Attn: Computer repair guys

Unfortunately Vic, motherboards in laptops are very proprietary unlike desktops. And yes, new ones can be crazy expensive and the labor (no "u" :)) to disassemble and rebuild a notebook from the ground up can get out of hand. Buying a non-functioning used system for the parts can sometimes save some $$, but you have to know whether the reason it isn't working is the same as yours.

Personally, I'd grab the hard drive and put it in an enclosure, buy a new book, and copy the data (not programs) onto your new book. Then you can erase the original drive, and use it to backup your data files - pics, music, spreadsheets etc.

Grant