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    Bad Power Supply or Bad Connection? - Need Help

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by Starwind5, Jul 18, 2013.

  1. Starwind5

    Starwind5 Notebook Enthusiast

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    So my R2 is acting up big time.

    Currently I cannot turn on the laptop at all because the battery is completely drained and I cannot get power to the laptop. The blue LED on the AC adapter is still lit so I'm guessing it is good. I'm concerned that the connection of the AC Adapter into the back of the laptop is bad or the male adapter on the inside of the laptop is loose or worse, finished. Any suggestions on what to check?
     
  2. Alienware-L_Porras

    Alienware-L_Porras Company Representative

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    Did you try a different adapter? What happens if you play around with the connection? Do you get any signs of life?
     
  3. Starwind5

    Starwind5 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Well, I don't have another adapter so I haven't given that a try. So I've been playing around with the connection for about a month and up until yesterday I could get it to "connect". Now, no matter which way I move the connection around, I get nothing. Makes me a sad panda.
     
  4. Alienware-L_Porras

    Alienware-L_Porras Company Representative

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    Seems like a power board issue to me (where you connect the adapter). Unfortunately those are soldered and you may need the entire motherboard. Try contacting the people from Ztronics.com. They'll help you with the parts you need.
     
  5. Starwind5

    Starwind5 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Nooooooo!!!! =(
     
  6. simonmpoulton

    simonmpoulton Notebook Deity

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    It sounds like a faulty power jack to me. Any competent repair technician should be able to replace it for you - although the Dell jacks tend to be quite nasty due to the large number of solder connections. I replace them on a regular basis in all varieties of Dell's. First sign of a problem is that you need to wiggle the connector around to make it work - it is at this point you should get it fixed as it can only get worse.
    I can't believe anyone would suggest a new motherboard for this.