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105006
my laptop power button wont turn on my laptop
hi, i have a dell vostro 2520 for almost 3 years now, i woke up today and my laptop wont turn on.
i recently opened my laptop and did the usual "dusting" (i live in a country with dusty winds so i clean it 3-4 times a year) i have done eveything like i always do but this time i removed the coin battery and put it back, that was the only different thing i did from what i usually do, after i finished cleaning the power button wouldnt turn on the laptop, but 2 mimutes later it worked somehow.
yeterday i turned it off, and today i couldnt turn it back on, i tried removing residual power by removing battery and cable, then pressing the power button for 30~ seconds then plugging the cable back in then trying to turn it on after a minute or two.
i also opened it up to make sure all the cables are connected, and checked the pins on the power button cable to make sure they aren't damaged, everything looks fine but still the same result.
i have no idea as how to fix it,
thanks in advance!
karaageth
4 Posts
0
August 10th, 2015 13:00
*i suspect my power button is broken, do you know where can i buy a replacement?*
i managed to turn it on, it seemed to me a little odd that the motherboard would stop working all of a sudden, so i tried removing everything (removable) from the motherboard and testing whether the computer would run or not, but nothing worked, so i kept digging in google looking for a similar problem and i encountered this article http://pcsupport.about.com/od/findbysymptom/tp/computer-wont-turn-on.htm
and while reading through it i saw ( at the very end) that i should test the CMOS battery, so i removed it and put it back on, and then instantly plugged the computer to the cable (note that when i put the battery alone it didnt turn on) and it turned on, but the computed was open (since i had to reach the CMOS battery) so i tried turning it off using the power button which didnt work, so i unplugged it, put it back together and then tried to turn it on using the power button which still didnt work (i think that might have been my problem all along, that the power button is broken) so i opened it up again and didnt remove anything from it, reinstalled the CMOS battery and put everything back while the computer was on.
TL;DR
1) followed some steps in the link above
2) removed CMOS battery and put it back then plugged the computed to the cable INSTANTLY
note: i suspect that my power button was broken therefore i was unable to turn my computer on from it,
i reinstalled the CMOS battery without removing anything from the motherboard ( except the battery ofcourse) so my brother helped me by holding the computer while i put everything back
best of luck to whoever encounters a similar issue! :)
DELL-Rishi
2K Posts
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August 9th, 2015 19:00
Hi karaageth,
Since you are versatile in opening the machine, I presume you do not require a service manual.
Now, check the system with the adapter only and the battery only and see if it powers on. Check if any of the leds come on atleast for a second or two before it goes off. Is the light on the adapter on when connected to the system? Check if the adapter light is on / flashing / goes off when connected to the system. Check with another adapter if possible.
Remove the RAM modules and check if the system powers on. Remove the HDD cable and ODD and check if it works. Again, see if any leds come on atleast for a second or two.
If there are no lights, then I would suspect the motherboard might have failed and probably requires replacement.
If there is no warranty, we can help setup a paid service call depending on your region. If you wish to order the parts yourself, then you could check - http://www.parts-people.com/ - and order it through them. I have checked and currently they do not have the part in stock. You could choose "contact us" on their website and get an ETA for the part and order when available.
Keep us updated.
karaageth
4 Posts
0
August 10th, 2015 01:00
While removing the palm rest which requires me to remove the power button cable, one of the pins fell off, could it be possible that the pin wasn't connected to anything and was just "stuck" in its place making it appear to be undamaged, could it be that the power button just broke? If so how can I check? For the record, I tried what toy told me to try, the light on the adapter is on when connected, and the leds don't go on at all, also it didn't power on with the removal of the ram/hdd/odd, how can I verify and replace the damaged component?
DELL-Rishi
2K Posts
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August 12th, 2015 02:00
Hi karaageth,
Thank you for the update.
The power button is made of two parts - the outer plastic button on the palmrest and the actual power button board controller. If you have managed to isolate that the power button controller itself is faulty, then you would probably need to replace only that board.
You could contact - http://www.parts-people.com/ and notify them about your query and get an ETA for the part and order it through them when available.
karaageth
4 Posts
0
August 12th, 2015 11:00
i think its most likely the cable connecting the actual power button to the motherboard, though im afraid that the socket in which the power button connects to the motherboard is faulty, and i dont know how to check it, also do you know how i can make my computer turn on (not from sleep mode, but when it is actually off) using a different button other than the power button? i read somewhere that i can turn it via usb, but i dont know how or what usb to use
DELL-Rishi
2K Posts
0
August 12th, 2015 13:00
Hi karaageth,
There is a way to override power functionality on a desktop via the I/O cable, such that, when you connect the power cable to a desktop, the system will automatically turn on. On a laptop, since the design is complex - the power controller is the mechanical and functional component used to turn on the system. Since everything on a laptop is integrated, it is very difficult to repair the failed component.
However, there is a work around, which would require a brilliant Electronics Engineer, who can work on capacitor level on the motherboard. If you could find such a person around your place, you could ask him/her to locate the capacitor on the motherboard that controls the power controller and override it, such that when you connect the power cable or a battery, the system will automatically turn on.
It is fairly easy to have the part replaced.
As for the usb - USB devices require drivers to be installed, indicating that drivers are part of OS/software and not hardware. Hence, you could use a usb device, such as an external mouse / keyboard to wake the system from sleep, not shutdown. This option is available in the system BIOS under advanced tab.
Let me know if you have any other questions.