3.5-4yr old Gateway M-6308,Won't powerup.A front red LED blinks 2 times.Nothing else.

[cracker2]

This is my fathers.
http://support.gateway.com/s/Mobile/2007/Tempest/2905980R/2905980Rsp2.shtml
He was having trouble keeping the dc plug(what the power adapter connects to dc port to powerup laptop.) in place for a month or so.But he could get it to come on & the batt would charge.Then about 2 weeks ago,it wouldn't turn on at all.Front led would blink twice,then nothing.We though it was the dc port in the laptop obviously.So he ordered the correct port & also went ahead & got a new exact gateway power adapter.

I did the work.I know how to solder correctly(6yrs).So now theyre is fresh port & new power adapter.Still won't do anything.The front led just blinks red twice again & thats it.He said hes had it for about 4years.

Im now thinking the motherboard is gone.Would the front led work still if it was?Or maybe the batt for the cmos is dead
Hes geting frustrated.And I don't think he wants to dump more cash into it.

 

[cracker2]

Sorry about the double post

.I thought it didn't post the first time.When I tried the first time,my internet messed up.Figured it didn't post.My apologies.If possible,mods delete one.

 

[TEKKA]

From my knowledge, usually flashing lights and no boot, means the battery is dead. Since you have already spent some money on it, and im doubtful you would be able to pickup a battery for it cheap, if you were able to find one... My suggestions to you would be pull the hdd out, back it up and replace it. 4 years isn't bad from a laptop theses days so replacing it may be the best option.

Or if your keen, maybe source a new battery.

Just my Opinion.


Edit, you can rule out CMOS battery, becoz you would just be getting a CMOS battery error on boot.........

Also usually dead motherboards means kaput, thats it, nudda.... Nothing gonna happen....

 

[cracker2]

From my knowledge, usually flashing lights and no boot, means the battery is dead. Since you have already spent some money on it, and im doubtful you would be able to pickup a battery for it cheap, if you were able to find one... My suggestions to you would be pull the hdd out, back it up and replace it. 4 years isn't bad from a laptop theses days so replacing it may be the best option.

Or if your keen, maybe source a new battery.

Just my Opinion.


Edit, you can rule out CMOS battery, becoz you would just be getting a CMOS battery error on boot.........

Also usually dead motherboards means kaput, thats it, nudda.... Nothing gonna happen....

Thanks for the reply!It kinda works again.Same problem though.I told him not to,but he shoved a toothpick on the bottem part of the port.Pluged the power adapter in & it stayed on and charged.I was going to solder the back center tip(hot center of the port) on the top side of the board also.But he said that the company(gateway) didn't solder it like that & he didn't want me too.Which he was right,gateway did not solder the top side.I was going to break it down again and get it soldered.But he said not to it will be fine lol.Looks like ill be doing this again around spring 2011.

I got a feeling more companys are purposely doing this to keep laptop repair sales up.Cause I been reading people having this same problem more & more lately.Power adapter is fine,connects to port solid,yet not power.Just a blinking LED(red,orange etc) that temporarily blinks.

To get to a DC port,you have to disassemble the whole laptop to get to it 95% of the time.And we know most people don't want to do that.Especialy if they dont know anything about computers.So they take it in for repairs,$20-$30+ for the new port & then $60-$150 for labor:gun:.He bought the dc plug off ebay for $4 shiped lol.If you go to alot of sites that sell dc plugs for laptops they range from $15-$40 .

From what I seen my father do.Try this if youre having the same issue.Pull up on the adapter & hold it like that while pluged in the laptop,press power,& it should start up & charge fine.If this happens,youre dc port needs resoldered or just the center hot pin.