Power Problems w/ laptop

[C1leader]

Hi everyone,

I've got a Gateway MX6030 that is having some issues. I got it at a Black Friday sale at Best Buy a few years back.

Recently, my battery finally began to give out; unfortunately, at the same time, the power cord that came with it began to show its age (or so I thought) and would often stop supplying AC power to the laptop if accidentally bumped or wiggled out of whatever position I would get it to start working in again.

Soon, my battery gave out entirely, and the laptop's been out of use for a couple of weeks until I got a new battery and power cord.

Unfortunately, it seems the problems I thought were just involved with my power cord still persist. In order for it to provide power to the computer, I need to adjust how far it's plugged in to the laptop. Even when it's getting constant power, the led that indicated that it's charging will go out every couple of minutes for a few seconds, then come back on.

The battery holds a charge, and while it's charged, I can use the laptop; however, whether it's plugged in or not, it drains the battery and shuts off when its empty.

Is this a problem that anyone recognizes, and if so, is it repairable? Or is it time to invest in a new laptop?

Sorry if I've been vague in this description. I'd be happy to elaborate.

Thanks!

 

[ch33zw1z]

Hey C1, if you're having intermittent issues with the power cable then you need to try and isolate where the point of failure is. Does the AC adapter/power cord itself cause the problem? Or is it the plug on the Laptop itself? Do you allow the power cable to "hang" from the laptop at all, possibly causing damage to the plug on the laptop? If it's the laptop itself with the issue, typically the system board needs to be replaced, which may costs more than you want to spend..

 

[daveybrat]

Sounds like the power jack is broken on the motherboard. If you use the laptop plugged in while on a bed or in your lap, you risk the power cord flexing and eventually breaking the ac jack off of the motherboard.

Don't take it to best buy or a big box store for repair, they'll just tell you the motherboard is bad. Find a shop in the yellow pages that says they fix power jacks on laptops. You should be able to get it done for $100-$150 range.

We do a couple a week at my computer shop.

 

[C1leader]

Typically, I use the laptop on a table or desk, but I've been known to take it on the bus or use it in bed. It's seen plenty of use since I got it back in 2005, that much is certain.

I'll try to see if the power cord works on another laptop and make sure I didn't get bad luck with the new one. If it's not the power cord, maybe the money it would cost to fix it would be better spent on a newer laptop.

Thank you both for the input. It's very much appreciated =).