Ereon Member Posts: 1018 From: Ohio, United States Registered: 04-12-2005 |
The port where my power cord connects to my laptop is getting more and more buggy. It won't pick-up or transmit electricity or something, and I keep having to twist it in more and more extreme contortions to get it to stay and work right. I'm afraid its going to cease to work all together. Does anyone know a way to fix this? Ereon ------------------ "I am very good at hiding, so if you don't see me, that's where I am." Orc Outlaw, TES III Morrowind |
ArchAngel Member Posts: 3450 From: SV, CA, USA Registered: 01-29-2002 |
I had that problem with an old toshiba laptop. sry to say, it stopped working all together. I'd suggest bringing it in to a shop and getting it fixed. ------------------ |
goop2 Member Posts: 1059 From: Registered: 06-30-2004 |
Heres a great idea!: Dont be cheap, get a new cord!  [edit]Oh, its the port.. try getting it fixed at a shop probabaly...[/edit] [This message has been edited by Goop2 (edited May 29, 2006).] |
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graceworks Member Posts: 455 From: Corvallis, Oregon, USA Registered: 03-03-2001 |
Troubleshoot it - Replace the power cord part that goes into the ac adapter to rule it out. If you can borrow an ac adapter (or equivalent, make sure you get the voltage and polarity to match), then you can rule that out. Replacing the plug in the laptop could be expensive if you have to pay someone to do it. However, taking a laptop apart can be tedious ... getting it back together is even more challenging. Plus the task of locating the correct plug can be time consuming. Is it under warranty?? God bless, ------------------ |
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Ereon Member Posts: 1018 From: Ohio, United States Registered: 04-12-2005 |
Yes, it was under warrenty, or at least I paid $250 extra for a warrenty, but I sent it in and the kind folks at Circuit City refused to repair it, stating that it was all physical damage (even though I was told when I pruchased the thing that such damage was coverd). So yeah, they sent it back to be just as bad as ever. ------------------ "I am very good at hiding, so if you don't see me, that's where I am." Orc Outlaw, TES III Morrowind |
CapnStank Member Posts: 214 From: Sask, Canada Registered: 12-16-2004 |
Well don't take no crap from them. Even a threat of something like small claims court will make a company jump and do what you ask. Make sure you research companies warranties though. My friend bought a Dell from Best Buy and the motherboard fried 2 months into his ownership of it. So he took it back and they "Tried" fixing it (although they're mostly clueless there) and messed it up. So then they phoned Dell for parts, which refused to supply them since Best Buy is not authorized to fix Dell machines. This means that when they opened the case they voided the warranty on my friend's computer and could do nothing to fix it. So he got it back, took it to a local shop who could fix Dells, had it back in a week. Long story short? Make sure they can do what they say they will. ------------------ |
Tonnyx Member Posts: 140 From: Indiana, USA Registered: 08-02-2005 |
Hey, Ereon! Yep, I know exactly what you're talking about. My old HP had the same thing. I had to plug the power cord in, make sure the LED on the box was lit, and then loop the cord so it would sit under the laptop and *never ever* move adjust, tilt, anything. Since the LED was getting lit on the box, I don't know what you call it, the thing where the two parts of the power cord connect at the rectangular thingie, I know that the problem isn't the wire, as described in this page: I never did go back and put the effort into the old HP that had the problem you're having. Clint and I took the laptop apart, saw that the barrel connection that the power cord plugs into was cracked, and we stopped there. If you're into do-it-yourself fixing, here's a pretty detailed link: edit: Here's another link I just found: http://brooksmoses.livejournal.com/40396.html Of course, it calls for you to open up your laptop, which will probably void your warranty. Hope this helps! ------------------ [This message has been edited by tonnyx (edited May 30, 2006).] [This message has been edited by tonnyx (edited May 30, 2006).] |
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Ereon Member Posts: 1018 From: Ohio, United States Registered: 04-12-2005 |
At this point I don't think I relistically HAVE a warrenty to void  . Thanks for the link TonnyX, my Dad and I have talked about trying to fix it outselves and I think that link will prove very helpful.To Capnstank: Lol, as much fun as it sounds (terrorizing Circuit City with judicial blackmail ------------------ "I am very good at hiding, so if you don't see me, that's where I am." Orc Outlaw, TES III Morrowind |
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goop2 Member Posts: 1059 From: Registered: 06-30-2004 |
Best Buy gave my parents the same crap. They bought me a camera, got the waranty (making sure everything was covered) and gave it to me for Christmas. I accidentaly broke the display one day, and when they took it back to have it fixed/replaced they said that it wasnt covered. Id like to go in and pretend to be window shoping, ask about the waranty, then when they tell me its covered BAM! I pull out my camera, and show them the problem. Then they deny everything they said O_o ------------------ |
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Ereon Member Posts: 1018 From: Ohio, United States Registered: 04-12-2005 |
Lol, that would be America's Funniest Home Videos material Goop. Ok, we opened up my laptop and stuck a little piece of folded paper in between the case and the connector to hold it in place for a temporary fix, and later today we'll be opening it all the way and soldering it down. Thanks for all your help guys, I'll let you know how it goes. ------------------ "I am very good at hiding, so if you don't see me, that's where I am." Orc Outlaw, TES III Morrowind |
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Ereon Member Posts: 1018 From: Ohio, United States Registered: 04-12-2005 |
Um, does anyone have any step-by-step instructions for disassembling an HP ZV5000ish laptop? We started working on it but couldn't get it all the way apart. ------------------ "I am very good at hiding, so if you don't see me, that's where I am." Orc Outlaw, TES III Morrowind |
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Tonnyx Member Posts: 140 From: Indiana, USA Registered: 08-02-2005 |
Hmm. I've never had an HP quite like yours, but I have taken apart one HP and a couple older Compaqs. Here's my usual methodology: -Take off any decorative covers that might be hiding more screws (my latest Compaq, for example, has little plastic covers over the screws that hold the screen to the body of the laptop) -Look at how the laptop was put together, and work on whatever must have been put on last. Sometimes this is the little cover where the power button is (on my computer, for example, this is what holds the keyboard in place, so once this comes up, the keyboard simply lifts out, revealing many more parts underneath). -After you get one thing off, it's often just a matter of seeing what new screws are revealed, and taking those parts off until you get to what you need to get to. -If you're well and truly stuck, and you haven't gotten to where you need, you may need to then progress to trying to get the top part of the laptop casing off: -*Carefully*, and with just your fingers, pull on the computer where the "seam" runs around the laptop. Feel where it's looser or tighter. If something feels very tight, make sure you haven't overlooked any hidden screws. Good luck! ------------------ |
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Ereon Member Posts: 1018 From: Ohio, United States Registered: 04-12-2005 |
*Ereon look at laptop.......looks at laptop........back to screw driver......and then back to the laptop, a very confused look in his eyes......"Here goes nothing"* Thanks for the tips Tonnyx, when my Dad gets back from Ohio we'll take a crack at it, I thought that there must be a decorative cover or something, because the case acted as if it was still attached to something underneath the bottom plate. ------------------ "I am very good at hiding, so if you don't see me, that's where I am." Orc Outlaw, TES III Morrowind |
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Tonnyx Member Posts: 140 From: Indiana, USA Registered: 08-02-2005 |
Hey, Ereon! I had assumed that you had looked online already for disassembly instructions, but I did a search just now to see what there might be. Check it out: Hooray for Google. ------------------ [This message has been edited by tonnyx (edited June 06, 2006).] |
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Ereon Member Posts: 1018 From: Ohio, United States Registered: 04-12-2005 |
Hi everyone, just wanted to give you all an update. After about 4 hours in intensive surgery my laptop has pulled through and is now functioning admirably. Thank you SOOOOOOO much TonnyX for the great links and everyone else for your great advice, it would have been a near impossible task without your help. We had to take it all apart twice, but when the dust settled the power connector was soldered down rock solid, my CD-ROM drive rails had the bend removed from them (now they open much smoother) and the everything in general functions better now. Once again, thanks for all your help everyone. Ereon ------------------ Of course God knew what would happen if they used their freedom the wrong way: apparently He thought it worth the risk. Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: What! You too? I thought I was the only one. |
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Tonnyx Member Posts: 140 From: Indiana, USA Registered: 08-02-2005 |
Hey! Congratulations! That's excellent! I'm so glad that it worked out for you! Maybe one of these days I'll get up the courage to try it on my old HP, too. ------------------ |
