Laptop powering problems

UserFriendly356 · 11-26-2007, 11:17 AM

I'm working on a Dell Inspiron 5150 Laptop.

The problem is this:

The computer would reboot or just shut off when bumped, or just shut off once in a while. It wasn't really that serious at first, but the owner took it to geek squad to get her information off the hard drive. The hard drive was replaced to little effect on the computer itself.

This is when it came into my hands. I discovered the main place it shuts off when tapped was just over the disc drive, next to the touch pad. I opened it up (I am comfortable with this) and checked the connections, looked for water damages under the keyboard (and the likes). I checked the temp of it while letting it run for a few minutes and it didn't seem to be an overheating problem at first.

After checking the connections and making sure everything was tight I put it back together and booted it back up.

Problem still exists.

Now, after giving it a second look, I'm not quite sure what I should be looking for anymore. I've noticed the sensitivity that it needs to be touched is slowly increasing.

Example, now all I have to do is lay my finger on the plastic case and it goes haywire.

Second, screen isn't booting up anymore. I know I didn't touch anything (I've done this a million times) but I suppose nobody is perfect.

Software wise everything looked peachy, it is even fresh windows with no previous info on it because the DVD of info from Best Buy hasn't been installed yet. It's just a fresh copy of windows and a new hard drive.

Ideas?

nikola · 11-26-2007, 11:33 AM

Hello.It might be a problem with the power supply.Sometimes cheap chinese ectrolytes can couse this.Is the touching close to the mouse pad,so it might activates it?Or by touching it could it trigger any function on the laptop?It could also be faulty hd cable....I might be wrong.....but this is what came to my mind from my small experience.Good luck

juventissei · 06-27-2008, 09:33 AM

Hello,

I got exactly the same problem with the same laptop.
Only for me it reboots without screen as soon as I tap next to the mouse pad .
The retrieve the screen , i need to remove power completely .

I dont think its linked to the harddrive because I experienced the same problem without harddrive .
Let me explain :
I removed the harddrive
I hit the powen button
Of course the PC did not boot but just powered on
I tapped next the mouse pad
I could notice exactly thesame reboot effect ...
Did U find something that fixes the pb ?
I suspect the DVD Drive ....

Madcatz · 06-27-2008, 09:48 AM

first, as far as pressure goes, do you have to press on it for it to shutdown? you said you can just lay your finger on it now for it to go haywire, but are you literally just resting your finger on it not applying any pressure at all? if it is pressure related in that speicific area, few things come to mind. 1) touch pads are normally held in place with screws, its possible one of them is loose or is longer that what should be there and touching something to ground it out. 2) you said its over the disc drive, take the drive out and see if the same thing happens.

also if you plan on tearing it apart again, this time look at the cables and wires, see if they look worn or lying against some solder connections that might be puncturing the wire.

11-26-2007, 11:17 AM	#1 (permalink)
UserFriendly356 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Saginaw Posts: 1 OS: Windows Xp Home	Laptop powering problems I'm working on a Dell Inspiron 5150 Laptop. The problem is this: The computer would reboot or just shut off when bumped, or just shut off once in a while. It wasn't really that serious at first, but the owner took it to geek squad to get her information off the hard drive. The hard drive was replaced to little effect on the computer itself. This is when it came into my hands. I discovered the main place it shuts off when tapped was just over the disc drive, next to the touch pad. I opened it up (I am comfortable with this) and checked the connections, looked for water damages under the keyboard (and the likes). I checked the temp of it while letting it run for a few minutes and it didn't seem to be an overheating problem at first. After checking the connections and making sure everything was tight I put it back together and booted it back up. Problem still exists. Now, after giving it a second look, I'm not quite sure what I should be looking for anymore. I've noticed the sensitivity that it needs to be touched is slowly increasing. Example, now all I have to do is lay my finger on the plastic case and it goes haywire. Second, screen isn't booting up anymore. I know I didn't touch anything (I've done this a million times) but I suppose nobody is perfect. Software wise everything looked peachy, it is even fresh windows with no previous info on it because the DVD of info from Best Buy hasn't been installed yet. It's just a fresh copy of windows and a new hard drive. Ideas?

11-26-2007, 11:33 AM	#2 (permalink)
nikola Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 2 OS: xp sp2	Re: Laptop powering problems Hello.It might be a problem with the power supply.Sometimes cheap chinese ectrolytes can couse this.Is the touching close to the mouse pad,so it might activates it?Or by touching it could it trigger any function on the laptop?It could also be faulty hd cable....I might be wrong.....but this is what came to my mind from my small experience.Good luck

06-27-2008, 09:33 AM	#3 (permalink)
juventissei Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 1 OS: xp	Re: Laptop powering problems Hello, I got exactly the same problem with the same laptop. Only for me it reboots without screen as soon as I tap next to the mouse pad . The retrieve the screen , i need to remove power completely . I dont think its linked to the harddrive because I experienced the same problem without harddrive . Let me explain : I removed the harddrive I hit the powen button Of course the PC did not boot but just powered on I tapped next the mouse pad I could notice exactly thesame reboot effect ... Did U find something that fixes the pb ? I suspect the DVD Drive ....

06-27-2008, 09:48 AM	#4 (permalink)
Madcatz Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 1,387 OS: XP/7/Server 2008 My System	Re: Laptop powering problems first, as far as pressure goes, do you have to press on it for it to shutdown? you said you can just lay your finger on it now for it to go haywire, but are you literally just resting your finger on it not applying any pressure at all? if it is pressure related in that speicific area, few things come to mind. 1) touch pads are normally held in place with screws, its possible one of them is loose or is longer that what should be there and touching something to ground it out. 2) you said its over the disc drive, take the drive out and see if the same thing happens. also if you plan on tearing it apart again, this time look at the cables and wires, see if they look worn or lying against some solder connections that might be puncturing the wire.