[Susanne Ayala]

Hi,

I have a Dell Inspiron 8100. When I turn it on, it will not turn on unless there is pressure applied to to bottom left of the computer right by the floppy drive. I have to squeeze the panel above and below the floppy drive. The computer then must be propped up with some pessure from the bottom on that corner for the computer moniter to stay on. Sometimes the moniter will click off and sometimes the whole computer shuts down. It has been suggested that the motherboard is shot. This is a pretty wide solution for the problem and I m wondering if there is any way to narrow it down. I cannot afford $400 for a new motherboard and I depend on my computer for dear life. I take online courses and need my computer to be reliable. Help please.

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I was reading about a similar problem on another forum. Might have been Tek-Tips. They were talking about a Dell Inspiron not being able to boot. About all the guy would hear was an audible click.

Someone responded that he make sure that a screw on the bottom (near the middle) be tightened. This screw needs to be tight because it has something to do with grounding. I don't recall if it corrected the problem or not but I would make sure that all of the screws on the bottom are tight.

[macten]

I was reading about a similar problem on another forum. Might have been Tek-Tips. They were talking about a Dell Inspiron not being able to boot. About all the guy would hear was an audible click.

Someone responded that he make sure that a screw on the bottom (near the middle) be tightened. This screw needs to be tight because it has something to do with grounding. I don't recall if it corrected the problem or not but I would make sure that all of the screws on the bottom are tight.

[Susanne Ayala]

I will try that. I have taken the entir computer apart and put it back together again, and since then it actually boots up. It is still touch and go though. The one thing I have noticed is that the speaker on the keft bottom corner puts out some static when the computer is moved right before it clicks off. I am not sure if that has anything to do with it, but it seems like a pretty big coincidence that it would be on the same corner that pressure needs to be applied to. HMMMM?