Laptop won't power up at all, with or without battery installed. Power supply tested good.

My E1-571 laptop worked fine three years ago when I last used it. It hasn't been plugged in (until today) for three years. I removed the battery and it still won't turn on with power supply connected. There are no lights on at all with power supply or battery when pressing the power button or after holding power button down for 30 or so seconds. It seems to be completely dead. Is there any light or LED that should be on when the power supply is connected? If so, I don't see anything whatsoever. Any help or suggestions would be welcome. Thanks in advance.

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Commodore_1995#

Haven't you used the notebook for three years? Have you tried disconnecting the hdd, ram, wireless, rtc battery and the processor?

BillyGA

egydiocoelho said:

Haven't you used the notebook for three years? Have you tried disconnecting the hdd, ram, wireless, rtc battery and the processor?

No, I haven't used the laptop computer for three years as I have been using my desktop computer. I only use my laptop when I travel. I've tried removing and reinstalling the main battery to no avail. I've tried powering on the computer with main battery removed and just using the power cord. I get nothing at all, no lights, nothing. I've not tried disconnecting anything else yet. Information on other sites suggests the CMOS battery is the problem. I'm searching for other possibilities before I tackle replacing the CMOS battery because it seems the whole computer has to be disassembled to get to the CMOS battery and it might even be soldered in. I can solder just fine but don't want to disassemble the computer if I can avoid it.

Commodore_1995#

I'm not sure if it's the same problem. But check out this video:

https://youtu.be/wL3ZX_7mNlk

BillyGA

egydiocoelho said:

I'm not sure if it's the same problem. But check out this video:
https://youtu.be/wL3ZX_7mNlk

Good video. Thanks. It is very similar to my problem in that I don't get any lights when the power cord is attached, same as in the video. However, in the video, the technician determines an "open circuit" between the power cord socket and ground. My computer measures zero ohms or a "good" contact. When the technician measures between the center pin of the power cord socket and ground he gets some sort of measurement but doesn't say what it should measure. I get a measurement of approximately 20k ohms. I assume that might indicate a good measurement. In any event, it's not an "open circuit" so it doesn't appear I have a broken wire on the socket.

I'm still puzzled as to what the problem can be. The only "assumed" facts I have established thus far is that the power cord is good (it measures approximately 19 volts output which is fine. When attached to the computer I don't get any lights so it appears my computer isn't getting any power even though the power cord socket appears to be fine.

I was trying to avoid taking the computer apart if at all possible but I may just have to do it to visually verify there is no broken wire on the power cord socket. I might be able to try another power cord in case mine doesn't supply enough power for some reason even though the voltage under "no load" seems to be fine.

Any other ideas or anything I may have missed in the video?

Commodore_1995#

I would check the dc-in jack cable with a multimeter too.

BillyGA

egydiocoelho said:

I would check the dc-in jack cable with a multimeter too.

With the cable plugged into the wall electrical outlet and the end of the dc-in cable not connected to the computer, the voltage from the middle pin socket to the outer part of the plug measures 19.5 volts DC which is what I would expect. That tells me the dc-in jack cable is good. It fits into the computer jack snug so I feel it's making good contact. As the computer jack itself measures low resistance to ground and the center pin measures approximately 20k ohms to ground I don't think there is an open circuit. The computer worked fine when I put it away a few years ago and it has been stored in a normal home environment. Hopefully I can borrow another cable and see if that works. If not, then I may have to disassemble the computer to further troubleshoot which is what I was hoping to avoid if at all possible.

Any other ideas?

Commodore_1995#

The same technician fixed another model with a problem with the power button:

https://youtu.be/vKydwHwQO4E
Check here too:

https://www.youtube.com/i7V-lavxAoc

BillyGA

egydiocoelho said:

The same technician fixed another model with a problem with the power button:
https://youtu.be/vKydwHwQO4E
Check here too:
https://www.youtube.com/i7V-lavxAoc

Thanks for the videos. It appears I am going to have to go ahead and take my computer apart like the technician in the video does. I am fairly confident I will be able to do it after watching the videos you referenced. Hopefully I will be able to determine what the problem is when I get a look at the inside, especially around the area where the power plugs in. I'll let you know what happens when I get inside, hopefully within a few days. Too late for me to get started on it tonight. Feel free to post more videos of that technician working on Acer laptops. He seems to know what he is doing and he enjoys helping people, as you do also.