Laptop Woes

[shrimply]

hi all, looking for some advice.

 

I think my laptop is on the way to laptop heaven, which is a joke since its only 18 months old and had most of its parts replaced after 9 months but nevermind.

 

I really don't have the money to replace it right now but will probably pay to replace it rather than wasting money repairing an ageing laptop.

 

Anyway the problem appears to be with the power supply somewhere, the laptop runs fine if its left alone but fails to start if its transported anywhere. I try to turn it on and get nothing. I can get it working by removing and replacing the battery several times and plugging it in without the battery connected etc. The thing is after its working its fine, it runs fine it runs on the battery fine, charges the battery fine, I can remove and and replace the power supply without issues. If it was a loose connection I'd expect to be unexpectedly loosing power and such.

 

Also I just had one of these incidents, and once I turned it on the laptop beeped ( very loudly at me twice) and I got a screen up which I can't really remember but I pressed F1(to continue) and it booted to windows. However, once onto windows it had lost the time and date, which I'm guessing means the bios (phoenix) has been reset or something.

 

I'm just really very confused about the problems, particularly the fact that it lost the time. To me, not that I know a lot, but the symptoms just don't add up.

 

Any thoughts?

[Dalo Harkin]

To be honest shrimps the normal 'faulty' part of a lappy power supply is actually the pin at the back where you plug the PSU lead into - they get all wibbly and dont make proper contact with the MOBO.

some PC shops will replace them - but most just say its goosed to avoid having to do it.

you can check if its that if you want to remove the cover and see if any of the soldering is loose on the legs :)

 

And you are right - loss of time is the BIOS -

[shrimply]

Hi thanks I will check, but I struggling to picture why that would cause complete failure. I'm sure it depends on the wiring which will vary. But I'd of thought that the problem you suggest would simply prevent charging, it should still run on the battery fine while there's charge in it. Or is this completely wrong.

 

As I said its running fine now and has been turned off and on several times since yesterday evening without fault. Hoping it will keep on going a bit longer.

[shrimply]

Just thought I'd let you know that despite my best efforts I couldn't get the back off, I don't know If I'm missing something obvious but despite removing every screw in sight it still didn't want to budge, so I have no idea whether there is any loose connection.

 

It is still working at present though.

[Dalo Harkin]

its hard to tell whats holding the cover on mate, without seeing it.

In regards to the pin being faulty - if its wobbling about - its shorting and when it shorts that is what will be stopping the lappy booting

[shrimply]

Thanks, at the minute its working and that what matters, I'll keep everything backed up and use it until it works no longer.

 

Its a Advent 7203 and I found full dismantling guides for the laptop it was based on but took one look at them and though it wasn't worth the hassle. Its not like I could do anything about it anyway.

 

http://cache-www.intel.com/cd/00/00/28/42/284266_284266.pdf

http://cache-www.intel.com/cd/00/00/28/42/284283_284283.pdf

 

thanks for the help. I guess I'll be purchasing a new laptop, or desktop soon. It all depends on my position but to be honest I'd rather have a desktop, this is my first laptop and I've had nothing but bother with it but then maybe if I got a better make it might help.