Member Avatar for UEofMusic

I just recently bought a Compaq presario for repair off ebay. I just got it today and began looking at it for problems.
I took the power button cover off and found there's no button board. I also found there was a soda spill on the keyboard. So I bought a new keyboard and the Board. Now. when I plug in this laptop no lights turn on at all. Its dead it has 500mbs of ram and no hard drive which I can get easily. Anyway how should I diagnose a dead battery/ DC plug or a bad motherboard? Which is most likely the problem? (Assuming the power cord works) ive yet to test the cord. Thx all

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Dani AI

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Short summary and prioritized checks for (and in response to ): a soda spill makes motherboard damage likely, but a dead adapter, a faulty DC jack, or an unseated/missing power-button board are all common, inexpensive causes that should be ruled out first. The safest, most efficient workflow is to confirm external power and then work inward toward the motherboard.

  1. Confirm the AC adapter actually outputs its rated voltage with a multimeter. If a meter is not available, try a known-good, compatible laptop adapter. Remove the battery and test AC-only.
  2. Inspect the DC jack and cable: look for loose pins, corrosion, or a wobbly connector. Measure voltage at the jack center pin and at the motherboard input if accessible.
  3. Check the power-button board/connector (missing or replaced per the OP). Verify the connector is correctly seated. If adapter voltage reaches the board but nothing happens, briefly short the motherboard power-on pads (photo reference first) to rule out a bad switch board.
  4. Minimal hardware test: disconnect HDD/ODD, leave one RAM stick, try to power. Swap the RAM stick to rule out bad memory. Listen for fan/beeps or LED activity.
  5. Do a careful visual inspection for sugar residue, corrosion, burned components, or bulging capacitors.

If sticky/sugary residue is found, do not repeatedly power the machine. Best-practice cleaning: remove the board, photograph connectors, rinse sugary residue with distilled water, follow with high‑purity isopropyl alcohol (90%+), gently brush, then allow complete air-dry (24–72 hours) before powering. ESD precautions and patience are essential.

If adapter and DC-in are good but the board still shows no signs of life, the DC power circuitry or mainboard is likely damaged. At that point compare the cost of a motherboard replacement or board-level repair with buying a used working unit — many older Presario parts and repair labor can exceed the machine's value.

Member Avatar for caperjack

Opinion comming up .! you never should have bought it .

something spilled on it likely got into the motherboard and fried it also.

Edited by caperjack because: n/a
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