System: Acer Aspire 7730
Q: My laptop is around two years old and has been intermittently temperamental for a while. Just recently it won’t charge and won’t boot up even when plugged into the mains. Is there anything that can be done or is this time to look for a new computer?
A: There could be a number of reasons for this so it’s down to some trial and error to try to pin down the cause of the fault. First of all plug the power supply into the mains and switch it on, but don’t connect the laptop. Does the LED indicator on the power supply light up? If it does then the PSU itself is probably OK. If you need a replacement you can pick up universal models suitable for most laptops for around £30.
The next step is to connect the power to the laptop and make sure the connection is firmly seated, if the power comes on when you press or move the connector then it’s the connection socket that’s at fault. This may well mean a new motherboard. If you get no joy there try removing the battery, see if the PC will work from the mains without the battery installed. If it will then you may simply need a new battery – though it’s worth cleaning the contacts on the old one and retrying it. A replacement will cost you £50 or so depending on the model. In order to get the maximum life from a laptop battery you should run the system without the mains and allow it to completely discharge from time to time. A regime of partial discharges and recharges will shorten the life of the battery and the run time you can get from a full charge.
If none of these things work there’s probably a fault inside the PC, most likely with the motherboard. Laptops are notoriously hard to disassemble so it’s best to take it to a qualified repairer, though it may be cheaper to get a new PC. Depending on the model of laptop the hard drive is usually quite easy to access via a plate on the underside should you want to retrieve any data from it to transfer to another PC.
You can buy laptop batteries and chargers online but make sure you get the right one for your PC
Originally featured in PCU 137
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Hey, Thanks for the info. I’ve been having the same problem and was hoping I wouldn’t have to buy a new computer. I’ll try checking the things you suggested and hopefully it’s an easy fix. Thanks again for the helpful information. Really appreciate it!