"Paul M" bravely wrote to "All" (08 Jan 06 12:16:16)
--- on the heady topic of "How can I fix a dead laptop?"

PM From: Paul M
PM sci.electronics.repair:354510


PM Hello,

PM My friend's laptop died several months ago during an
PM electrical storm. He gave it to me after he bought
PM another one. Being a little tight on budget, I would
PM really appreciate any help with bringing the laptop
PM back to life.

PM The laptop in question is a Dell Inspiron 4150 (model
PM number PP01L). Absolutely nothing happens when I press
PM the power button. No lights, no sounds, nothing.

PM I did some searching on the web and the newsgroups,
PM and it seems there is a slight hope I might be able
PM to save the laptop if I replace the power board.
PM I haven't opened up the laptop yet so I really don't
PM know if the laptop has a separate power board (i.e.,
PM not built into the motherboard).

PM Also, in order for me to more specifically diagose the
PM problem I need to get a (digital) mltimedter.

PM Here are my questions:

PM (1) What are the chances of saving this laptop by
PM replacing the power board (if any)?

Your chances are 50/50 and that really isn't bad odds, considering.


PM (2) Could the BIOS have fried, or maybe some other
PM electrical component on the motherboard?

It isn't typical for a bios to fry. Usually it is the powersupply
components which give up their little lives to save the rest.


PM (3) Can someone please recommend a multimeter for
PM this kind of work? (Some of the decent multimeters
PM on the market cost above $100 and a lot more, like
PM the Fluke models.)

Spend what you can afford. A simple $5 dmm can get the job done.
What costs extra is precision and ruggedness. If you have need for
either then you can justify spending more.


PM (4) How can I use a multimeter to determine any
PM dead electrical components on the motherboard?

If you are familiar with Ohm's Law and how components behave then how
to use a dmm should be obvious. Basically a dmm lets you see what the
electricity is doing at the moment. An oscilloscope does even better
by showing an image of what electricity is doing over a period of
time.

PM (5) Any general comments or recommendations?

No doubt there is a steep learning curve but the concepts are
basically simple enough that anyone can grasp but don't expect too
much if you have zero knowledge of the subject at hand. Dig into some
library books about servicing stuff to get an idea. As analogy: you
don't need to know how to drive a car to be a mechanic and you don't
need to be a mechanic to drive a car. Ditto with the engineer.

Philosophically speaking, it all really boils down to how much your
investment in time is worth to you. Good luck!

A*s*i*m*o*v

.... I am Ohm of Borg. Resistance is V/I...