I think I just killed my laptop I run my VCDS on..... :( Wanted to charge it up and whilst fiddling round the back for the power socket, it looks like the end of the adaptor touched something in a USB port and the laptop switched off rapido and I could smell a slight burning smell. It won't turn on now....

might it just be a new power supply needed or could it be more serious? :( Can't believe one moments carelessness has killed it. :(

I did something similar in college. Daydreaming in a lecture and messing with my keys I stuck my Astra key in a USB port. I saw a spark and the computer turned straight off. Tried turning it back on and nothing. I tried it in a different plug socket and it was fine.

Well, thanks to a HP manual online and a small screwdriver I now have the laptop in bits....

This corner of the laptop smells a bit - no other area of the laptop appears to be burned out or similar. Do you think I have FUBAR'd it? :(

This part of the laptop is the power socket (lowest one) then a pair of USBs, then an ethernet port. See what I mean about the USBs being so close to the power? :(

Try removing the battery, pressing and holding down the 'on' button for a few seconds (make sure the PSU is NOT connected). Reinsert the battery and try a switch on.

If still no luck the MoBo may (and I stress may) have a fuse somewhere on it.

It will usually mean a full strip down and is probably best left to a competent PC technician. (Not saying you aren't competent)!

If you do decide to have a go at stripping it down be careful to note that some of the casing securing screws may be of different lengths and MUST go back into the correct holes. Failing this, the wrong screw in the wrong hole could short out and blow the MoBo. (If it hasn't happened already)!

And the day Jase met his laptop..............it was moyder

Hope everyone remembers 'Hart to Hart'

Try removing the battery, pressing and holding down the 'on' button for a few seconds (make sure the PSU is NOT connected). Reinsert the battery and try a switch on.

If still no luck the MoBo may (and I stress may) have a fuse somewhere on it.

It will usually mean a full strip down and is probably best left to a competent PC technician. (Not saying you aren't competent)!

If you do decide to have a go at stripping it down be careful to note that some of the casing securing screws may be of different lengths and MUST go back into the correct holes. Failing this, the wrong screw in the wrong hole could short out and blow the MoBo. (If it hasn't happened already)!

Well, I don't see a fuse. It sure does smell "burny" around the USB/power area although I don't see anything obvious at all.

I plugged a USB lead into my pc a few years back and the PC shutdown immediately. On futher investigation the USB port was distorted and had shorted out, unfortunately in took the motherboard out.

Sounds like you might have a similar problem.

I suspect you've killed it :(

You have proberbly burnt out a voltage regulator or a power IC in that area, which usually means the end of the motherboard unless you can find the blown component and are sufficiently good with a soldering iron at replacing it (assuming you can get the part at all).

Well, I am looking at a couple of similar ones on Ebay now anyway - might be able to just nick the MOBO or just use my good battery / HDD.

One good thing is I managed to get my Mum's "broken" old laptop working thanks to me checking the error on google and then just lifting up some keys (had a 00301 IBM error)

Which model HP is it Jason?

Its a pavillion ZE4900. Was a really useful lappie for vagcom as battery life was good, so didn't need ciggie lighter power all the time.

Just keep an eye on hotukdeals jason...

Tescos have got 20% off laptops etc at the moment which has meant some cracking deals... 10" netbook for under 150quid.. core i3 laptop for just over 300 etc

Never mind, thought it might have been something 'businessey' and therefore I might have had some parts available

Yep, some nice deals in Tesco Col - although it just feels wrong going to a supermarket for a computer

P.S. Nice sticker in the sig - have you had some made up??

Got a new laptop recently and so did my sister from www.saveonlaptops.co.uk

They have been really good and have some very good savings on prices of laptops.

Got a decent one that would probably be perfect for your use for £200 and my sister go an Acer timeline one (8hr battery life etc) for £320.

Phil

Well, I am chuffed as long as the ZE4900 I just won on Ebay for <£50 turns out to be what it said. It has no battery or charger but then I have both of those, and a good battery at that! As long as the rest is working fine, I will actually end up better off, as the wi-fi (and 1 USB which contributed to me killing it) were never working anyway in my original one (not bothered as was only a VCDS laptop.....)

Fingers crossed Anyone know how to extract a CD from a laptop CD drive when it is removed from said laptop? My VCDS installation CD is stuck inside at the moment.....

Well, I am chuffed as long as the ZE4900 I just won on Ebay for <£50 turns out to be what it said. It has no battery or charger but then I have both of those, and a good battery at that! As long as the rest is working fine, I will actually end up better off, as the wi-fi (and 1 USB which contributed to me killing it) were never working anyway in my original one (not bothered as was only a VCDS laptop.....)

Fingers crossed Anyone know how to extract a CD from a laptop CD drive when it is removed from said laptop? My VCDS installation CD is stuck inside at the moment.....

There should be a pinhole on the outside of the drive for manual release. Stick a safety pin in it to pop the drive.

Well, I am chuffed as long as the ZE4900 I just won on Ebay for <£50 turns out to be what it said. It has no battery or charger but then I have both of those, and a good battery at that! As long as the rest is working fine, I will actually end up better off, as the wi-fi (and 1 USB which contributed to me killing it) were never working anyway in my original one (not bothered as was only a VCDS laptop.....)

Fingers crossed Anyone know how to extract a CD from a laptop CD drive when it is removed from said laptop? My VCDS installation CD is stuck inside at the moment.....

I would be careful of e bay they are not nicked ,The wife's school has had four break-ins in 2 weeks, 30 laptops and 12 notebooks all gone, and they all have no batteries as they are plugged in permanently, so no IT till they get them replaced

Hmm, well this Ebayer is miles away from your neck of the woods, but I shall be keeping an eye out when I get it working first time.

Ummm, this CD drive has loads of holes in it, but I don't see a logical one to open it up. Where would it usually be?

EDIT - got it! Last place I checked was the front of it!

The hole is usually placed next to the eject button

Good to hear , if anyone spots a load on eBay in my neck of the woods let me know, they cant all be sold down the pub :yes:

Wooop! Got the lappie today and all worked. The advert on fleabay did say "CDR/W DVD" and indeed it had one which powered up HOWEVER it was not the one for the laptop (Toshiba in a HP laptop...) and so the "my computer" had no CD drive..... Mildly annoyed, but thankfully of course, had the one removed from my old one which plugged in and worked fine. Bit annoyed as the Tosh one wasn't even screwed in. It just slid out..... Opened up the top and ensured I secured the original drive from my old machine.

I may have a moan about that, I might not. I have now gained a spare Celeron M chip, I stuck my 256mb RAM chip in so it now has 760 something mb. I also have a spare screen & top case, but will use the one which came with the one off Ebay, to avoid hassle. It does work even if a little tatty.

VCDS installed again, and back on the vagcom map again.

Result :thumbup:

Piece of cake innit

I am not an IT techie and I will do anything to avoid anything complicated. But sometimes, ripping apart a car is much like ripping apart a laptop / PC case.