ideas on what may be wrong with this laptop?

[jtballer]

I have a Dell Inspiron 5150.

When I plug in the power cord to the laptop it will not start or charge normally.  If I wiggle the cord some the lights will blink as if while I'm wiggling it, it is connecting and not connecting, as if there's a short or something.

Also, if I am ever able to get it to work just right, or even if it is running on battery power, the laptop simply will not boot unless I do some major crazy things to it.

In the past I've been able to apply pressure to the area below the keyboard and the laptop will come on, but if I take off pressure it will shut right off.  If I hold the laptop in a weird way like on it's side it will come on sometimes, but if I make one minor little movement then it will shut down.

I really don't understand this and when I called customer service when I had it under warranty they did not understand it either.

So when I push the power button I can hear the fan for a second and it sounds like it's booting but after maybe 2 seconds it just shuts down.

So, it seems there may be at least two problems to me.  But I really don't know much of anything.  I was thinking maybe it's not getting a connection from the AC power, but that doesn't explain why it will not boot unless I hold it in weird ways.


Any ideas?  This has stumped me for so long, and I just took the keyboard off myself for the first time... and it would just be amazing if someone knew the problem!  haha

[jtballer]

http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/topic/43678/

WOW!

[truenorth]

jtballer, rather amazing that you answered your own question. I would like to give you one suggestion. I do note that you had at sometime reported this anomaly to Dell while the computer was STILL under WARRANTY. I don't know how long ago that was but they would have kept a record of the report. I would suggest BEFORE you apply the "fix" suggested in the article that you contact them and apprise them of the facts that you have uncovered and insist that they deal with it as a warranty issue. Make all the appropriate noises (if necessary) about future computer purchases,etc. Only if they after that refuse to fix it then try the "fix". I am sure that if they weren't aware of the issue when you 1st called they are now. Let us know how it goes.goodluck,truenorth

[Quantos]

Does this sound like a shameless plug for another site?

[patio]

No...not at all....          

[truenorth]

Geez! Quantos never would have thought that--you think?truenorth

[Quantos]

Geez! Quantos never would have thought that--you think?truenorth

But I DID think of that...

[truenorth]

I guess the proof in the pudding will be if we ever hear from the O/P on the subject again.truenorth

[jtballer]

heyyyyyyyyyyyy

haha wow i didn't think it would come off like that.


i ended up taking apart the laptop, and it didn't work.


but i'm trying to save my hard drive and I ordered and enclosure and it doesn't fit.

i think it's an SATA drive.  I got a 2.5, and think maybe a 3.5 is what it needs?  But it says IDE/ATA on the hard drive so i'm not sure.

i made another post about it but if anyone can help... it would be great!


EDIT:  also, truenorth, thanks for the concern.  I should have came back to this thread earlier and took your advice and at least try to get them to fix it i guess.  I was just too excited to try to get it fixed i guess

but i would really like to save this hard drive but can't seem to find the right enclosure

[truenorth]

jtballer, BEFORE you do ANYTHING else read this and see if it affects you.If so (and it certainly sounds to me like it does) then it is the avenue you need to pursue.  http://www.blaptops.com/news/dell-settles-class-action-suit-for-inspiron-5150/  goodluck and let us know how you make out,truenorth

[jtballer]

hey yeah i know a little bit about that.  they had extended the warranty and then later on i called and they had told me it was expired.

i guess at this point i'm just trying to figure out what type of enclosure will go with that hard drive?

here's a pic of the connector:
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/jtballer3/Picture39.jpg

[patio]

                                       

2.5" Laptop to IDE connector...about 8 Bucks.

[soybean]

but i'm trying to save my hard drive and I ordered and enclosure and it doesn't fit.

i think it's an SATA drive.  I got a 2.5, and think maybe a 3.5 is what it needs?  But it says IDE/ATA on the hard drive so i'm not sure.

The hard drive is 2.5 inch, so you need an enclosure for 2.5 inch drives, not a 3.5 inch drive enclosure.  Apparently, you got an enclosure for IDE/ATA drives when you should have got an enclosure for a SATA drive.  Go shopping here. 

However, if you just want a temporary way to access the hard drive and retrieve files from it, get an adapter as suggested by patio.

[Computer_Commando]

hey yeah i know a little bit about that.  they had extended the warranty and then later on i called and they had told me it was expired.

i guess at this point i'm just trying to figure out what type of enclosure will go with that hard drive?

here's a pic of the connector:
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/jtballer3/Picture39.jpg

The pic shows an IDE/ATA hard drive with an adapter for the Dell laptop.  I've had several Dells with the same adapter.