Problem powering up laptop

CrKink415mo · 02 Jan 2014

Alright, so my laptop has had the HDD replaced quite a few times, so over time I've lost the screws that mount the HDD in place. No biggie, now and then I have to make sure it's fully in the port. I've dropped the laptop a few times falling asleep with it on my lap. Again, no problem. Here's my problem now.

I dropped it as usual (which, btw, is MAYBE 2 feet tops, as I'm usually in bed or on the couch), and proceeded to take the case apart. I checked the HDD, it was fully in, so I turned my laptop on, it booted up like usual. When it logged in and I made it to my desktop, I noticed something. I had no sound. Fiddled around only to realized that I was getting an error in my icon tray, saying that I didn't have an audio device installed.

So, I again took the case apart, inspected, didn't see anything wrong. Tried a fresh power up again, same error. Apart. Again. I tried taking the motherboard up to check the underside (top technically, working upside down) but couldn't manage to get it free with all the screws I seen out. Upon putting the screws back in, my stupid self realized the cable from the audio board came not loose, but not clamped down, the bar came undone. Pushed it back down til it clicked, put everything back together. Now...

It won't power on just with the battery, no lights nothing.
When it's plugged in, just the power button lights up, and the battery indicator on the front of the laptop turns on, flashing orange.
I get absolutely no activity inside, no fan, no hdd spinning, just a click from the power button being pressed in.

Any clues as to what happened? I wasn't forceful with anything, as I was taking good care because it's out of warranty so I'm avoiding a $50 fee for it just to get looked at let alone service/labor/part fees.

ICIT2LOL · 02 Jan 2014

Hello and welcome CrKink first up mate using the machine on your lap or the bed surface I am assuming you are using a hard surface like a tray? if not then you should be. Second the battery I am again assuming has gone south or you have broken or twisted the contacts.
Third I would suggest you take a very close look at the power adaptor socket with a very bright light and magnifying glass and see if there are any "dry" joints - that is joints that have become unsoldered if you gently move the socket then you should be able to see some movement. If that is ok then I suggest you follow the line of it's travel looking for a connection that is disconnected to the mobo.
As this machine has had so many drops it is not looking good to be honest.

CrKink415mo · 02 Jan 2014

It's usually attached to a cooling fan that the laptops rests on, so I'd say yeah. Not really a tray but it is flat and hard. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if I was having an issue with the power socket, why would it be powering on when it's plugged in? I only touched stuff up by that thick cable, power socket is lower left corner, and HDD connects to the board at the left side of the thick cable in the pic. Worked until I touched the motherboard, but I never removed it so idk how I could've knocked something loose. But thanks for a quick reply!

ICIT2LOL · 02 Jan 2014

CR mate just check out all the small ribbon cables you can find they are very easily dislodged. The other thing of concern to me is that you say it worked until you touched the mobo and well that in itself could have fried something on the board (static electricity).

Now just because it is showing lights mate doesn't necessarily mean the power is flowing to the board they are just indicator lights after all that power is available. The hard drive just check the SATA connectors if it is SATA and very gently clean them. You can do the same with the RAM sticks too.
See my tip

SLOTCLEANING

Now as for the slots to clean them use astrip of old credit card about 1/2 inch wide nip the corners off one end - preferably round them offhold apiece of thin lint free cloth over the end dab on some form of alcohol - isopropyl alcohol (what we swab the skin with before an injection) is good and GENTLY swipe along the slots.

(You could use a very much thinner strip for the SATA sockets)

CrKink415mo · 03 Jan 2014

Double and triple checked all cables/ribbons. Everything is secure, and everything's connected. Even without the HDD in, in should still boot up off the mobo though, am I right? Bios isn't located on the HDD, as far as Im aware. I even gave stuff a wipe down, and still nothing. A fried mobo could saline possible, but it had no juice going to it, I even held down the power button to drain all banked power left. I used a non magnetic tip, so how could it conduct static electricity, if it's a non-conductive metal? I was using an electricians screwdriver. Thanks for the reply again, though!

matts6887 · 03 Jan 2014

Im sorta with Icittoo; on the account of where you say you touched the board. If you did that without first touching something metal to discharge the static electricity; you could very well have fried one or more things on the board in which case you would need a new board for that laptop. Even if you use a non magnetic tipped screwdriver; i believe it can still have a chance to conduct electricity and its best not to chance it so you are better off using a wrist guard clamped to something metal or discharge yourself by touching something metal first.

ICIT2LOL · 03 Jan 2014

As Matt say mate see this Static electricity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia