Problem powering laptop

GinG · 28 Dec 2008 at 20:20

Evening all,

Gf is having problems powering the laptop. This seems to have just happened tonight, problem is:

When powerpack is plugged into the laptop it seems to cut the power supply, one powerpack the 'power light' lights up when the end is not connected in the laptop, as soon as it is connected the green light goes out. With another powerpack as soon as the laptop is connected up there is a high pitch squeel that comes from the power pack.

I have tried it without the battery however the same problem occurs.

Is there a problem with the power connection within the laptop?

Any suggestions?

Thanks

beermonster · 28 Dec 2008 at 23:42

whats the make and model? any warranty left?

ShaolinDreams · 28 Dec 2008 at 23:48

return for repair or replacement sounds to me.. not much you can do really

GinG · 29 Dec 2008 at 09:09

The laptop is a Packard Bell Easynote W3910.

Looking up on the internet and it seems its quite common for the power supply in the laptop to fail.

How easy would this be to source a new one? Would overclockers be able to get hold of one you think?

Not 100% clued up on repairing laptops, 'I'm a pc'!

sja360 · 29 Dec 2008 at 10:24

overclockers wont be able to get a packard bell easynote battery. no idea about sourcing one. are both the batteries you have original parts or is one or both of them made by some 3rd party company?

beermonster · 29 Dec 2008 at 10:59

if the light on the ac adapter is going out when you plug it in this would suggest that the DC socket is shorting out or the pcb that it attached to is faulty, i think these had a small seperate dc/usb board connected to mainboard, it might be resolderable or it might be too burnt out, does the socket have a strange smell.

GinG · 29 Dec 2008 at 15:47

Yeah the socket has a strange smell when the adapter is connected to it.

Is this quite easy to fix or is it new laptop time?

beermonster · 29 Dec 2008 at 16:30

it might just need the socket replacing or resoldering, either way its a full strip down to take the mainboard out, not too dificult of your handy with a screwdriver and have a bit of disassembly skills.

Worse case scenario is replacement mainboad which won't be cheap if you can find one.

ShaolinDreams · 29 Dec 2008 at 21:27

maybe a local electronics stop or someone you know thats into electronics can fix it easily... i would explore more options before getting a new lappy

Jordax · 30 Dec 2008 at 15:30

Buy a power socket on one of the auction sites try to find a geek with soldering gun skills and tell him you give him £10 for replacing the socket and another £10 if it works.
I done it my self with a standard cheap soldering gun and about 5 hours of soldering gun experience. A dell laptop had no power going to the socket fixed in about 3 hours.
You migh want to obtain a service manual for your laptop so that you dont breake anything during dissassembly (unles you done things like that before). You ahve to have access to the power socket area from both sides of motherboard so you actualy have to do a 100% dissassembly.

Good luck