Member Avatar for Gawninho

Hi folks

I have a Fujitsu-Siemens laptop - Amilo PI 1505 - which is just over 2 years old. Over that time four of the screws on the bottom of the case somehow fell out.

Now, recently I had a problem with the power supply where it wouldn't run off the mains unless I manipulated the lead at the connector. I wasn't sure if it was the lead or the connector on the laptop itself so I just carried on stuggling with it.

However, after a week or two, the ugly part came along...my laptop had been on for an hour when i rested it on my bed, turned my back for a moment, then saw a bit of grey smoke coming out of the vent on the side, next to the power supply. There was an odd smell as well, almost like smoky TCP. I moved it and turned it off, tried it a few hours later and it was working fine.

It worked as normal for a couple of weeks after this, until yesterday it wouldn't turn on, and there was no light to show the charge from the power supply. Last time I left it, I had shut it down, but I suppose there could have been an error message or something that prevented it from completing the shut down and turning off.

So is this a power supply or has the motherboard burnt out? My friend says the smoke is a bad sign but I'm clinging to those two weeks in which the laptop worked as normal since then!

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by mechbas

Dani AI

Generated

Quick, safe checklist to narrow this down and preserve data — built on the points from and but focused on actionable tests and what to inspect next.

  1. Safety first. Unplug everything, remove the battery, and do not power the laptop if you still smell burning. A stabilized working adapter and no-smell environment are required before any live tests.
  2. Adapter check (easy, low cost). With a multimeter on DC, confirm the adapter’s barrel voltage matches the label and stays stable while gently flexing the plug. If it’s flaky or reads nothing, replace or test with a known-good compatible adapter of the same voltage/polarity.
  3. Isolate the machine. Try powering the laptop with AC only (battery removed). If it powers, the battery or charging circuit may be at fault. If it does not, proceed to internal inspection.
  4. Visual and continuity inspection (only if comfortable opening the case). With power removed and battery out, remove the bottom cover and inspect around the DC jack and the input power area for blackening, melted plastic, bulging caps, or loose solder joints. Check continuity across any board fuses (SMD fuses often marked “F”); an open fuse is a common and inexpensive fix. Do not apply power if you see charring — that usually means component-level damage.
  5. Likely outcomes and next steps. If the adapter is good and a board fuse or DC jack solder joint is the problem, those can often be repaired for a modest cost. If you find burned MOSFETs, regulators or the power controller chip, that usually requires a skilled board repair or motherboard replacement. Prioritize removing the hard drive/HDD to recover data before any risky fixes.

Reinstall missing case screws and check standoffs (as noted) once repairs are done — poor chassis grounding or mechanical stress can cause the DC jack and solder joints to fail. If you’re not experienced with electronics, stop after the adapter and visual checks and take the laptop to a repair shop to avoid causing more damage.

Member Avatar for mechbas

The loose screws are/were fair warning. The mounting screws quite frequently make a ground connection to a major power connection. The AC adapt. is prob. o.k., can't say the same for the mobo. Have service personel give it a once over, if another screw helps, you're lucky, otherwise it's a new mobo.

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