[bretonboy]

I am working on the dell 1525 and when I turn it on, the lights all flash as though it will boot up, then nothing, a black screen. I tried the service tag and there is no warranty left! Is it the motherboard or would I have to do a manafacturers reboot? If a manafacturers reboot, what is the procedure?

Thanks
ECB

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Hello, and welcome to Geeks to go !

Your problem describes what sounds like a power issue. Have you tried to take the battery out and just use the AC Adapter? Or if there is any life in the battery try it with just the battery. This is a common problem with laptops, this model included. Is the Motherboard connection where the AC Adapter plugs into goes bad. The lights you describe seem to indicate a short circuit too, where they light up briefly then suddenly go out.

When you say a Manufactures reboot. I think you mean a factory restore to original settings like it was new, using the supplied recovery disks, if no disks came with it then Dell may have a recovery Partition located on the hard drive. Before considering that you need to confirm where the power issue is, AC Adapter, Motherboard etc. Most cases a Laptop needs to be taken in as they are difficult to work on.

Edited by zep516, 10 August 2010 - 05:25 PM.

[zep516]

Hello, and welcome to Geeks to go !

Your problem describes what sounds like a power issue. Have you tried to take the battery out and just use the AC Adapter? Or if there is any life in the battery try it with just the battery. This is a common problem with laptops, this model included. Is the Motherboard connection where the AC Adapter plugs into goes bad. The lights you describe seem to indicate a short circuit too, where they light up briefly then suddenly go out.

When you say a Manufactures reboot. I think you mean a factory restore to original settings like it was new, using the supplied recovery disks, if no disks came with it then Dell may have a recovery Partition located on the hard drive. Before considering that you need to confirm where the power issue is, AC Adapter, Motherboard etc. Most cases a Laptop needs to be taken in as they are difficult to work on.

Edited by zep516, 10 August 2010 - 05:25 PM.

[bretonboy]

Hello, and welcome to Geeks to go !

Your problem describes what sounds like a power issue. Have you tried to take the battery out and just use the AC Adapter? Or if there is any life in the battery try it with just the battery. This is a common problem with laptops, this model included. Is the Motherboard connection where the AC Adapter plugs into goes bad. The lights you describe seem to indicate a short circuit too, where they light up briefly then suddenly go out.

When you say a Manufactures reboot. I think you mean a factory restore to original settings like it was new, using the supplied recovery disks, if no disks came with it then Dell may have a recovery Partition located on the hard drive. Before considering that you need to confirm where the power issue is, AC Adapter, Motherboard etc. Most cases a Laptop needs to be taken in as they are difficult to work on.

I tried your suggestions, with and without battery/ac adapter and the laptop still will not work. The power light stays on but still have no picture.
What is the best way to verify if the motherboard is gone?

Thanks for your quick advice!
ECB

[zep516]

I have to tell you I just had this problem with a Gateway laptop. I measured the Voltage from the AC Adapter with a Volt ohm meter and I was getting 19 Volts DC, The recommend supply voltage to the laptop, I got lucky because when I would wiggle the AC Adapter while connected the laptop would power up for a bit and get a screen. It would die shortly after so I knew it was the board. If I wiggled just the AC Adapter with only the meter connected the 19 Volts dc never changed or dropped. Took it in and had Motherboard replaced and paid too much. Soon after the same thing happened. This time it was the AC Adapter because with only the meter connected to the AC Adapter and I wiggled the connection I could see the 19 Volts DC vanish. Indicating a poor connection in the hard plastic part of the adapter. I fixed the adapter connection with solder not an easy task I have some experience (technician).

If your lights stay on when you boot, cause all my lights went out so I knew it was a power issue. Try rebooting and keep hitting the F8 KEY on the keyboard just to see if you can boot to the windows advanced options menu, where Safe mode option is and other choices too.

Let us know if you can do that.

And Are there any lights on the AC Adapter?