Member Avatar for ddiaz_mhs

Well, first off it's nearly 2 years old. About 2 months ago the laptop would not charge but I could wiggle the cord to make it charge, soon I'd have to get it into tilted positions or I'd have to hold it in. Seeing it now I'm sure it was a loose solder pin. But just recently it stopped charging--completely, aside from that, if I do connect it with the charger it emits the odor of sulfur. Anyway I can fix this? Too late to fix the loose solder pins? :[

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Several contributors here (notably , , , and ) have zeroed in on the DC-input area. Below is a compact, practical plan that prioritizes safety, preserves data, and gives clear DIY vs. pro tradeoffs.

Stop, secure, inspect: disconnect AC and remove the battery before doing anything. If you must test the adapter, use a digital multimeter on the adapter barrel (check the adapter label first for the expected DC voltage and polarity). If you get the correct voltage off the adapter, do not assume the jack or cable is fine — visual inspection under good light and magnification is next. Look for charred plastic, discolored PCB, bulging/leaking electrolytics, or lifted pads near the jack. Any obvious burning or carbonization is a reason to stop and consider professional board work.

If you decide to attempt repair yourself, follow a conservative approach: document every step with photos, keep screws and parts in labeled compartments, and practice soldering on scrap first. Typical useful tools are a temperature-controlled soldering iron with a fine tip, rosin flux, braid or pump for desoldering, a small parts driver set, magnification, and a replacement jack or pigtail harness that matches the board. Common safe repairs are replacing a jack on a daughterboard or soldering a pigtail to solid pads; repairing lifted pads, burnt inner-layer traces, or carbonized layers requires micro-soldering skills and is best left to a shop.

Protect data and make the cost decision early: remove the hard drive and copy important files using a USB-to-SATA/PATA adapter or external enclosure before risking further work. For keeping screws organized, use an egg- or pill-tray, stick screws onto a paper map with tape, and photograph each stage — pros always photograph and map as they go. Prioritize safety and data first; if inner-board damage appears likely, seek a technician who does PCB via work rather than attempting destructive fixes at home.

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Member Avatar for sparkax

Does the odor come from the charger or the laptop?
If it comes from the charger then you should replace the charger and hopefully all will be well.
However,if it comes from the laptop-then the damage may be irreparable.

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Member Avatar for Suspishio

... and in any case, a smell of anything is a pre-warning of fire risk. So please stop using the laptop and I think you'll find it's coming from the laptop and it's likely to be power ducting wires behind the power in socket.

Member Avatar for ddiaz_mhs

Well yeah, it is coming from the laptop (seems to be coming from the area the charger is connected to) and I unplugged the charger as soon as I noticed it. If it is truly irreparable then that sucks, Bestbuy warranty only covered one year..

Member Avatar for mssilver94MT694

Two questions -- This box charges randomly. No sulfur or other smell. No cause that I can duplicate with no charging result. If the machine is left off for 3-4 days it seems to come back to life eventually -- if the new plug adapter is twisted and maneuvered the "right way."

If this is a socket connection problem involving the motherboard, I'd like to solder it to repair it -- Any experience doing this? Is it worth the time -- how long? Equipment costs - anti-fry wrist strap, solder and soldering iron? Anything else needed for this job?

Oh, yes: How do people who work on laptops keep up with the various screws and make sure each one is returned to its original location?

If that does not repair the problem, what form factor motherboard will fit in this box and work with the existing hardware using Vista Home Premium 32-bit OS 1GB Ram? Times are tough and there's no $ in the budget to replace this box.

I have a feeling I'm caught in the middle -- not being able to afford to replace it and the costs of fixing it will come close to but not exceed the replacement. I hope that's not the case.

Any suggestions would be appreciated for this struggling student.

Thanks for your help.

Member Avatar for 0100101

Many of you have Gateway MA3 / MA7 (MX6xxxx / MT6xxx) notebooks that don't power on at all. Some of you have replaced your jacks, only to find out that the problem remained.
This problem is due to a short in between the layers on your board - but a skilled technician can still repair it. Precision Division in Clearwater FL repairs this problem in the Gateway MA3 / MA7 notebooks for around a hundred.

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