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#1 2006-06-26 23:14:02

phrakture
Arch Overlord
From: behind you
Registered: 2003-10-29
Posts: 7,879
Website

Common failures

Just curious if anyone else has experienced this:

My laptop is a "desktop replacement" - it lasts maybe 1.5 hours on batteries, so it's plugged in 95% of the time.  In the past 2.5 years I have had it, the female connector (on the main board) for the AC adapter has failed.  The first time repairs were free.  This time I pay $298 (US).

The trouble begins with the little "power" light flickering.  A quick jiggle of the AC plug, and it stops flickering.  This gets progressively worse, as the jiggling makes the connection worse.  Eventually it just doesn't charge at all.

This has happened to me twice.  My girlfriend's laptop has had the same exact problem, twice, as well (mysteriously spaced within months of each other).  My mother's laptop has also had the same issue once.

Has this happened to anyone else? Is it shoddy parts, or something I am doing?  As far as I know, the electronics themselves shouldn't be failing.

Needless to say: don't buy HP.  The laptops are good, but this problem is too common (check the zd7000 forums) to ignore.

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#2 2006-06-26 23:23:41

Snowman
Developer/Forum Fellow
From: Montreal, Canada
Registered: 2004-08-20
Posts: 5,212

Re: Common failures

My system is a HP laptop (dv1240). I'm using it as a desktop replacement and I've had it for about a year. I didn't have any problem with the AC adaptor.
*crosses finger*
The only issue I've had so far is a heating problem probably because the fan is under the laptop. I bought a notebook cooler and it solved it.

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#3 2006-06-26 23:31:44

phrakture
Arch Overlord
From: behind you
Registered: 2003-10-29
Posts: 7,879
Website

Re: Common failures

Snowman wrote:

The only issue I've had so far is a heating problem probably because the fan is under the laptop. I bought a notebook cooler and it solved it.

Mine actually runs insanely cool.  People have called me a cheater, as it runs stable at about 85-95 F.  I just make sure to clean the fans every one or two months and I use the ondemand cpufreq governor, along with laptop-mode-tools - that's it.

/me shrugs

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#4 2006-06-26 23:43:26

cactus
Taco Eater
From: t͈̫̹ͨa͖͕͎̱͈ͨ͆ć̥̖̝o̫̫̼s͈̭̱̞͍̃!̰
Registered: 2004-05-25
Posts: 4,622
Website

Re: Common failures

I had that problem with an hp too phrak.
With me, it had to do with the way the adapter plugged into the laptop. The plug would fit into the little socket too loosely, and any movement on my behalf..be it from kicking the cord, or moving the laptop, would rock the socket a bit..this would loosen the pin that the socket slid over.

I actually got so loose, it felt like it was going to break off..

I think I eventually put some type of material around the stock of the plug, so that it would fit more snugly into the socket. I think it was a little bit of shrink tubing near the very back of the socket, so that it would not interfere with conductivity, but would tighten up the socket...

I hated that HP.
/me shakes fist


"Be conservative in what you send; be liberal in what you accept." -- Postel's Law
"tacos" -- Cactus' Law
"t̥͍͎̪̪͗a̴̻̩͈͚ͨc̠o̩̙͈ͫͅs͙͎̙͊ ͔͇̫̜t͎̳̀a̜̞̗ͩc̗͍͚o̲̯̿s̖̣̤̙͌ ̖̜̈ț̰̫͓ạ̪͖̳c̲͎͕̰̯̃̈o͉ͅs̪ͪ ̜̻̖̜͕" -- -̖͚̫̙̓-̺̠͇ͤ̃ ̜̪̜ͯZ͔̗̭̞ͪA̝͈̙͖̩L͉̠̺͓G̙̞̦͖O̳̗͍

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#5 2006-06-27 00:03:43

Snowman
Developer/Forum Fellow
From: Montreal, Canada
Registered: 2004-08-20
Posts: 5,212

Re: Common failures

phrakture wrote:
Snowman wrote:

The only issue I've had so far is a heating problem probably because the fan is under the laptop. I bought a notebook cooler and it solved it.

Mine actually runs insanely cool.  People have called me a cheater, as it runs stable at about 85-95 F.

Thats what I get with the cooler. Otherwise, it's 15-20 C hotter.

phrakture wrote:

I just make sure to clean the fans every one or two months

I've never cleaned the fan. I assume you need to take the laptop a part to do that. I just checked and it looks clean. It doesn't even seem to be running. My system is currently idle. Maybe it's not working... I'll need to check when I'll be compiling something.

phrakture wrote:

and I use the ondemand cpufreq governor, along with laptop-mode-tools - that's it.

/me shrugs

That's what I use. BTW, I've just checked the AC adapter and it's a bit loose. In the future, I'll take extra care when plugging it.

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#6 2006-06-27 20:22:15

rayjgu3
Member
From: Chicago IL usa
Registered: 2004-07-04
Posts: 695

Re: Common failures

i had that problem with mine dell inspiron 5150
dell replaced mobo free after that the ac adapter went out got that replaced free also
since then only problem ive had was display where i took it apart reseated cable for monitor new piece of tape, done 
i did some research on my mobo/ac adapter problem i was not alone one guy said he went through 3 mobo's didnt say anything bout power adapter id look into that see bout testing it
i heard when using power tools ie saw/drill if your extention cord is too long it does take a toll on your tools something bout power loss in distance , maybe your ac adapter isnt giving enough juice to your box ? just a thought   i know i would be a bit pissed if i had to shell out $298 (US) every few months for my laptop
a new ac adapter can be a bit cheaper than a mobo, check it out

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#7 2006-06-28 08:41:21

Moo-Crumpus
Member
From: Hessen / Germany
Registered: 2003-12-01
Posts: 1,487

Re: Common failures

never had such issues with my maxdata laptop, that runs as desktop replacement about three hours the day. It is allmost allways connected to the ac, plugged in and out every day.


Frumpus addict
[mu'.krum.pus], [frum.pus]

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#8 2006-06-28 16:02:21

elliott
Member
Registered: 2006-03-07
Posts: 296

Re: Common failures

rayjgu3 wrote:

i had that problem with mine dell inspiron 5150
dell replaced mobo free after that the ac adapter went out got that replaced free also

I recently dealt with a Inspiron 1150 for a friend, which is very similar your 5150. The problem was the mini-pci cover had two tabs on the sides and one of them put pressure on a chip on the board. Eventually this will break the solder joint to that chip, Dell will tell you the thing is a paper weight and needs a new motherboard. All you really need to do is resolder the chip and it works fine, trim off the tabs on the mini-pci cover and it will never happen again.

You may want to trim the tabs off of your mini-pci cover to relive pressure from that chip since this is a common problem, those systems are a bitch to get apart and the chip is a surface mount hex inverter that is tiny, has 10 pins and is nearly impossible to solder with standard tools, I had a temp controlled Weller station, a 3/32in pencil tip and a 20x magnifier and it was still a pain.

The power plugs are a common problem, usually all you have to do is open them up and reflow the solder connection and they work fine until they break loose again, I desoldered the plug, stuck it to the board with glue and the resoldered it to the board on the 1150 as preventative measure, I never want to see that Inspiron again. If the socket itself is bad, just get another one and solder it on, they are usually cheap, just make sure you get the right one.

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#9 2006-06-28 18:47:59

codemac
Member
From: Cliche Tech Place
Registered: 2005-05-13
Posts: 794
Website

Re: Common failures

Snowman wrote:

I've never cleaned the fan. I assume you need to take the laptop a part to do that. I just checked and it looks clean. It doesn't even seem to be running. My system is currently idle. Maybe it's not working... I'll need to check when I'll be compiling something.

You definitely want to get that checked out.  Your fan should be running at some speed 100% of the time.

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