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    Vostro 1400 did I fry my motherboard?

    Discussion in 'Dell' started by sonicfrequency, Oct 31, 2007.

  1. sonicfrequency

    sonicfrequency Notebook Consultant

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    Hey all, Im not too familiar with laptop motherboards. Im enclosing a picture. Next to the wireless LAN card, theres a black plug, looks similar to a pci card slot. I have a red square around it. When I was unplugging the antenna from the wireless card, the antenna connector slipped and touched the solder connections that solder this plug to the motherboard. The computer immediately shut off.

    My question is, what is this plug for? I assume it is the plug that the extension board (for the wireless lan and wwan) is connected to. Also, could I have burnt out something on my motherboard unknowingly?

    Everything seems to be working fine.

    Anyone know why is there only two connections on the wireless n card? Doesnt wireless n need 3?

    Thanks for any help at all.

    sOnIc
     
    sonicfrequency, Oct 31, 2007
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  2. sonicfrequency

    sonicfrequency Notebook Consultant

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    Forgot the pic, this may help ;)
     
    sonicfrequency, Oct 31, 2007
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  3. sonicfrequency

    sonicfrequency Notebook Consultant

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    On closer inspection, looks like it says com3 above the slot....only makes sense
     
    sonicfrequency, Oct 31, 2007
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  4. ACHlLLES

    ACHlLLES Notebook Virtuoso

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    Not that I can help, but I guess you opened your laptop with powered on?

    I wouldn't do such a thing if it was me.
     
    ACHlLLES, Oct 31, 2007
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  5. sonicfrequency

    sonicfrequency Notebook Consultant

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    yeah I know I shouldnt have. I powered up with the keyboard out to test the antennas on the wireless card. I popped the antenna off the card and the end touched the soldering of this connector. Then the lappy powered down. I have no idea what this connector is for...
     
    sonicfrequency, Oct 31, 2007
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  6. XDViPeR

    XDViPeR Notebook Consultant

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    Probably shorted something out and it shut itself down to prevent any other damage. if everything else is working then, don't fix it if it ani't broke!
     
    XDViPeR, Oct 31, 2007
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  7. swarmer

    swarmer beep beep

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    Do you have integrated graphics? I'm not sure, but I'm guessing that slot is to hold a graphics card if you order the machine with dedicated graphics.
     
    swarmer, Oct 31, 2007
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  8. n19htmare

    n19htmare Notebook Evangelist

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    That's not right. Vostro graphics are integrated to mobo, both nvidia and Intel.

    That is the connector for expansion board (where the wireless is plugged), the connector is on the other side, that is just the back side of it.
     
    n19htmare, Oct 31, 2007
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