[E6400] Laptop power issues?

My E6400 experienced the following sequence of events today:

1. Randomly shut off when trying to resume from sleep
2. Didn't boot on pressing the power button
3. Booted successfully into Windows after removing and reconnecting the power adapter and doing pre-boot diagnostics
4. Shut off after about 7 minutes of operation

Does someone know what's going on? My battery died a LONG time ago, and I ignored it because of cash constraints, did that cause the problem?

I bought this laptop refurb'd on eBay (early 2009) and the warranty expired on 2/19... will Dell be customer-friendly and repair this for me at no cost? If not, how do I fix this in the cheapest way possible? Please help, I am worried and I need this laptop working.

 

Does it keep randomly shutting off?

If so, it's probably some issue on the motherboard... I've seen similar issues on a couple other units. I doubt your dead battery caused it, and I doubt Dell will replace the board since you are OOW.

If you live in the US, working E6400 motherboards are in the $40s on eBay, so it shouldn't cost much to replace it yourself.

 

Thanks for the reply, Commander_Wolf. Yes, it shuts off randomly after 8-15 minutes of operation. I live in the US and will consider fixing the issue myself. But before that, I need to know the following:
1. That this is most certainly a motherboard issue and not something else,
2. That motherboards on eBay are reliable (does anyone know any reliable sellers?)
3. The accessories, parts and tools I will need to replace the motherboard and associated components (How do I replace the CPU?)

 

1) Take out everything but the CPU and RAM and see if it still turns off? While I think it's unlikely to be a RAM or PSU issue, it would help to test with known good RAM and PSU.

2) If you were comfortable buying a used E6400, you should be comfortable buying a used motherboard. I don't think either is any more or less unlikely to fail than the other, but there's always a chance you are super unlucky. Don't buy anything "as is" or "for parts". Make sure it is a guaranteed working board. Ask the seller if the description is unclear. Make sure you get the right one (Intel vs Nvidia).

3) All you need are screwdrivers. You can find the service manual on the Dell support site, and there are plenty of guides on repasting the CPU after you reinstall it.

 

Thanks again.
1. I didn't buy a used E6400, but an unopened refurb from eBay... at least that's what the seller claimed it was and I don't have a reason to doubt him. I see your point though; I'll try my best to buy a working motherboard.
2. When you say 'PSU', you don't mean the AC adapter, do you? If not, is it even possible to replace the PSU? I searched for 'PSU E6400' on eBay but the only search results returned were AC adapters.
3. Sorry if I sound like a tool, but do I need screwdrivers, or just one? I have one that I use to unscrew the base to clean my keyboard... will it do?

 

2) I mean the AC adapter. All the power circuitry on the motherboard (and there is some) is integrated and cannot be replaced without replacing the board.

3) You should be able to use the same screwdriver for all the screws. Test your screwdriver on one of the screws in the base... if it fits comfortably, it should fit everything comfortably. The only place where you may need a different screwdriver is to turn the latch on the CPU socket.

 

It could also be heat-related, have you checked if the fan was connected and working properly? Clean out any dust if there is any.

Also, try using a different AC adapter. Is the battery still installed? Even if it's dead, you want to provide the laptop with some power when it's turned off, otherwise the CMOS battery will get drained.