Laptop tabletop Challenge!!!

Vietster1 · July 19th, 2009, 02:06 PM

OK people, I need some help here. I am currently in custody of a virtually destroyed Dell Studio Laptop. I have carefully disassembled all the broken shell and screen. I still have a Motherboard in one piece. This machine was brand new Top Of The Line Dell Studio as of This past September. Now I have done this before with an HP laptop that was in the same condition. My aim here is to get the machine to fire up on a tabletop. It has a Monitor input, USB's every IO you can think of is all there. As of now, I plug the machine in, and the little light on the Powersupply goes out.I unplug it from the PC outlet and then from the wall and replug it to the wall and the light comes back on and stays on till I try to introduce it to the Board. Now, Here is the question, I have for all of you. What is your first assumption on this? Please dont tell me that the thing is shot and dont bother. I am not really just doing this to make a use for it. I am doing this as a challenge. I am asking you guys to take part in it. This is a learning experience as well. The HP I had was so plug and play, it wasnt hard to do at all. This is more of a brain game. Please get involved with this people, I want to hear your input.This is a top of the line duel core Laptop motherboard with 512 meg video and 4 Gigs of RAM.

Please dont let this drive me bonkers on my own here!

EXreaction · July 19th, 2009, 02:28 PM

My guess would be that there is a short happening somewhere. I can't think of any other reason the power supply would shut off. What about the battery?

Vietster1 · July 19th, 2009, 02:32 PM

Well it wasnt my machine, However I think you can run the machine without that Battery can you not. My HP ran without it. Anyway. Seems to be the same with or without.

EXreaction · July 19th, 2009, 02:43 PM

Yes, you can run it without the battery. Does it start up with the battery in and not plugged in?

Vietster1 · July 19th, 2009, 02:46 PM

No, not at all. I may be missing a ground or something. The thing went through a really bad assault. This is much more complex than the my HP with the P4. I got wires pulled from all over the place. The board seems to be in really good condition though I assure you that.

stroyal · July 19th, 2009, 02:50 PM

The Sony I use every day had a whole cup of coffee poured into the keyboard. (Not ME) After completely disassembling it and cleaning it, and putting it back together, it still wouldn't power up.

I then repeatedly tried starting it holding the start button, unplugging the battery and PS and reinstalling to try to shock it into starting.

After about 20 minutes of this it started and worked for 12 hrs when 1 stick of memory failed.

After I fixed that it worked for a couple of month, then would not start unless I gave it a couple of smacks. (I know, but it was about to go to the dump at that point)

Bottom line is the little switch that shuts off the screen when you close the lid was sticking, and I believe this was the problem all the time.

The laptop won't power up with this switch in the off position.
Since your case is broken where is that switch now.

How broken is this laptop? It also makes me think short circuit from the way it shuts off when you try to power it.

Vietster1 · July 19th, 2009, 03:21 PM

Stroyal This is interesting. I am going to have to look into this switch thing. Though would this switch cause the Power supply light to go out? Thats the part I am not getting. It should just go into a charge mode. The case is dead as a doorknob. As of now I just have the Board out of it in the raw, Which is telling me perhaps Grounding could be part of the prob. The chassis was broken into many pieces. It was a real mess. The LCD is all shot, I have removed all of that just as I did with my HP years back, Though I think I kind of do remember something about that switch with that one. I am not sure. It is possible that he can send the board back for a new one. the problem is, There is no warrantee for a whole new machine. Just parts. They are probably not going to send him out a new Chassis and case, He can get a new board. and perhaps an LCD screen, but the rest is all destroyed. I did get my HP to run in the same state that this machine is currently in.

Vietster1 · July 19th, 2009, 03:29 PM

we just replaced the Board in my sisters Dell cause it wouldnt charge. The Power slot was cracked. I am thinking we will use that board though the GPU in it isnt half what the Studio is.

stroyal · July 19th, 2009, 03:32 PM

Like EX and I said, it does sound like a short. A circuit breaker lifting when you turn it on, because of a short.

If it is broken as bad as it sounds, it may be more that 1 thing.

Vietster1 · July 19th, 2009, 03:36 PM

yeah, Thats what I am afraid of. Well, Its my Brother in law's PC. So it is up to him as to what to do with it. By the way the PC has a SATA HD. I have a SATA RAID Controller installed in my Gaming machine. Will it fit. The small clip seems to be the same size as the slot on the PC. If I plug it in, will it run. I have heard both sides of the story, We are talking abotu 300 GIGs of information here.
I am not too familiar with SATA interface. I am still a bit behind with all the IDE stuff,