Repair Service

[speculatrix]

Hi,
[d'oh, I meant 760, wishful thinking]

does anyone know where, in England preferred, where I could get an 760 repaired?

Reported corrupted main rom, and reflashed which worked for a short while and then died again. It's reporting too many unrecoverable errors in the NAND flash - it's possible to get into the on-board diagnostics in NOR flash!

I've been offered a dead one cheap, but I need an estimate of how much to get it fixed. I've found the pictures of the 760 disassembled, and confirmed that it uses high-density surface mount devices for the flash.

I would be hoping that it's the device and not the circuit board.

I've not seen anyone selling one which works except for broken screen, otherwise I could make one good one from the two :-/

thanks for ideas,
Paul

[ThC]

If the problem is with the internal memory I think it should be covered by the warranty and sent back to Japan for repairs... BTW you won't find anywere to have it repaired else than in japan as sharp refuse to make any support for it in english and won't even repair a dead sl-C device without a return address in japan ... I've been close to sell mine and buy a new one (charger circuitry dead) but seen repairal will cost only 30$ ... maybe you should try to mail your Z seller and figure out an idea of the repairal process/price for your problem (also I plan to notice brando/sharp about a few bad block in my NAND memory too when sending mine back to japan ... i'll keep you informed of the results)

[TheHeretic]

Try www.shirtpocket.co.uk, their phone number is on the site somewhere, give them a call and they may help.

[speculatrix]

Hi,
thanks for ideas... yes, I considered calling shirtpocket, I might give them a buzz tomorrow.

I haven't bought the unit yet, as before I commit I need to know how much.

I can't really afford a new Z, to be honest, but my Sony CLie is slowly dying and I do use a PDA a lot, and being a big linux fan a Z would be a dream.

it might be be cheaper to buy a brand new unit (£350 for a new 860.. but then I really want a 6000W :-)

I know a few specialist electronics makers round Cambridge where I might be able to get a surface mount flash rom replaced, so I am considering that too. Or even buy a surface mount kit instead of paying someone else to do it.

Paul

[speculatrix]

shirtpocket say that they can only provide support for Zs that they sold; that they have a very tight relationship with their supplier in Jp which means they can offer very good support but not to 3rd parties.

so, the bricked zaurus will have to be a possible bargain for someone else.

anyway, my real lust is for a 6000W, but until wife goes back to work* after maternity leave, the gadget fund is empty, so I will have to make do with my three year old Sony Clie N770. :-(

however, this does mean when (not if) I buy a Z end of the year* or early next, to make sure that warranty repair is easy and fully supported, as it seems that although Zs are generally robust, if they do go tits up there's only ONE place which can fix them, and that's in Japan.