Laptop intermittent power problem

jlb1705 · #1 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 03:52 PM

I am having problems with my laptop's power supply powering my computer and charging the battery.

It loses the connection seemingly for no reason at random times. I restore the connection by unplugging the DC plug from the computer and plugging it back in. So far I have tried jiggling and rotating the plug, moving the cable, and inspecting it for sharp bends or loose connections around the transformer. They all seem to have no effect on my connection, as doing these things neither breaks nor re-establishes a connection.

I have tested the power supply with a multimeter, and it consistently supplies the correct voltage. I have not been able to test current, so it seems possible to me that there is a deficiency there.

There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to when the problem starts acting up. At times I can move my computer around with no problems - pick it up, put it on my lap, put it back on the table - all without disrupting my connection. Then at other times it starts acting up without any physical disturbance at all - it just loses the connection out of the blue without moving the computer or the cord. Many times I don't notice this until my battery has run down and the computer hibernates. It's getting really annoying.

I have also opened up the computer to try to inspect the solder connections where the DC power jack connects to the motherboard. Admittedly I was not able to disassemble it enough to get a great look at it. I don't think I have enough expertise to go any further than I did. From what I saw though, the solder connections did not look broken or burnt, and the fact that jiggling the plug when it's connected doesn't have an effect seems to me to point to the problem not being a broken solder connection.

Does anybody have any advice? I wish I could just chuck this thing and get a new laptop.

jlb1705 · #2 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 05:40 PM

Additionally: It seems to me that my battery indicator is off. During these episodes I had been attributing my persistent "low battery" indicator to the fact that I have an older battery to go along with the intermittent connection problems. However, I just unplugged the computer to take it to another room to do some printing, and all then all of a sudden, while the computer indicated about 60-70% battery power remaining, the computer went into hibernation.

Is it possible that my battery/power indicator is screwing up, tricking the computer into thinking there is no power being supplied?

Taosman · #3 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 06:00 PM

Sounds like the common recharger connection failure. Your plug in charger has a bad or broken connection(inside your computer). You plug it in but it's not charging. Or the battery itself is old and won't hold a charge.
Have you tried a new battery? That's you first step. If a new battery isn't charging you know you probably have a recharging connection problem. Then you have to decide if you want to pay for a repair or get a new computer. Good luck.
http://www.uofr.net/~greg/hardware/l...oubleshooting/

jlb1705 · #4 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 06:04 PM

I have not tried a new battery. I have not tried that yet in part because it seems like when the computer indicates that a power connection is established, the battery charges. My battery life sucks, but it does work for maybe twenty minutes off the cord when it is fully charged.

Deety · #5 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 08:13 PM

I had a similar issue with power cords at least twice on a system - they just became worse to the point it wouldn't recognize it was plugged in at all. After months of go-round with Evil Evil Circuit City and finally bringing it to a local guy, turns out a big part of the issue was a bad battery causing damage to the rest of the system. Not holding a charge very long was the big clue, apparently.

Taosman · #6 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlb1705

I have not tried a new battery. I have not tried that yet in part because it seems like when the computer indicates that a power connection is established, the battery charges. My battery life sucks, but it does work for maybe twenty minutes off the cord when it is fully charged.

20 minutes off a battery is horrendous. That says you should try a new battery. If a new battery gets only 20 minutes then you know it's a charging failure. You could possibly borrow a battery from a friend or someone with the same computer.