Odd Fault

**loopyloo** · 20-01-12, 07:21 PM

My sister asked me to see if I could fix her laptop because the power connector needed to be placed on an angle to get a connection.
It was given to her by her son and the power supply was the wrong one, with a center pin hole way too large for the laptop connector.

It's a Compaq Travelmate 4670.

I provided the right power supply and noticed the battery is nearly ready for the bin and only lasts about 5 mins. Now that it's got good power and the battery can be fully charged (even though it doesn't last long), another problem arises.... Lock-up. By fully charged, I mean charged until the charging light on the front of the laptop goes from orange to green.

Start the computer with a fully charged battery and it will load all the way into windows and then locks. Keyboard and mouse useless.
If the battery light on the front is green the laptop locks-up after windows loads.
If the battery light on the front is orange then windows works normally.
This is irrelevant to whether the power is plugged in or not.
Of course, leave the battery out and run off the adaptor and it also works fine.

I have checked the ram, the wifi card and to rule out software issues I have reinstalled windows afresh.

I'm hoping someone has seen this type of problem before and can tell me what the fault is.

What do you think ?

Loopyloo

**loopyloo** · 20-01-12, 08:50 PM

Update.

I found that if I start the computer with only the power supply and wait till windows is fully operational, then insert the fully charged battery, windows will keep on working but the battery indicator icon has a red cross through it, even though I have the battery green light.

When the laptop is locked up, the hdd light might give out a tiny flash occasionally, and if I brush my finger across the mouse pad and wait, the curser may move a little bit after several minutes.
So it seams like it's in a super stall mode rather than lock up and Alt + Ctl + Del does nothing.

I don't want to tell my sister to buy a new battery if that's not the fix.

Ideas anyone ?

Loopy

**lsemmens** · 22-01-12, 12:31 AM

Have you tried booting from a Live CD, like Linux or UBCD4Win or the like? Does everything work properly then? I'm suspicious of drivers but it may be a dodgy power connection inside which will require pulling the machine apart.

**zutta** · 22-01-12, 09:52 AM

Hey mate,

By what you have said to me i would be looking at power/battery fault.

You can pick up a battery for around $40 off the net.

If she's planning on keeping it might be worth the $$$, sounds like it needs a new one anyway.

**loopyloo** · 23-01-12, 10:20 PM

Originally Posted by lsemmens

Have you tried booting from a Live CD, like Linux or UBCD4Win or the like? Does everything work properly then? I'm suspicious of drivers but it may be a dodgy power connection inside which will require pulling the machine apart.

No actually I never thought of that.

I should've tried my Hawk, I forgot I had it.
I'll see if she's home tomorrow and have a look.

Loopy

**ageno2gen1** · 24-01-12, 04:02 PM

If it works fine without the battery then it is a power or battery fault, check the connection 1st but when you say " I provided the right power supply" is it a universal or the correct 1 for that model pc. Is the volt and amp rating the same on both? Im thinking there isn't enough power/current to charge the battery aswell as run the pc.

**loopyloo** · 26-01-12, 11:13 PM

The power adaptor is the correct Compaq one and matches volt/amps.

If the laptop is running off the battery alone : part charged battery = good....fully charged battery = lock up.

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