Laptop help please

angelsmomma

My laptop was working fine then the battery went to 7% so I shut it down. I then tried to recharge it but nothing lit up to say it was charging. The charger unit is lit up but there is nothing lit on the laptop itself and I can't switch it back on.

This happened the last time I used it but after a week or so of not touching it my son got it out and it worked again. I was surprised as it seemed completely dead.

I have no idea what to do. It is a dell laptop and cost me £249 15 months ago from tesco, so I am not sure if it is worth taking to a shop to fix. It would depend on how much it could cost to fix.

Has anyone any idea on what could be wrong with it from my description.

Thanks for any help

arrallas

Have you tried it with the battery removed, using just the mains power adapter? If there's still no joy, the next step would be to try to get hold of another power adapter and try that. If that doesn't work, it is likely to be the result of damage to the power socket on the laptop - not hard to do if the plug/socket has been bashed or bent. If that is the case, sometimes a repair is possible, sometimes the only cure is a new motherboard. Fingers crossed it is just the power adapter that has gone bad, but because it has done it before, it sounds like a bad connection to the socket.

angelsmomma

Thank you I will try and see if I can get another power adapter and try it. It does seem loose in the socket when I plug it in.

I did call dell just to see what they thought.

They offered me a 12 months insurance contract for £80 which would cover them sending out someone to fix it right away. I assume from this that they don't think its much.

I refused as I had already decided that I would only have it fixed if it cost £30 or so as we have a home PC and a new iMac. There are only 2 of us so the laptop is not really needed.

Thanks for your help

[Deleted User]

Hi,

give the jack a wee shoogle, see if the charging/power light comes on then.

GunJack

it sounds like the power jack has gone....get a couple of estimates from reputable local repair shops, shouldn't be more than around £40 to fix.

angelsmomma

Thank you, I will take it to a local shop and will ask him to try a different charger in it before I make any decision. Around £40 is about the max I am prepared to pay really as we hardly use it now anyway.

gavpowell

GunJack wrote: »

it sounds like the power jack has gone....get a couple of estimates from reputable local repair shops, shouldn't be more than around £40 to fix.

I think 40 quid is optimistic - replacing the power jack generally involves dismantling the laptop, removing the motherboard, de-soldering the old socket, soldering a new one on and then reassembling. I've seen it offered at around 70 pounds but that was in a student area of Hull, where the prices need to be cheeeap.

robmar0se

What model is it? The Inspiron m5030 is having quite a few probs and are being repaired by Tesco/Dell under SOGA rules for items over 12 months old..

GunJack

gavpowell wrote: »

I think 40 quid is optimistic - replacing the power jack generally involves dismantling the laptop, removing the motherboard, de-soldering the old socket, soldering a new one on and then reassembling. I've seen it offered at around 70 pounds but that was in a student area of Hull, where the prices need to be cheeeap.

gav - £40 is deffo not optimistic, it's what I'd charge for such a job. You have, however, described the process quite well....the trouble is that most people wouldn't have a clue as to what it entails, hence why repairers get away with charging what I'd call too much.

...and yes, I have been accused of being too cheap, but I'd call it realistic

Bettie

angelsmomma wrote: »

Thank you I will try and see if I can get another power adapter and try it. It does seem loose in the socket when I plug it in.

I did call dell just to see what they thought.

They offered me a 12 months insurance contract for £80 which would cover them sending out someone to fix it right away. I assume from this that they don't think its much.

I refused as I had already decided that I would only have it fixed if it cost £30 or so as we have a home PC and a new iMac. There are only 2 of us so the laptop is not really needed.

Thanks for your help

Well done you for refusing. I fell for that one a few years back then after paying they wouldn't mend it as it was damaged before the new contract started, they wouldn't even send anyone out. They wanted over £250 to repair it. :mad: It needed a new motherboard because the jack had come loose which they said was MY fault for tugging it which I hadn't as I was always very careful and eventually after weeks of stress and because I had recorded the conversation saying they WOULD mend it I did get it done for nothing. My daughters laptop has the same problem ( different make) seems to be very common.

Bettie

GunJack wrote: »

gav - £40 is deffo not optimistic, it's what I'd charge for such a job. You have, however, described the process quite well....the trouble is that most people wouldn't have a clue as to what it entails, hence why repairers get away with charging what I'd call too much.

...and yes, I have been accused of being too cheap, but I'd call it realistic

Anywhere near Bristol?