Member Avatar for Mike_10

ok here is what I have done so far. I removed the battery removed power cable..no power going to the laptop now. pushed and held power button for minimum of 30 seconds or more. added battery only then tried to power up, only middle green light flashed, then nothing. I then removed battery then hit power button again for minimum of 30 seconds or longer, then plugged in power cord, amber light power light stayed on, then i hit the power button and again amber light then green middle light came on for just a second or so, then nothing ....re did above reset then plugged in both battery and power cord and again amber and green light flashed then nothing..battery laptop are both about 7 yrs old running xp home edition sp2. We also checked the power pack and it was showing 19 on the volt meter....hopefully this is correct...I was under the impression that the laptop would run without a battery if it were plugged in...any help would be greatly appreciated. I really cant afford to buy a new laptop, not to mention I really don't want win 8...I have vista and xp only. thanks in advance
Mike

Edited by Reverend Jim because: wrong forum - moved to PC Hardware
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  • Latest Post Latest Post by rch1231

Dani AI

Generated

Given ’s description (old battery, adapter showing ~19V, brief amber/green flashes after the power‑button resets) and ’s note about the DC jack, the most useful next steps are directed diagnostics rather than OS changes. The behaviour points to one of: an adapter that reads OK open‑circuit but collapses under load, a loose/broken DC jack or solder joint, or a board‑level power/fuse/regulator failure.

Recommended checks (in order of cost and ease):

  1. Verify the adapter under load — measure the adapter voltage while it’s plugged into the laptop and the laptop is connected (or borrow a known‑good compatible adapter with the same voltage and polarity). Open‑circuit 19V can still mean a bad adapter under load.
  2. Observe LEDs while gently wiggling the DC plug/port — consistent flicker = likely DC jack/solder failure.
  3. If comfortable with basic disassembly: remove the main battery, discharge by holding the power button briefly, then measure at the motherboard DC input (after unplugging) to confirm whether the barrel voltage reaches the board. If barrel has voltage but the board input doesn’t, the jack or internal fuse is suspect. If the board sees voltage but no POST, an internal regulator or power rail component is faulty.

Additional notes and cautions:

  • Count any beep or LED blink pattern and compare to the model’s service notes (blink/beep codes often identify RAM, GPU, or motherboard faults).
  • Reseating RAM and disconnecting the HDD can help determine whether the machine is reaching POST.
  • For data safety, remove the hard drive and access it via a USB adapter/enclosure before doing repairs.
  • If not confident with multimeter probing or soldered repairs, professional repair is safer; board‑level fixes can be more expensive than buying a used replacement chassis. Battery replacement or a verified compatible adapter is the cheapest first attempt.
Member Avatar for rch1231

Hello,

It depends some laptops will not run without the battery. Have you checked to see if the charging light comes on with the battery in the laptop and plugged in? One of the easiest areas to damage on a laptop is where the power adapter is connected to the laptop. If the charging light is not coming on then check for a repair shop in your area that repairs the power ports.

I understand how you feel about not wanting Windows 8 and many of the laptops that are available will run windows 7 and you just have to find someone who can do the installtion for you.

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