Sirlagsalot

Hi, i recently, unknowingly got some windex into my axim by accident. THe touch pad no longer respond to my taps. I've tried a soft reset and hard reset, but now i'm stuck at the align screen. Is this a permenate damage? Is there, or are there ways to get this problem fixed? Can i send it back to dell to get it fixed?
Thanks, any info will be appericated.

GazzaK

you may be stuffed, but a good idea may be to try to dry the unit out completely, ie, leave it in a warm, not hot, airing cupboard over a 48 hour period with the battery disconnected (and the backup one too!)

I once had a clients PC which had cola poured into it (whilst it was powered off) I disconnected everything and washed it out (the motherboard, ram and cpu) with water, then left to dry off in an airconditioned, dehumidified room over the weekend, and on monday it was bone dry (what a weird saying!) and after reconnecting everything, and installing the bits back into the cleaned computer case, it all worked.

dell will say it is not under warranty, as it is not hardware failure caused by bad components, but caused by you getting a liquid into the case! it may however be covered on your contents insurance at home???

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GazzaK
Axim X5 Advanced
Pocket PC Mobile 2003
400Mhz Intel XScale PXA255 CPU
A05 ROM Windows Media 2003
TomTom Navigator 2 installed onto 128Mb SD Card
GPS Mouse installed into New BMW MINI

Sirlagsalot

Thanks, I think i'll give that suggestion a try, but let me make some clarifications because i was in a hurry and may have mistakenly given the wrong information aboved. As stated i have had gotten some windex into the touch screen. When i used my stylus to tap on the screen it would not respond. (The liquid has not gotten into any of the batteries or the internal workings of the PDA, just the screen). Since now i know, that i can not return it to dell to get it fixed on warranty. Does anyone know if i can get it fixed from dell by paying them for their services and how much would it cost? And if it is possible, can windex damage a touch screen beyond natural repair (meaning letting it air dry and then working after it dries off)

I don't think i have such a insurance.

Sustang

it is possible to have the digitizer replaced, there is great information regarding it here: http://www.aximsite.com/modules.php?...howpage&pid=26

I would hope that a little bit of windex wouldn't hurt the touch screen but then again I have never used windex on any computer screen let alone my x5.

Sirlagsalot

Wow, that really looks interesting, I have a Axim 3i. The pictures look like it would require alot of techincal know how and delicate handling. I'm not sure if i'm up to the task. Does anyone happen to have taken apart their Axim 3 and have pictures or procedures to do so also? Thanks, your info is much appreciated!

Sustang

I'm sorry, I should have noticed you had a X3i. I don't know if one has taken apart one yet.

Sirlagsalot

No need to apologize, it is my fault for not specifying what Axim i had in the first place.

jpmarth

that's pretty cool. i was not aware that article was here in the site. thanks for posting.

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Sirlagsalot

I have successful taken apart my Axim x3i, i wish i had a camera so i can take pictures of this. I plan to buy a new digitizer to replace the one i have currently, but i need to know where i can purchase such a digitizer for a Axim x3i. I've already emailed dell but i'm not sure if they would sell such a component. If anyone has any ideas feel free to leave a post here. Thanks alot.

winstontodge

Just wondering if you tried to dry it out in an airing cupboard or anything? Then if not, did you ring Dell to try to get them to replace it? If you dried out the Axim thoroughly there was no way they would have known why the digitizer would have stopped working... :?:

Unless of course you had already phoned them and said you had splilt Windex on it...

Just curious bud.

Did you void any warranties by taking it apart? Are the screws tagged over?

Sirlagsalot

Oh boy, if you were the first person to consult with me, i would've saved myself some money. The first thing that came to mind when i accidently spilled windex inside my axim was to call dell, and which i had done without much thought. I tried to bargin with tech support asking them if it was possible to enroll under the complete care warranty at that time, but unfortunately they don't offer this service in NY or FL and lucky me to reside in one of the two places. Well, in any case they gave me a number to call to get an exchange. It costed me 200 dollars but i finally have my system functioning again. What they do is send you a refurbish unit without the battery and then you have to put your defective unit into the box and mail it back with postage paided by dell. This isn't the whole story, but i guess what i've said above was most important. before i went for the replacement i tried ordering a digitizer from gethightech.com, which has an advertisement for a compatible x5 x3, and x3i digitizer. I look at the pictures and i was sure it wasn't compatible but i went ahead and brought it (with a few confirmation by gethightech and pdasmartinfo that it was compatible). I was very happy at this point, thinking that i have everything i need to repair my system under 100 dollars, when i recieved the unit, guess what? it isn't very surprising but it fit the metalic frame but the data strips are located at 2 extremes! Well, i've emailed gethightech telling them that the digitzers are not compatible, but they haven't responded to me yet. (i was so tempted to sent my system in with 26 dollars so the techinans there can fix it for me, but i didn't think i should waste any more money, and not to mention the fact of ever seeing my pda again) Well in any case, my system is now working. And there weren't any seals on the system so even if i took it apart no one would know unless you tell them :P But it'll be when hell freezes over when i buy another product from gethightech.

winstontodge

Well I'm pleased you got it sorted finally bud! I'm sure you've learnt a few things during this whole process, even if it did cost you a couple of hundred dollars...

Take it easy!

Sirlagsalot

Yeah, what i've learnt is that windex will forever be my enemy

Bulldog

You can try "pdaparts.com" they carry parts for the X3/5, I don't know if they have digitizers yet.
If you don't get it working though how about working something out to get me the casing so I can make covers for the X3i?
Never mind about pdaparts, just checked and they are the same sight as gethightech.
Maybe we can work something out for the casing though if all else goes wrong (hoping for your sake it goes good though).

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I went "green" once, I threw up and felt much better though.

Sirlagsalot

sorry to disappoint you man, i got it fixed, and they forced me to ship the broken one back to them too