pressure on hard drive is the only way to make anything happen :/

[Virtual Patient]

Hi all,

I have a strange problem with my laptop, it hasn't really been used as a mobile device for a long time and the first time I took it out in a long while and tried to use it a problem has arisen.

The laptop will not do anything unless I apply pressure over where the hard drive is seated. It does not give any errors, it just stops processing until I return the pressure to the right spot. Obviously this is an impossible situation and is unworkable.

I have taken the hard drive out and reseated it to make sure there wasn't a problem there, I checked all connections while I was in there and all seems to be ok. I took out the keyboard to check if there was a problem I could see from that direction and nothing to be seen.

Immediately below the hard drive is a white (plastic?) that I suppose is just a divider or a shield of some kind but this shows no signs of a problem either.

http://www.uktsupport.co.uk/advent/laptop/8115.htm ( that is the model I am dealing with)

Any ideas or should I forget it and start saving up for a new laptop?

[SpywareDr]

Sounds like a loose connector, broken solder joint.

[Virtual Patient]

thank you for your prompt reply, I couldn't see any loose connections but if it's a broken solder joint I suppose that's the end of the road for that laptop

[SpywareDr]

Reflowing the solder in all of the solder joints in that area -might- work.

[Train]

Be sure to use a iron


and not a soldering gun.

[SuperSparks]

And double check that the hard drive is pushed all the way into the socket - it is possible to insert those 2.5" drives so that they look like they are fully home, when they are actually only halfway plugged in.

[Virtual Patient]

Thank you for the replies. I'll take another look at it tomorrow see if I the connection is tight on the hard drive. I'm not sure if I would be accurate enough with a soldering iron, but if the laptop is toast anyway I don't suppose it would hurt to try