[RESOLVED] Gateway Laptop MX6131

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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.

[SuperSparks]

Fried voltage regulation circuit, would be my guess. It may be repairable.

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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.

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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!!