Originally Posted by iiDanny

Yeah, my laptop just shuts off completely. No sign of it doing this at all. It happens after the BSOD has been on for a split second but then it reboots back up, it just keeps doing that.

With the XP disk it shuts down when it's loading the files, it can be doing it for a couple of minutes and then when it's probably ready to get to the repair screen, it'll shut off. I can't get further than loading the files with the disk.

The input for the universal is; AC 100-240V 800mA 50Hz/60Hz
The input for the original is; 100-240V 1.7a 50-60Hz

The output for the universal is selected by a changeable slot, I have loads of little volts what I put into a slot and that determines the output I receive. I put it to 18 at first as the original output is 18.5V so I figured I'd go for either 18 or 19. I tried both and they didn't work, I then went down to 17 as it has a table on the universal box showing what output voltage goes with the max. current(A) and on my original box it shows 18.5V with 3.5A so I tried what was with 3.5A which was 6V, that didn't work so I went for 17v and that worked, although when booted up it kept cutting out every 30 seconds or so. I then tried 16V and then I couldn't even get it to boot up as it was cutting out.. went for 15V and it was perfect, loaded up and didn't cut out.. but then I received BSOD. -- i do not seem to completely understand this. what is the output of the original in volts and amps? can you set your universal adapter to the same output? i mean can you set it to 18.5V and 3.5A?

The only thing I noticed wrong was the plug, the original has 3 pins into the power box were the universal only has 2 pins, could this be a problem that it isn't receiving enough power? -- i bet the only difference is the third pin (rounded one, somewhere between the two flat prongs). that should be the earth ground and does not add power to the adapter.

Thanks :)