dell inspiron 1000 apparently dead.... power plug problems?

Hi,
I am attempting to fix my daughter's inspiron 1000. I have
reinstalled windows xp, and was working on loading up the ms security
fixes when the computer just died.... it was running on battery power
at the time.

She has had problems with the power cord, and has a hacked up cable
from the ac adapter to the pc. I suspect that the power plug on the
mb has become loose. My guess is that the charger is not able to
fully charge the battery due to this, so no power is getting to the mb
components.

Is it straightforward to diagnose this type of problem? Is there a
way to externally charge the dell inspiron 1000 battery and plug it
back in to see if this is a power related problem?

I have some skills at hardware, but I'm not sure I want to tear the
computer apart. Any ideas?

Regards, BV

AFAIK, the only way to charge up an Inspiron 1000 battery is with another
Inspiron 1000, or Dell system that uses the same battery.

Teardown of an Inspiron 1000 is easy, despite the lack of a service manual for
the beast on the Dell web site. Remove all the screws, period. Then it all
comes apart. Given the price of replacement motherboards, though, I'm not sure
that the repair is worth it. Some companies advertise a service for $99 to
repair broken power connectors.

Broken notebook computer power connectors are an industry embarrassment.
Notebook power connectors are usually attached to the motherboard with only the
soft solder used to make the electrical connection. Under the regular stress
and strain of plugging and unplugging the A/C adapter, the soft solder
eventually fractures and the system is hosed. Where is Ralph Nader when we
need him to go on a crusade? ... Ben Myers

On 3 Mar 2007 04:28:48 -0800, wrote:

>Hi,
>I am attempting to fix my daughter's inspiron 1000. I have
>reinstalled windows xp, and was working on loading up the ms security
>fixes when the computer just died.... it was running on battery power
>at the time.
>
>She has had problems with the power cord, and has a hacked up cable
>from the ac adapter to the pc. I suspect that the power plug on the
>mb has become loose. My guess is that the charger is not able to
>fully charge the battery due to this, so no power is getting to the mb
>components.
>
>Is it straightforward to diagnose this type of problem? Is there a
>way to externally charge the dell inspiron 1000 battery and plug it
>back in to see if this is a power related problem?
>
>I have some skills at hardware, but I'm not sure I want to tear the
>computer apart. Any ideas?
>
>Regards, BV

wrote:
> Hi,
> I am attempting to fix my daughter's inspiron 1000. I have
> reinstalled windows xp, and was working on loading up the ms security
> fixes when the computer just died.... it was running on battery power
> at the time.
>
> She has had problems with the power cord, and has a hacked up cable
> from the ac adapter to the pc. I suspect that the power plug on the
> mb has become loose. My guess is that the charger is not able to
> fully charge the battery due to this, so no power is getting to the mb
> components.
>
> Is it straightforward to diagnose this type of problem? Is there a
> way to externally charge the dell inspiron 1000 battery and plug it
> back in to see if this is a power related problem?
>
> I have some skills at hardware, but I'm not sure I want to tear the
> computer apart. Any ideas?
>
> Regards, BV
>
Dell manuals, including a tear it apart one are found here;
http://support.dell.com/support/edoc..._documentation

"Pen" <> wrote in message
news:. ..
> wrote:
>> Hi,
>> I am attempting to fix my daughter's inspiron 1000. I have
>> reinstalled windows xp, and was working on loading up the ms security
>> fixes when the computer just died.... it was running on battery power
>> at the time.
>>
>> She has had problems with the power cord, and has a hacked up cable
>> from the ac adapter to the pc. I suspect that the power plug on the
>> mb has become loose. My guess is that the charger is not able to
>> fully charge the battery due to this, so no power is getting to the mb
>> components.
>>
>> Is it straightforward to diagnose this type of problem? Is there a
>> way to externally charge the dell inspiron 1000 battery and plug it
>> back in to see if this is a power related problem?
>>
>> I have some skills at hardware, but I'm not sure I want to tear the
>> computer apart. Any ideas?
>>
>> Regards, BV
>>
> Dell manuals, including a tear it apart one are found here;
> http://support.dell.com/support/edoc..._documentation


That's "removing the hard drive" in 3 or 4 different languages. :-)

As is said sometimes in rural communities, "they ain't no" exploded system
or extensive "removing parts" documentation on the 1000. Ben just had to
wing it on one some 3-4 weeks ago (in a post/thread here).

Stew

Before you take that notebook apart you have to confirm that the cable
is NOT the problem. If you have somekind of voltmeter, this can be
accomplished fairly easily. Just plug the cord into an outlet and use
the leads from the meter on the other end. Depending on the notebook
the output voltage will be somewhere between 14 to 19V DC. If the
cord is working and you do have to take that notebook apart, you will
most likely have to resolder the DC adapter back onto the notebook.

When you do have it torn apart you most likely won't see the loose
connection, just apply solder VERY CAREFULLY to the contac points. I
have a little article posted on the proper ways to open up a notebook
case here: http://pctech-solutions.blogspot.com/

Hope that helps.

Viz
http://pctech-solutions.com

On Mar 3, 6:50 pm, "S.Lewis" <stew1...@mail.com> wrote:
> "Pen" <pen34usnos...@hotmailnospam.com> wrote in message
>
> news:. ..
>
>
>
>
>
> > bever...@aol.com wrote:
> >> Hi,
> >> I am attempting to fix my daughter's inspiron 1000. I have
> >> reinstalled windows xp, and was working on loading up the ms security
> >> fixes when the computer just died.... it was running on battery power
> >> at the time.
>
> >> She has had problems with the power cord, and has a hacked up cable
> >> from the ac adapter to the pc. I suspect that the power plug on the
> >> mb has become loose. My guess is that the charger is not able to
> >> fully charge the battery due to this, so no power is getting to the mb
> >> components.
>
> >> Is it straightforward to diagnose this type of problem? Is there a
> >> way to externally charge the dell inspiron 1000 battery and plug it
> >> back in to see if this is a power related problem?
>
> >> I have some skills at hardware, but I'm not sure I want to tear the
> >> computer apart. Any ideas?
>
> >> Regards, BV
>
> > Dell manuals, including a tear it apart one are found here;
> >http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...n/index.htm#pr...
>
> That's "removing the hard drive" in 3 or 4 different languages. :-)
>
> As is said sometimes in rural communities, "they ain't no" exploded system
> or extensive "removing parts" documentation on the 1000. Ben just had to
> wing it on one some 3-4 weeks ago (in a post/thread here).
>
> Stew- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -