Page 1 of Laptop power supply problem - help desperately needed!!!

Got a problem with my laptop. The mains power supply to it is knackered. When I plug the supply in smoke starts billowing out of it alarmingly (probably something to do with me knocking it onto the floor - oops). The computer itself still appears to be working okay - it`s just I now can`t use the mains supply. The battery is just about dead and needed replacing before the mains supply problem anyway, so this means I can`t power the machine up at all. Anywho, the essential thing I need to do is get the computer working long enough so that I can back up all the info in case I lose the lot (yes, I am a bloody moron for not routinely backing up in the first place). So, first of all I need to get a new battery and then I need to find some way of charging said battery externally. Is there such a thing as an external laptop battery charger? If so, where can I get one? Help desperately needed on this one.

Cheers…

Is it an external power supply? If so you can replace it.

As far as I know CPC are about the cheapest for replacement batteries and PSU`s although they are still very expensive.

If you do get stuck maybe one of these will help, it is a PC - Laptop IDE converter

Suppose you could also try Ebay for a second hand PSU.

All the best

Gerald

Laptop power supplies are ridiculously expensive, costing over £100 when all they are is simple transformers. There should be a law against these silly prices! Anyway, Maplin do one for £24.99 though (exactly the same as the one made by Trust at £39.99). These are the 2 cheapest I have seen and are the same as the ones costing £120 from generic manufacturers and £150 by the laptop manufacturers.

Just do a search for "Laptop power" in Maplin`s website.

Make & Model please.



I quite like the Helpdesk people in a benevolent (as opposed to malevolent) way as they do some valuable work in preventing us being inundated by every halfwit who can work a phone.

Thanks for your replies chaps.

The external power supply - the transformer/adapter - is ok. The problem is internal. It`s probably something daft like a loose wire that is causing a short or bent prongs or summink. Whatever it is I can`t get to it without taking the computer to bits and invalidating the warranty (lots of nice little "loose your warranty" stickers inside the case that I`d have to tear to get it apart). I think this will also stop me from using the IDE cable adapter to transfer to another machine - a bloody good idea otherwise.

I can send the machine back on the aforementioned warranty to get it fixed, no probs. I`m just worried that they`ll wipe me hard drive when they do so.

All I really need is a new battery (that is somehow fully charged), giving me enough time to back up important info onto a few blank dvds.

The computer is a Gericom `Smart Power` bought from Aldi! (no searches revealed anything much about this - even on Gericom`s own website as it`s nearly 2 yrs old). The battery is a Samsung 755-4s4000-s1s1, which appears to be exactly the same as Fujitsu 755-4S4000-S1P1

Apologies in advance if I`m late with replies - I now have 2 computers at home that don`t work and can only reply from my crappy office computer at work :/

Is it actually still in warrenty?

Daft Q I know, but don`t some things come with 3 years warrenty.



I quite like the Helpdesk people in a benevolent (as opposed to malevolent) way as they do some valuable work in preventing us being inundated by every halfwit who can work a phone.

This item was edited on Monday, 12th December 2005, 21:52

It actually came with 2 yrs insurance (which runs out in Feb, I think). So even if it got knicked or I `accidentally` threw it against the wall they`d replace it. I`m just worried that when they fix it they`ll wipe the hard drive - they do say they can`t guarantee losing data.

Quote:
The external power supply - the transformer/adapter - is ok. The problem is internal.

OK must read posts properly in future.

Its unlikely to be a loose wire, more likely to be something failing like a capacitor.

Anyway a motherboard fault shouldn`t require a HDD wipe\ replacement.

Theres other ways of recovering the data from the HDD if your quick.



I quite like the Helpdesk people in a benevolent (as opposed to malevolent) way as they do some valuable work in preventing us being inundated by every halfwit who can work a phone.

This item was edited on Tuesday, 13th December 2005, 14:24

Do you know anybody with the same model laptop is you? If you do could you borrow their battery to power your machine whilst you do your back-ups?

Mike J

They probably won`t wipe the HDD - but you never know!! My luck would be that the whole machine would get mashed in transit (got to go to Austria, I think). I could also do with getting to the info on the machine asap as there is a lot of stuff I need.

I have thought about borrowing someone else`s battery, but I don`t know anyone with the same brand of laptop as me. Unfortunately, the manufacturers have a habit of making virtually as many batteries as there are laptops. I`ve tried to track down a list that would show all the machines that use a certain brand of battery, so far to no avail… I suppose it`s a bit arse about face searching that way. Anyone ever heard of a resource that might have such a list?