Don't know where the problem lies . . .

[Andrea31]

Please help, as I'm confused as to where the problem lies . . .

 

Had Acer 5633 laptop for nearly 2yrs. Now just use it plugged into mains as the battery had decreased to point where only lasts around 15mins fully charged - this is not a problem and the battery was just left in and used mains.

 

Last week, pc would not come on at all. Didn't think it was charger cable as the green light on the charger box always comes on and it's box heats up, but on pc, no power-up light, and battery light flashed red, after about 20mins it was steady green but still no power-up. Also no heat at all from battery . . . just thought was dead battery and heard it should work with no battery in - tried but nothing. Gave up as thought pc dead so put battery back in and just left it unplugged - next morning the battery light was flashing red even though been untouched for hours . . . tried few times over days, with and without battery, but no joy.

 

Didn't bother for days, then tried again without battery and it came on straightaway! Was able to move it to different room and came on again with no problem again. Next day, dead again, with and without battery.

 

Was just trying everything and blew into air vents under pc and it powered up for few secs then off! Then it stayed on longer but when moved it to place pc on table, it went off. Managed eventually to get to stay on, but only by balancing pc, holding cable connection steady and blowing into vents and lowering slowly onto table!!!

 

Has now been on for hours - battery just happened to be in when I tried so both power-up light and battery lights are both green, although once the battery light flashed red for around 20mins, even thought its plugged into mains and mains icon shows in the tray - why would this be when it's plugged into mains? Not bothered about dead battery but confused as to if it is the charger cable or the pc or both . .. .

 

Sorry for the long post - any help would be appreciated.

[Dalo Harkin]

Some laptops will power through the mains without the battery in, but most do not.

it could be a number of things from overheating to the cable and the battery, I would say the most common is the battery on laptops.

some etailers have good discounts on getting the battery and a replacement cable pack.

I would also buy some compressed air and give it a blast in small bursts just to clear the dust out of there.

[Guest Wolfeymole]

This sounds like either a dodgy DC connector on the back Andrea or a failing transformer, the AC transformer has a lot of work to do to knock it down to the voltage required by the laptop.

[Andrea31]

Did read your replies the same day but was testing it and switched everything off and couldn't get back on again!!!

 

However, that night I unplugged from mains (with battery in) and went to bed. Got up about 6hours later in middle of night, walked into room where pc is and it had JUST that very second switched itself on when I walked in!!! Weird timing! I know it hadn't done it any other time during the night as it went on to give that option cancel disk check by pressing any key.

 

Next day, wouldn't come on, even when blew into vents, so used cool setting on hairdryer(!) and literally the second I did that, it powered up - weird thing is, since then, its worked absolutely fine - obviously sounds like the vents needed clearing but it was when I moved the cable that it would go off, but since then, I can move the pc and even deliberately move the cable in the back and move the lead and it never goes off!

 

Am v. pleased it's working but it's a bit strange!

[maynardvdm]

Good to hear it is working again :)

 

Yes heat can be a big problem with computers :)

[Andrea31]

But that's what I was meaning - surely it can't have been down to heat ONLY, because like I said before, once pc was on, it was fine and was on for hours until I switched it off. It was only when I tried to put it back on (either then or next day) that it wouldn't power-up so didn't suggest that it was a heat prob.

 

Thats why I posted as was confused as was other issues like fact that I had to put air in vents for it to work AND the fact that touching/moving the cable made it switch off AND fact that the life in the battery is like 10mins fully charged - but all of a sudden, EVERYTHING has resolved at same time and is 100% like it was before . . .

[Goku]

Heat issues in Laptops and Notebook computers are usually observed when you try to boot them. There are many cases of a Laptop working fine for hours a day and the other day, it is completely unbootable. The best way to resolve this problem is to clean all the vents with a can of compressed air to regulate the air flow. If the Laptop is placed in a position that the air cannot pass through, then you will need to buy a special stand that is used to regulate air flow.

 

The second problem you state is really strange. I think it is a faulty connection but I may be wrong. Have you tried using another charger? If not, then please try so and report back the results. It could shed some light on what actually is happening?

 

-- Goku

[Dalo Harkin]

Glad its all sorted :)

[Andrea31]

Hi, thanks for your replies . . . and no I didn't try another charger - local places said they no longer stock charger for my model of pc (2yrs). Luckily, it's completely back to the way it was, but if happens again, will have to try to get charger somewhere, if air in vents doesn't work, etc.

 

Just curious, but does anyone know why pc would switch itself back on? I definately shut down properly, unplugged from mains so only battery in and went to bed but 6hrs later 4.30am, switched itself on literally the second I walked in the room and everything loaded up as normal?! Only thing did different was left lid open and left charger cable in the back of pc but wasn't in mains (when I managed to get it working, tried to leave everything as it was in the hope it would work the next day).

 

Anyone know why it would switch itself on?

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Well once you rule out Yvette Fielding (Most Haunted) investigating then it sounds to me like a knackered hard drive or motherboard connection.

[Dalo Harkin]

It wouldn't as far as I am aware, there is no reason why it would.

unless you put it to hibernate and you walking on the floor moved the pc??

[Andrea31]

Nah - not in hibernation, was completely off. Very strange! As long as it's working anyway! Will wait and see what happens and hopefully will be ok!?!

 

Thanks for everyone's help,

 

Andrea.

[Goku]

Hmmmm... coincidents happen; even in cyber world, so it might have been an instance of it. Keep us posted on updates though. :)

 

-- Goku

[Andrea31]

Hi - I will do and hopefully it will be to say it's working!

 

Thanks,

 

Andrea.