This computer belongs to a friend from church. It is an HP ZE 4145 laptop computer. There are problems with the off- on button and, when pushed, the power led on the front only winked a few times. I found out on the web that the buttons along the top of the computer also start the computer. I found that once in awhile, pushing the email button would sometimes bring up the screen and the blue lights for a few seconds. Then everything returns to dead. The power jack wobbles and I believe that is the problem. The battery is dead (no lights on the battery light up) I think that leaving it plugged in gets a little charge into the battery or it recovers just enough to light up the screen and blue lights for a few seconds. I have removed all of the screws and the hard drive trying to access the moboard in order to replace the power jack. I can't get it apart. Can someone please tell me how to open the case to access the motherboard? Also how do I remove the keyboard? I would guess that if I had a good battery, it might work until the battery went dead. That is why I need to replace the power socket. Thanks

time for PRO help ,local computer repair shop sometimes is the best route when you don't have all the necessary tools and knowledge .

Thanks for the reply to my post. I found a service manual for the computer on the HP website. The computer is now totally disassembled and I can't figure out why the motherboard will not come loose. The center pin of the power jack was broken at the board surface. I picked up a jack at Radio Shack and plan on drilling the board from the top and soldering a wire to the board that way. The other two conductors are still sticking out of the board so that I can connect to them. slip

i guess you are the Pro help ,good work

Here is the instruction : "DC power jack repair guide". This site also has links to all manuals for ZE 4145.

This is my second attempt to write this. My first draft just vanished. My repair on the HP ZE4145 is done. I used a Radio Shack #274-1583 size N coaxial power jack for the repair. I downloaded the service manual from the HP website and it was a big help. Shows where all of the screws go (except for the 2 I have left over). I could not get the motherboard loose from the bottom case so, I cut the two outside lugs at the old power jack. I then saw that the center ground connection on the board was broken off. I soldered the two outside lugs from the old jack to the new jack. I rthen an a 20 gauge wire from the center lug on the new jack to the case of the ethernet jack (another ground). Works! This is a much better power connection than came from the factory because it is attached to the case. I did have to ream out the old jack hole with a 21/64 drill bit by hand, and remove a small obstruction from the inside back of the case in order to get the jack to mount correctly. I hope that the pictures that I have attached go through with this note. Thanks, slip

Good work ,wanna come to Cape Breton NS. and fix the one i have .lol