Laptop Issue

Other Hardware General Electronics
1

I know this Web site is mainly about Arduino, but I was hoping someone could help with my laptop. I think it's an electronics issue.

It's a new ASUS laptop. It used to work fine. Recently, when I plug in the charger, nothing happens. The laptop doesn't recognize the charger.

I tested the charger and the power cord with a multimeter and they both appear to be working correctly. The power cord has no broken wires, and the charger is outputting the correct voltage. After tinkering around a little bit, the computer randomly started recognizing that the charger was plugged in.

What happens now, is that if I have a flash drive in my USB port, plugging in the charger into the charging port causes the flash drive to disconnect and reconnect to the computer. Removing the charger also causes the flash drive to disconnect and reconnect (just like I pulled it out and put it back in).

I've been looking on Google, but I can't find any similar issues, where the charger makes the flash drive malfunction.

I'm thinking there is some kind of short in my motherboard or something, but I really don't know what else to check. I guess it's possible that it could also be a software issue within Windows, but I don't know.

1 Like
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Hi, take the laptop back to where you bought it for warranty repair.
Yes sounds like a dry solder joint at the power socket or SD socket.
Use your warranty to get it fixed, you will have paid enough fo it.

Tom...... :slight_smile:

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If it is indeed under warranty, then it's not your business - take it back and have the dealer fix it (however traumatic that process might prove).

If it was not under warranty, then the likelihood is that the power socket and SD reader are on a sub-assembly board which has come loose. I have had that (admittedly not the power socket) exact thing happen on a laptop, it was insecurely fixed and a solder joint was broken by movement of the module.

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It's still under warranty. I will try to contact them tomorrow. The problem happens randomly now, so when I get a repair, they will probably tell me there isn't anything wrong with it.

Thanks.

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The USB is an SD reader? I don't know what that is.

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Oh, I misread that. Actually, SD card readers generally do use USB internally.

My point was that various modules inside may be on a separate PCB whose connections with the main one may come loose.

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Okay, I know what you're talking about. I've seen the inside of a laptop before. They usually do have a lot of PCBs.

When I contacted them, they guy had no idea what I was talking about. He kept telling me to take it to Best Buy for service. I told them that there aren't any Best Buy stores around my area, and he didn't seem to understand that, he just kept repeating himself in broken English.

First of all, I do not trust Best Buy, and I would never take my computer to them for service. I've been into a Best Buy store a few times in the past, and I've always spoken to a teenager who had no clue what they were talking about. They claim to be so good, but they don't even require that their "geek squad" be trained in any way, they don't even require A+ certification at a minimum anymore.

Anyway, not to knock on Best Buy too much, but I just don't trust them, especially, when it comes to something like taking a laptop apart. That's just my opinion.

After spending an hour with the support person he finally said that I could return my item back to ASUS for repair. He said I would need an RMA number, which he claimed he couldn't give to me until after he hung up.

He said he had to create a case for it, and would email it to me. I told him I would like to get the RMA before I hung up, just in case I didn't get the email. If I had to call back, I would have an RMA number and wouldn't have to waste an hour going through everything again.

He just insisted that he was not able to provide it to me and it would be emailed to me in a "few minutes". That was almost 12 hours ago.

I contacted them back, and the second person, once again, told me I needed to take my computer to Best Buy. After about 15 minutes I just hung up because I was wasting my time.

I did decide just to call a Best Buy store about 2 hours from my house, just to see what they said. They guy told me that if it was a hardware issue, they would not be able to fix it in store (surprising) and that the laptop would need to be mailed in to ASUS (LOL!! Why can't I just do that myself??). He also stated that it would take about 5 weeks for the service, because of the holidays. Normally it takes about 2 weeks to get it back but with the mail being overwhelmed and closed, and ASUS would be closed as well until after the 1st of January.

Anyway, it's looking like I may have to try and fix it myself. A desktop would be no problem, but I don't know too much about laptops. Most of the time, I can't even get them apart.

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adele:
Most of the time, I can't even get them apart.

For many models, you can actually find disassembly instructions on the internet. Same with smartphones.

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Paul__B:
If it is indeed under warranty, then it's not your business - take it back and have the dealer fix it (however traumatic that process might prove).

If it was not under warranty, then the likelihood is that the power socket and SD reader are on a sub-assembly board which has come loose. I have had that (admittedly not the power socket) exact thing happen on a laptop, it was insecurely fixed and a solder joint was broken by movement of the module.

I have seen power sockets on daughter board before now.
Usually in that "oh so handy and suitable" position of the back left hand corner, with a screenhinge and vga cable :facepalm:

If it is a dry joint on the DC socket, get it fixed don't hang about, there's usually enough current there to do serious damage to the PCB if left flapping about arcing.

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So even if I were to open it up and look at it. I have no idea what I'd be looking for. I don't know what a dry solder joint looks like, or how to fix it.

Does it need the solder removed and more applied? How would I find the problem?

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By the sound of it, take it to someone who has more experience.
After finding it, skill and equipment are needed to remedy the problem.

I have seen countless machines destroyed by "have-a-go heroes" and "my son/friend/cousin...
is an expert at this stuff".

There are plenty of shite repair shops out there too (well in UK that is!).

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Do not attempt working on a modern laptop with that level of experience. The parts are so tiny, all the pins and contacts are super fine pitch, and it's very easy to cause a lot more damage - and of course it'd void your warranty.

Get Asus to take it back and fix it. I had a pretty decent time with them - when I had problems with a computer from them, after a hour and change of hold time, I got on the phone with someone who I was able to describe the problem to, and after a few rounds of fruitless (obviously - in my case I'd already localized the problem to a failed flash drive) debugging, he got me RMA info and I mailed it back, and had my precious laptop back in 2 weeks or so.

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I contacted them again, they told me that I would need to take the computer to Best Buy for service. I cannot drive 2 hours for service. I guess we've come to a day when manufactures don't even provide warranty support. They rely on retail stores to do it.

I will just continue to use it until it craps out completely, then attempt to repair it myself. It is a lesson learned about buying new things, like laptops. I paid $1,000 for the laptop 2 months ago, so I would have expected that I was buying something that was higher quality.

Thanks for the replies.

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Best Buy will not repair it. They will confirm the problem and then send it out for repair.
MrsCrossRoads had an HP pavilion, had a failed trackpad. Got it fixed per above.
Couple years later, display goes blank. Now out of warranty, not worth the $500+ repair cost (and internet search indicating some board may have become unsoldered, disassembly & reflow would likely fix it). Pulled the hard drive and put it in external case and bought a used Lenovo W530 instead for $800.

Call Best Buy, arrange to ship it to them, get it fixed under warranty while you can.

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I'd go for the warranty repair. Otherwise it is likely to drive you mad. OK, you will need to use another computer for a time but if this one totally karks - as is likely - you will have to work that out anyway.

Best do it in a planned fashion, Back it up - use an external drive; you should be doing that anyway - and pack it off. For that money, they owe you a working machine.

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I don't have any problem sending it it, but they aren't giving me that option. They keep telling me my only option is to take it to Best Buy for repair.

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It is unfortunate that Asus will not accept the laptop from you directly. So I know I won't buy an Asus from Best Buy, thanks to you! So, if the 2hour drive is not worth it to you, have a go at the DIY repair.

I will tell you my experience with Acer: Purchased a netbook for my son a few years ago. I think it was through Newegg.com. He used it constantly at home and at school. The power jack failed and I repaired it. (Maybe even replaced it, I don't remember for sure. At any rate, I didn't worry about voiding the warranty because the repair was simple and nearly undetectable.) The thing had been dropped several times, the case was cracked, pieces were missing. Then there was some failure I don't recall, but it was something I couldn't fix. The 2-year warranty was almost up, so we contacted Acer support. They issued an RMA, we shipped. I fully expected that they would reject the warranty claim due to all the abuse it took. But it came back in a couple of weeks with a new screen, and new top and bottom cases, and missing pieces replaced!

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When you tested the charger, how exactly did you do this?
Simply measuring the open circuit voltage of the charger doesnt mean much.
You need to test the charger when its connected to the Laptop.

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OMG 2 months later and ASUS FINALLY decided I could send the laptop in for repair. So I am sending it off tomorrow.

I will let you know what they say. Hopefully, they repair mine as well as they repaired yours. This one doesn't have any damage at all and has never been dropped or mistreated.

I am interested to hear what they say. I can't even charge the battery anymore.

I will post an update when I get it back. It will probably be a couple weeks.

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I auger with mauried check Your circuit voltage if any Problem in Circuit then correct that and after fix Voltage circuit connect charger with your Laptop.