Little laptop problem

DiscoZombieDiscoZombie Join Date: 2003-08-05 Member: 18951Members
in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">sucker won't turn on 90% of the time</div>Sorry to beg for PC help, but I have a laptop that usually won't turn on. Press power, nothing happens, regardless of whether it's plugged in or docked or neither. Generally, if I take the battery out and put it back in a few times, eventually it will turn on... but this is getting less and less reliable. when it IS on, it works normally, and the battery life is quite long. Can anyone point me toward a diagnosis?
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Comments

  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
    Call tech support? Laptops sometimes have machine-specific problems like that.
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  • DiscoZombieDiscoZombie Join Date: 2003-08-05 Member: 18951Members
    yeah, it's actually my work laptop so it's not really my problem - they'll fix it (or replace it) at work if I ask them to, I'm sure. just that, last time I tried to take it to the help desk, of course it turned on instantly for them... so next time I take it in, I have to hope the problem cooperates with me <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/nerd-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="::nerdy::" border="0" alt="nerd-fix.gif" />
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  • RellixRellix Join Date: 2003-02-15 Member: 13572Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    Iv got this problem with my uni laptop, started about 10 months ago. Since then its remained in a semi brick like status on my couch, mainly because our tech support is in the library, and as a computing student, have no reason to wonder to that side of campus!

    For the record its an IBM.
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  • ThaldarinThaldarin Alonzi&#33; Join Date: 2003-07-15 Member: 18173Members, Constellation
    Is your laptop a Dell? If so we have found the root of the problem.
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  • 0x000001940x00000194 Join Date: 2007-09-04 Member: 62167Members
    Obviously the problem is hardware, and it's somewhere within the power distribution system.

    My guess would be either that the power switch is bad, or that the system which regulates power between battery and outlet is bad.


    Since you say it works fine once it's on, i'm guessing the power switch has gone bad. If you want to do it yourself, rip it open and find out what wires the power switch connects when you press it. Try bridging them manually (not connecting, just temporarily bridging) and seeing if that helps.


    When it's on, does the power switch turn it off reliably?
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