Power button problem...

[krikle]

Hi all. Not sure if this is the right forun to ask but here it goes.

I was doing some work with a newish dell inspiron 1545 notebook. In the prcocess, I accidently cracked something off. The power inverter has a small ribbon cable going from it, to a connector on the motherboard. This connector has one of those white little plastic lock thingies on to 'lock' the cable and keep it in place. It cracked off. So now... whenever you push the power button, it will only come on if you are holding your finger down ON the end of the ribbon cable that goes inside that connector thingy that i cracked off. If the notebook is put back together, and you push the power button...it won't come on. You must hold your finger down on the end of the cable while pushing the power button. I guess it has to be pushed down so the cable can make the connection with the pins...and there is no plastic thingy in place to keep it locked down so...

I've tried taping it but to no avail this is a brand new laptop...barel a year old. The screen needed to be replaced and now that i finally have the screen and the notebook is working perfect, Id love to get this self-infliced problem solved! I can't keep the plastic peice off and use 2 fingers to power it on all the time. And I've looked on ebay to get a replacement locking thingy but I don't really know what they are called and I'm hoping someone here will get what I mean lol. Dell's solution: replace the motherboard! All because of one tiny, tiny peaice of plastic that locks a cable in? Come onnn..they gotta have extra ones of those lying around! Thanks guys.

 

[Guest]

The reason you can't just tape it is that the clip also clamps the cable into the connector so that its fingers make contact with the circuit board's connector.

Clips like that (but of various sizes and shape) are used on devices ranging from laptops to CD drives -- in fact anything which uses printed circuit cables. I'd trawl a flea market for likely devices.

In fact a local repair guy who does laptops is very likely to have some boards lying around which contain the right clip -- so even if you have to pay the guy for fitting it....

 

[mavroxur]

^ +1


You will need to replace the plastic clip to ensure it will work properly. Taping / gluing / whatever will not work properl. Almost all notebook boards have those connectors, in different shapes and sizes. Any local repair shop should have dead boards. We keep ALL dead notebook boards we replace for that reason.... to steal parts from if we ever need something, because they're hard to find

 

[krikle]

Yea I can't find one on ebay anywhere. Do you happen to have one that will fit a dell inspiron 1545? ;P ... that you would be willing to sell and ship out? ha.

I did have the connector...and I didn't think it actually "Cracked". I thought it could be placed back on but..then I lost it.

 

[mavroxur]

I know which board you have, and I will check monday. Send me a private message. The only thing is that if I don't have the exact board to look at, I dont know if any of the other boards have one that will work. That's why it's easier to take your board and cable to a local shop so you can see if you can find one that will work by plugging it in and seeing if another one fits and can be used. But I will check.

 

[krikle]

hi,

Thanks so much. Please let me know. I am actually a tech and I run my own small computer sales and service business but I recently cleaned out my workshop and don't have anything lying around. Of course, always the way..

I had an old inspiron 1525 board lying around months and monnths ago and i pulled a few things off it and tossed it. I also have old desktop boards and older laptop board but I doubt I will find anything on the olddd laptop boards but I will check tomorrow. Thanks so much and I will be anticipating a msg from you on monday! I've looked on ebay but can't find anything...not sure exactly what search terms to se either... I mean I honestly don't know what to call it other than a clip or connector. I can't seem to hit on anything on ebay though.

 

[krikle]

I know which board you have, and I will check monday. Send me a private message. The only thing is that if I don't have the exact board to look at, I dont know if any of the other boards have one that will work. That's why it's easier to take your board and cable to a local shop so you can see if you can find one that will work by plugging it in and seeing if another one fits and can be used. But I will check.

Any luck? I can't find one anywhere..not even from dell themselves. They're trying to sell me a new board saying its he only way it can be fixed. We both know these clips can come off and back on. There is no need for a new board!

 

[krikle]

I fixed the power button problem

I improvised. I got some black tape and cut it into tiny pieces, the width of the ribbon cable...and I put a couple of those pieces on the end of the cable to make it a bit thicker (on the side up, not the side where the actual pins are). This is to make it a tighter fit so it would make contact with the pins and not slip out. Then I just put a bit of tape across the whole connector just to be safe so the rest of the cable wouldn't slip. I then put the bezel back on and everything is working fine I imagine the tightness/pressure of the 'bezel' will keep the tape a bit tight, too. I read about doing this for a keyboard connector that cracked off so i gave it a go with the power button cable.

 

[mavroxur]

Well, i'm glad you found something to work for you. I have similar boards, but since i dont have the exact one you have, i dont know which of these might interchange. It's a lot easier when you can bring it into a shop and compare parts. But anyhow, good work!

 

[krikle]

yeah I completely understand..just couldn't find it anywhere so I was asking/looking anywhere where someone may have it.

But yeah thanks lol. There isn't much I can't fix honestly. I knew there had to be something I could. Still workin like a charm. Thanks for all your help

 

[jzenker95]

I fixed the power button problem

I improvised. I got some black tape and cut it into tiny pieces, the width of the ribbon cable...and I put a couple of those pieces on the end of the cable to make it a bit thicker (on the side up, not the side where the actual pins are). This is to make it a tighter fit so it would make contact with the pins and not slip out. Then I just put a bit of tape across the whole connector just to be safe so the rest of the cable wouldn't slip. I then put the bezel back on and everything is working fine I imagine the tightness/pressure of the 'bezel' will keep the tape a bit tight, too. I read about doing this for a keyboard connector that cracked off so i gave it a go with the power button cable.

Hello,

I'm not sure if you will see this, or if I will be back to see your response, but I just wanted to let you know that you are a very bright individual, and that I was in the very same predicament as you, even being a small business owner in the computer industry. Your idea with keeping that ribbon in is excellent! Haven't gotten to doing it yet, but tomorrow its now first on my list for tomorrow. Again, thank you so much for being so creative, I was about to get a new motherboard as well. Good luck with your future.

 

[Brett928S2]

This topic has been closed by Brett928S2