Laptop Battery.........

MTboatguy

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Battery is going downhill fast. Only holds a charge for 40 minutes. That roadtrip may come sooner than later.....

Sounds about normal, once they start acting up, they become very funky. on how much longer they will last.
 

bruceb58

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The way lithium battery packs are assembled, each battery usually has a monitoring IC that is devoted to each cell. When that cells reaches a certain voltage, it basically turns itself off. You likely have one or two cells in which this is happening and why it just drops off a cliff after 50%.
 

WIMUSKY

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If you have a loose wire on the screen it is pretty easy to fix, is it just flashing or are you getting off color fading and blinking type behavior?

Yes. I get both, flickering and the color goes wonky at times. I checked the connection(which is really lame and held in place by tape) at the back of the screen. It seems to be fine. I can move the wire that comes out of the keyboard which goes to that connection and it flickers/changes color. It's getting worse. When I move the wire at the point it exits the keyboard I know the other end isn't moving, so I think there is a wire problem on the keyboard end, or, the wire in the insulation is coming apart..... What to do, it's getting irritating......
 

MTboatguy

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Wim, actually is sounds more like you have an inverter or a back light going out, I have had to change a few of those over the years and sometimes it is just best to purchase a new screen and put it in.

Just looked on ebay and a new screen for your model, looks to be running around $88
 
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WIMUSKY

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I can leave the LT on the table and it flashes/jumps.... While it's sitting still....... Starting to drive me nuts. Gotta link to the e-bay screen? Don't worry, iboats doesn't sell them.....Lol
 
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WIMUSKY

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Wim, actually is sounds more like you have an inverter or a back light going out, I have had to change a few of those over the years and sometimes it is just best to purchase a new screen and put it in.

Just looked on ebay and a new screen for your model, looks to be running around $88


How would one verify it is the inverter or back light? It acts like a loose connection or wire. The display changes if I move the screen up and down. I can find a place where it's clear...... But, it wont stay clear. Eventually, I have to move it in a ddifferent position to clear it up again...

Just don't want to buy a new screen and have the same problem......

ps. If I lightly tap the side of the screen it jumps around and changes colors. It's been getting worse each day...
 
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MTboatguy

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WIMUSKY

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Thanks MT. I found this and now thinking it's the cord. What they describe is exactly how it's acting:
At the laptop screen is opened and closed this cable that runs through one of the hinges of the laptop screen can become damaged due to the folding and unfolding action of opening and closing the lid.
In these circumstances opening and closing the lid will cause the problem to shift around. You may find lines or bars come and go, or move around. Coloured patterns or hues on the display including shadowing may also move around and come and go.
There may be times when you find a position for the lid of the laptop whereby the screen works normally. YEP
If moving the lid backwards and forwards changes the problem in any way, the chances are you have a damaged screen cable. YEP

I found this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-720667-0...-/161278078450
Just a matter of figuring out how to connect the end under the keyboard. Maybe I can find a vid. Maybe it's just a matter of removing all the screws on the bottom.... I'll see if the guy who had a vid to replace the screen has one for the cable too.

Edit: Unless there is a problem with the plug-in on the keyboard end.....
 
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MTboatguy

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Keyboards are not that difficult to remove, which you will have to do, to get to the mother board where the video cable plugs in. Small tweezers and good quality jewelers screwdrivers will be your best friends. It is not a difficult job, but it is tedious if you have never done one before.

I found this video on youtube, is it the same one you watched:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txH0U_eziaI
 
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WIMUSKY

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I have the screw driversand tweezers.. :). I saw different vids. They're all pretty much the same. This was the only guy who used a gun. Tearing it apart went quick. but he never put it back together. Bet he had to think for a while what went where. I wonder how many screws I would have left over when I "thought" I was done...
 

WIMUSKY

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Well, the screen is working good again after I brought it in and $80 later(1hrs work). Plugin on the base was loose. 1st they hooked it up to another screen and it worked perfect. He said I need a new screen. Wait a second. "Isn't that by-passing the vid cable and the cable could still be bad? Ummmmmm, yeah". :facepalm: Tried to have me install a new screen right away.......

So the screen works good, now half the keyboard doesn't work. Called the guy and talked to one of the younger fellas who works there. He thought the ribbon behind the keyboard wasn't attached properly. Took the keyboard off, reattached the ribbon same thing. Going back in tomorrow. Not a biggy except it's 25 miles away.

This vid is for the exact unit that I have. Watched it before I brought it in. After seeing the vid, I thought, no way jose'. It's a good thorough vid. To clean the fan you have to completely disassemble everything and then rebuild your computer.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynDHNk1G34Q
 

GA_Boater

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I guess you're making progress - Sorta. The Admiral's Dell needs almost a total tear down to blow out the fan and heat pipe. I think it falls under the "Let's make it hard for the customer to work on their own property" rule to do normal maintenance.
 

MTboatguy

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I don't believe it is a conspiracy, it is just they have no room to work with when they design laptops.

Crap you just reminded me, I have to tear my wife's dell down also, the fan is getting real noisy in it as well.
 

WIMUSKY

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Brought it back today and they did this and that to it, still didn't work. Sooooooo, I left it with them again. Haven't heard a word yet. So when I go get it again it will be the 4th trip there and back. Only an extra 200 miles on the odometer plus all the gas for the 3/4 ton truck. But, they won't charge me for fixing it this time, it's "free"...:facepalm:
 

GA_Boater

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Aren't you glad gas prices are down! But that makes it less freer than 6 months ago. :doh:
 

MTboatguy

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I would have told them, once it is fixed, mail it back to me, postage is still a heck of a lot cheaper than 200 miles and gas cost in a pick up!
 

WIMUSKY

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Just got a call from the tech. I knew it must not be good if the kid wasn't calling. They worked on it all afternoon and some this a.m., they can't seem to fix it. They're going to try a new keyboard. I asked him, "What happened from the time I brought it in until the time I powered it back up?". No real response. he said if a new keyboard doesn't work, then it could be something in the motherboard. By the time they're done at this rate I could of just bought a new computer. I didn't even ask the price of a keyboard....
 

WIMUSKY

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Update, new keyboard didn't work. He started talking motherboard. I said, "I want my computer back". Took it out of the shop after paying for a keyboard that did nothing to help the issue. Not happy.

Brought it to Best Buy yesterday, where I bought it, told them the whole story. The Geek Squad dug into it to see if the previous Tech didn't connect something, or, something was loose. He found nothing. External keyboard works fine. He mentioned motherboard too. Basically, the connection for the keyboard could be bad on the board. He agreed, however, the timing is impeccable that the motherboard would go out when it was in for service for something else. He said the new keyboard could still be bad, especially if they bought an el-cheapo from a foreign manufact. Interesting since when I called to get a status from the first tech, the receptionist talked about Taiwan and it was sitting in Chicago somewhere.

So, I'm going to buy another keyboard before I go any further. Suggestions where to get a "quality" keyboard?????? Not made in Taiwan/China etc.. If that works, I'm talking this "new" keyboard and will raise a little %^^^^^$&%* with the first tech. If I get a keyboard to work I'll go ahead and get a new screen, video cord and battery. Screen is acting up again. So much for the $80 to fix it. If it doesn't work, it's probably time for another new computer. BB basically said they're built to fail. No wonder you can buy one so cheap these days...

Thanks.....
 

MTboatguy

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You are not going to find a keyboard that was not made in China or Taiwan, that is where they are all made, including the OEM keyboards, very few things for computers are made in the states or anywhere else for that matter, you used to be able to find some stuff made in Mexico, but have not seen any of that stuff for a few years now, it is just a crap shoot when buying computer parts these days.
 

WIMUSKY

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This is what I need:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=720670-001&rt=nc&ajxpg=1

You can see some are listed "from China" or "from Hong Kong" and those are priced the lowest, for the most part.... And if you click on their link, that is where the item is located. A bunch are from the states, which only means the current location. Some have stickers and bar codes. Mine has nothing. I wonder if there are cheap knockoffs that aren't HP certified out there? HP wants $77. I'm sure that's full retail which is expected.

I just want purchase a keyboard that is HP certified to see if my current one is junk. Or, somehow the first tech screwed up the motherboard..... Because I can't wrap my mind around the fact that the board just "happened" to go bad in the tech's hand......
 
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