Help diagnossing MacBook

Hi, I spilled water on my MacBook, and I ended up having to take it to a shop to repair it. They said they could repair it for $800 or so, but I have been searching in this forum and people have said that I could repair it myself for less. I was thinking about using iFixIt.com for parts, but how would I know what I need to repair?

Other-
They were able to recover the hard drive if it matters, and I now have it on an external hard drive. Could I possibly take the hard drive out of the external and put it in my MacBook, if that is the problem?

iLoveMyMac,

Exchanging the drives should be no problem. Just use your Macbook manual, which tells you how to replace your hard drive. Remove the one in your Macbook and set it aside, then remove the one in your external and put it in your Macbook. Since it already has your OS X and your data on it, just re-boot and you should be in business. You could also put the one that was in your Macbook in the external enclosure and see if it still works for back ups...

As for other problems that could occur after you make the change, you'll have to diagnose them on a case-by-case basis and repair them as you find the problem.

Hope this helps, Noel

Thanks for that Noel,
but what if there is a problem with the logic board? Will it still turn on?

As Noel's reply to you indicated, you have to access what needs to be repaired/replaced on a case by case basis. That, however, may be difficult if not impractical, when the machine will not turn on. (shorted out logic board for example) It might be better to bite the bullet and have the repairs done professionally.

When doing repairs of that nature which will cost somewhere in the neighborhood of what the machine is worth, you may be better off replacing it rather than repairing it. Consider purchasing one of the excellent refurbished models offered by Apple and which come with a full warranty.

But if you decide to have it repaired by an authorized service center, try this one: http://www.macservice.com/ Their prices are fair and their service reputable.

Regards.