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Laptop won't turn on?

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  • 17-03-2009 12:43pm
    #1
    L-M
    Registered Users Posts: 23,694 ✭✭✭✭


    Howdy.

    My laptop has decided it doesn't want to turn on. I"m guessing it's something to do with the powersupply as I had it on, and it went into hibernation as I was using it. Is there any way of checking if the booster/ power supply is fooked?

    Thanks in advance.


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    #2
    ttm
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,045 ✭✭✭ttm


    If you havn't already try unplugging the PSU from the laptop then REMOVING the battery. Replace battery and plug in PSU and try again. Don't know why but very ocasionally laptops get stuck in hibernation mode and won't come back on untill you have removed the battery.

    If that won't work first check if there is a light on the PSU (some have one some don't) if its on thats a good sign as the LED is on the low voltage output side, if off the PSU is obviously "fooked". To more conclusively check it find someone with a VOM Volt Ohm Meter and measure the output Voltage it should be a little above whatever the rating is on the PSU. And don't forget to check the fuse in the plug and that the power socket your using is working, dumb stuff but sort of thing I've seem happen before.

    If you check around you'll find a good enough VOM for under 10euro, couple of cheap ones I have (handy to lend to people that are slow to return stuff ;) ) cost 4.99 in Lidl. But they only have them in about twice a year. Somewhere like Maplin might test the PSU for you ?


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    #3
    L-M
    Registered Users Posts: 23,694 ✭✭✭✭L-M


    Thanks for the help. Came home there and I just said I'd chance it and it came on:confused:

    Seems to be working fine now but I am afraid to move it incase it doesn't want to come back on lol!

    Edit: No LED on the power supply either:(


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    #4
    ttm
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,045 ✭✭✭ttm


    Don't forget the power switch on the laptop is not a traditional ON/OFF switch and is controlled by the computers BIOS and the operating system making it a little complecated :confused:

    Might be a good idea if you do the following so you have a good starting point if you have problems in the future.

    First check how good your battery is, if there isn't an icon for it in the tast bar (bottom right near clock) go to Control Panel and Power Options to see what state the battery is in (charged, being charged, working on battery?)

    Then take a look for a power light on the laptop, unplug the PSU and see if the light goes off. Now next time you have a PSU problem you'll know which light on the laptop tells you its working ;) Also gently wobble the PSU plug that goes into the laptop does the power light sometimes go off when you do this, which might indicate a dodgy connection.

    Leave it on charge for a bit then when the battery is fully charged take out the PSU and run the laptop on battery untill it goes flat and the laptop stops running or hibernates.

    If the time running on battery is very short and you end up in the same situation as before it is possible that the battery is screwed and the power lead is not making a good conection on the laptop (the problem can be on the laptop socket and not the PSU plug).

    IMHO I think you can have a situation with a really bad battery where the system can't shut down before the battery runs out leading to the problem you had to start with, combine that with a dodgy power connector on the laptop (they get damaged by being pushed against or wall or having stuff dropped on them) and you could be seeing the same thing happen again.

    But hopefully just a one off :)


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    #5
    L-M
    Registered Users Posts: 23,694 ✭✭✭✭L-M


    Battery last at most 30 seconds once I plug out the PSU. I'm going out now, but I'll check all those things when I get back. Sound!


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    #6
    ttm
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,045 ✭✭✭ttm


    If the battery is more that 12 months old, then just put it all down to a bad battery problem exasipated by a loose power conector (may not have been plugged in fully or moved by putting something on it?).

    Given that the laptop failed to come back after hibernation as you originally reported, it is quite possible there was still enough charge in the battery to keep everything in a hung up hibernated state and when you left it for a bit it finally lost all charge (just the same as removing the battery) and then the power button worked normally again. Another trick is to try holding the pwr btn down for about 10 seconds as this sends a different msg to the BIOS (btw never press the power button really hard if it doesn't come on - or go off - as on some laptops this can damage the switch and plenty of people seem to think the harder you press the button the more likely it is to work).


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