Hi, I have an inspiron 1150 which will not power on. I know that the ac charger is good (and have even powered the board from a standalone dc supply), and even with all the peripherals disconnected it will not power. I can hear a clicking noise from the motherboard and at the same time the 5vdc supply dips very low. This makes me think that there is a short on the secondary of the supply, which could be anywhere on the board. I was just wondering if anyone has fixed this problem before and could point me to a certain area of the board. I am experienced in component level troubleshooting and soldering, but usually with industrial equipment. Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

Knowing WHERE the voltage drop is requires that you know what the voltage level is at EVERY check point. That, unless you actually work for the OEM, requires a service manual with a schematic which you won't be able to get.
Best advice is to buy another laptop. Cheaper and less aggravation.

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