Laptop power problems

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Laptop power problems

by Glen

About 1 month ago I was using my HP laptop and noticed that the computer was on battery only. Suspected the power adapter and took it in to a repairer who said it was fine. Took both computer and power adapter in and later agreed to a motherboard change (didn't know any better, but it didn't sound right). I got the compter back and had the same problem and determined it had to be the power adapter. Tested computer with new cord and it worked.

Question: Could the laptop work with a faulty motherboard power issue? I got the old motherboard back and am thinking about having it checked out with some other repairer. Any thoughts?

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Laptop power problems

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Apr 29, 2009
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Power Supply
by: Support

Hello Glen,

No, the power supply is seperate from the motherboard.

But if the power supply not the AC adapter is at fault then some symptons point to the motherboard.

If you had let the battery drain all the way down or removed it and tried the adapter you would have found the problem right away.

The only thing you can do is take the reciept for both the adapter and the motherboard back to the shop where you had it repaired and try to recoup the money they charged you for labor.

Check the laptop section of this web site for more laptop care and repair.

Hope this helps...

Apr 30, 2009
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Laptop motherboard
by: Glen

Thanks for your input. I'll ask the question in another way. Let's say that I followed my original belief and bought a new power adapter. If the computer worked fine (as it did earlier) on battery only, is there any way that the motherboard could be the cause of the computer switching to battery only? In other words, must I go through with testing the old motherboard in order to prove the company wrongly replaced the motherboard?

Apr 30, 2009
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Switching from AC to Battery
by: Support

Hi Glen,

No, the power supply cuts out the battery when the AC Adapter is plugged in, it has a circut that swiches the in coming power from the battery to the AC Adapter, the same circut turns on the tricle charger.

Think of it as a magnetic switch when no power is applied then the battery supplies the power, when AC power is applied then the switch moves to the AC side cutting out the battery and turning on the trickel charger for the battery.

They were wrong and you proved it by replacing the AC Adapter.

Do you still have the old one?

If you do you can prove it isn't the motherboard by removing the battery and powering up the computer with the old one, if it has failed the computer will not power up, if it hasn't failed then it will power up.

Does this make sense?

Hope this helps...

May 01, 2009
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Laptop power
by: Glen

Thank you for your reply. It was very helpful.

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