produce a lasting repair. The same area continued to fail, and the customer did not want a replacement motherboard.
Further attempts were stopped. The customer was informed that we could not repair it and paid the £39 diagnostic fee.
2022
A board we declined to repair
The iPhone 6s board had missing components and signs of previous soldering around connectors and other circuits. After inspection, we told the customer that we could not offer a repair in its current condition.
The recorded diagnostic charge was £35, paid upfront and non-refundable. The notes considered data recovery separately if the customer needed it; they do not document a recovery being carried out.
2018
An unsuccessful donor-board recovery attempt
The external drive had connector and controller-board damage. We searched for a compatible donor board, obtained a replacement and transferred the original ROM chip. The drive still did not work.
The supplier subsequently confirmed a mismatch. Further searches did not secure a suitable replacement, and we stopped the attempt. The customer was told the drive could be collected.
The customer had paid £80. Our attempt did not recover the data.
2018
A recurring backlight fault and a full refund
The iPhone 6 returned after an earlier backlight repair. Further work on the circuit did not resolve the fault. The technician also found a damaged connection and a short during the later attempt.
We informed the customer that the phone could no longer be repaired by us. The record confirms a full £110 refund and that the handset remained with the workshop.
Discuss a Similar Fault
Send the device model, symptoms and any previous repair history. If recovering the data matters more than using the device again, tell us at the start.
See our current diagnostic service for assessment details. An assessment fee is credited towards the quoted repair or recovery total. It is not refunded if you do not proceed or if recovery is unsuccessful. Any separate repair-attempt terms are agreed before that work begins.