I have been given the above lappy but it will not startup using the house current. It has a battery but even then, it should startup with or without the battery--shouldn't it?! I know nothing about one of these. As usual, TIA
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I have been given the above lappy but it will not startup using the house current. It has a battery but even then, it should startup with or without the battery--shouldn't it?! I know nothing about one of these. As usual, TIA
Not necessarily, some laptops require the battery to be in at all times, even when running on mains power. Others are quite happy to run on mains alone with the battery unplugged.
Info
http://support.gateway.com/s/Mobile/...e/5953nv.shtml
Battery cost would be in the $100 bracket
http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy&n...ef3e11f2107f10
May even need a new Power supply. When you plug in the power supply is the connection tight?
Thanks Nick. I have tried it both ways; with and without the battery and had a no go. Guess it must be something(s) else.
And thanks to you Train. Your search was more successful than mine. I found many links to the laptop(I think it might be more correctly referred to as a notebook). I knew before I accepted it that there were possibly problems but I don't recall being told it would not startup. I suspected the battery to be a problem but I did not think/know it wouldn't even start. Wouldn't really mind putting a very few bucks into a battery as a trial. Guess that would be a waste of $$ unless it could be returned. Doubtful I could find a repair shop to be of help in this matter. Doubt that such a battery is easily found in a local repair shop. Is there an easy way I can tell if the battery is any good?
I have just talked to the guy who gave me the PC. It seems that this battery is good because he has another PC identical to this one that is used at home almost daily. He used to take the battery from my PC and put it into the other PC and the battery would charge. He would then switch the batteries and could then use both computers. When my computer battery became discharged, he would have to do the same thing again. That got old and hence, I have the PC with the bad battery. I suspect 'something' inside the PC is the real problem. OH!!!! He said this began after a bad lightening storm went through his area in another city. With this added info, you may now make a more educated approach to the problem and a possible answer.
If lightning is involved, there's no telling what it might have effected and/or destroyed. Even plain 'ol static can melt a hole through a chip.
About the only thing left is to try a different Power supply.
Seems the old ps has gone bad or the onboard charging system is bad. And a different ps , if you can borrow one, would point to one or the other.
More thanks Train and Doc, I didn't get the feeling that a "hit" may have been made on the PC; that was the period of time he associated the PC's failure began. Likely he picked the correct cause of the failure. I wasn't there so I can only listen to what he said. The unit looks to have been very very lightly used and it almost looks new. Sure doesn't act like a new one!! :p
You never know, it does not take much to damage that AC adapter for laptops sometimes. So try a different one if you can find one.
Went to Staples earlier today but they did not have an adapter($115 for a generic). Stopped by Wal-Mart and picked up one for $69. I knew I could return it without any hassle if it didn't work. Tried it when I got home and no joy. Even tried the new power cord that was included. Now I have the battery wrapped and sealed in a plastic bag in the freezer for tonight. Will try the results of that trick in the A.M. and post back. If that doesn't work then the next time I go to Jacksonville I will take the battery by my niece's and charge it on their "twin laptop" and try it when I come back home. If that doesn't work, I'll probably let re-cycle have it. Thanks for continuing to stick with me Train.
Sounds like a good plan.
Tried to access the board this afternoon 2-3 times but could not. Guess troubles there because I could get other sites.
My best laid plans did not work. :( Took the machine to a shop where there are people I know. Preliminary check by the guy could see nothing externally wrong and listened to my story first shown in my beginning thread. He could run a diagnostics test for $45 and if any repairs are needed the $45 charge would not be applied. I think the catch is the repair which may very well be costly and so I think that is not what I will do. Instead, I am thinking of ordering a new battery for $51, including shipping. I don't mind gambling those few dollars on it. May order from here: https://www.laptopcharge.com/ I am still listening to you folks, however.
EDIT: WHOA!!!! I don't think a new battery is the answer; not if the computer will not charge the one I now have. Any thoughts.
Since and the power adapter was tried and did not work, the charging circuit on the motherboard is probably bad and it more than likely needs a new motherboard to fix that problem.Quote:
EDIT: WHOA!!!! I don't think a new battery is the answer; not if the computer will not charge the one I now have. Any thoughts.
You are not the only one. Thanks for letting us know.Quote:
Tried to access the board this afternoon 2-3 times but could not. Guess troubles there because I could get other sites.
Thanks Train and that makes sense.
Just for the heck of it, I mailed the battery to niece in Jacksonville for a fresh charge. Talked to her on phone first and she is happy to do that. Got the newly charged battery this past Saturday. That evening I put the battery into the notebook and it booted up. Finally saw the XP that is installed on it. After about 2 hours playing with it, got message that the battery was critically(?) low. House current would not start the PC. Will take it back to another PC shop tomorrow and let him now analyse the PC since it will now boot. (the same guy could not do anything for me when it wouldn't boot--maybe now he can help). Will post back the findings. I am not in it unless it will run on AC.
Fried voltage regulation circuit, would be my guess. It may be repairable.
Battery charge did not last long enough for computer repair to fully diagnose the possible problem.
I think my answer to this problem is: Trash the notebook. Not worth the cost to repair.
My real thanks to all who have tried to help.
Breaking news Had nothing pressing earlier tonight, and with the notebook on the floor by my favorite recliner, I took an old toothbrush and used it on the battery connector "teeth" and on the computer plugin for the battery to hopefully clean out whatever dust; etc. that might still be there, put the battery in and plugged it in to AC and while I tapped the power button screen came on for maybe 5 seconds and then cut off. Surprised me and I didn't have time to grasp what was happening before it turned off automatically. Did that 3-4 more times and tried to get in the BIOS but didn't have time. May be residual charge left in the, I thought, dead battery but now I don't know. Will let it charge(?) for an hour or so and see what happens.
OH, the toothbrush idea came from a tip I had read. Good tip!!