[mattkime]

I purchased a bluetooth module on ebay to install in my Dell Mini 10v.

DELL J613H 2.1 Bluetooth module + cable for mini 10 10v - eBay (item 230382663157 end time Nov-27-09 22:20:49 PST)

Installing the bluetooth module is pretty easy even if its hard to get to, yet something went wrong -



There are two connectors near the bottom of the screen. Left is for the speakers while right is for bluetooth. You'll notice burn marks around a tiny component just above the bluetooth connector . This must have been the burning smell i notice upon booting the machine with the module installed.

The bluetooth module itself looks fine.

How to proceed. I really have no idea if the module or the motherboard is at fault. I have no idea how I could test the bluetooth module without risking another fried motherboard. What is dell's warranty service like? the machine isn't a month old. would they replace it?

Advice?

[BiGMERF]

sorry it went wrong....i am not a tech guy so i cant help. this is why i just bought a kensington bluetooth usb adapter. its tiny you cant even tell its there

Bluetooth® USB Micro Adapter - K33902US - Kensington

payed 15 for it

[inigopete]

That's precisely the same bluetooth module (from the same seller) that I bought. It sounds like you may have had a mis-wired module or a duff cable. I don't know enough about electronics to be able to identify the fried component - sorry! - but for now if the computer works well otherwise, then at worst you've only damaged your motherboard's ability to use an internal bluetooth module - you can still use a tiny USB one.
Or, if anyone knows what the fried component is, you could risk attempting to replace it yourself!

[Thorsteenster]

Whew, for it to fry a component like that, something must have been bad, really bad. It's worth trying to get Dell to replace the board, hopefully you did a nice clean job taking it apart. I would NOT offer/tell them you tried installing the BT module.
Also I would return the module and tell him it fried your board and try another one/something else. Hopefully you used PayPal so you can make a claim if he doesn't refund you.

[mattkime]

Originally Posted by Thorsteenster

Whew, for it to fry a component like that, something must have been bad, really bad. It's worth trying to get Dell to replace the board, hopefully you did a nice clean job taking it apart. I would NOT offer/tell them you tried installing the BT module.
Also I would return the module and tell him it fried your board and try another one/something else. Hopefully you used PayPal so you can make a claim if he doesn't refund you.

So what do I say to dell?

The bluetooth board i didn't try to install doesn't work and i can see why.

[inigopete]

There's always the "it was like that when I got it" claim...

If you want to send it back to Dell, you have two choices: tell the truth or lie. If you tell the truth, you've probably voided your warranty and they're not very keen on that sort of thing. If you lie, you'll have to come up with something feasible. Unfortunately the only thing I can think of (that doesn't admit opening the case) is the aforementioned "it just happened".

Hellowifi is a very good eBay seller - other people on here can testify to him replacing faulty cards free of charge - and will certainly be interested to hear from you. You haven't got any grounds for demanding he pay to get your Dell fixed, but it's worth asking him to replace the bluetooth module.

Hope this helps.

[Thorsteenster]

Does it boot, load BIOS, anything? If not, just call and tell them it's been working fine and now it doesn't boot or anything. Like inigopete said, otherwise your admitting you voided your warranty, or eating it.

[mattkime]

it seems to work fine aside from no bluetooth.

so i can expect to get a different machine if i tell them this one just doesn't power up? most companies would test a machine before sending a replacement.

[Thorsteenster]

Ah, well it booting and running fine aside from no BT, I'd say your on your own. See if you can get a refund for the adapter. You could try telling Dell you were adding the BT adapter and what happened, but I'd say your SOL.

[inigopete]

If not, there's the really horrible option of shorting out one of the components on the motherboard or unsoldering something, then sending it back to Dell with a "it simply doesn't work and I haven't done anything to it" sort of lie.
I think it was Aristotle who said "only a fool decides his scruples in a time of crisis" - the results you want are dependent on how unscrupulous you're prepared to be!