laptop failure modes

From: r. 'bear' stricklin <red_at_bears.org>
Date: Sun Mar 26 01:42:10 2000

I have a laptop given to me by a former co-worker who claimed it was
broken. It doesn't fall into the ten-year category, but I've heard people
complaining of failures just like this one in many other laptops.

The laptop won't run if the battery is in the unit. AC or DC. If the
battery is pulled, it will run on the AC adapter just fine.

The battery itself seems fine as does the charging circuit. I can
discharge the battery, insert it into the machine and have it be charged
later (according to the charge indicator on the battery; I haven't checked
it out with a DMM or anything).

What is likely to cause this sort of fault?

ok
r.
Received on Sun Mar 26 2000 - 02:42:10 BST