Compaq Presario CQ61, not charging.

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 32,379
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We had a short power cut today, I have a surge protected extension lead.

I have checked the output from my charger and it's at the correct voltage.

My laptop now fails to charge. It shows it's charging for about 30 seconds and then just stops.

Having a google search it seems that I have a motherboard fault.

Is it easy to repair?

Comments

  • MaxatoriaMaxatoria Posts: 17,980
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    It could be the DC jack part which depending on luck could be a 5 min or a full stripdown job and the actual parts only a fiver or so generally on ebay and there should be plenty of stripdown guides to take you through it but if it is a motherboard problem it's probably not worth the cost

    and i take it you've tried it without the battery just in case its gone faulty?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 32,379
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    Maxatoria wrote: »
    It could be the DC jack part which depending on luck could be a 5 min or a full stripdown job and the actual parts only a fiver or so generally on ebay and there should be plenty of stripdown guides to take you through it but if it is a motherboard problem it's probably not worth the cost

    and i take it you've tried it without the battery just in case its gone faulty?

    Tried it without the battery. It failed to charge after a power cut and it has been plugged in for months.
  • bri160356bri160356 Posts: 5,147
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    woodbush wrote: »
    We had a short power cut today, I have a surge protected extension lead.

    I have checked the output from my charger and it's at the correct voltage.

    My laptop now fails to charge. It shows it's charging for about 30 seconds and then just stops.

    Having a google search it seems that I have a motherboard fault.

    Is it easy to repair?

    Hi, have you tried a new charger; they can appear to give the correct DC voltage but can fail under load e.g. after 30secs.
  • chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
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    If the laptop runs on the charger with no battery installed then that probably rules out a problem with the DC socket. If that is the case then likely it is the charger circuit on the motherboard that is at fault. Or the battery itself.

    The way to check if it's the battery would be to swap for a known good one. Which may be easier said than done :) But swapping a duff battery is a whole lot easier than swapping out a duff motherboard.

    Of course it could still be the charger. The fact the voltage measures OK does not of itself imply all is well. Sticking a multimeter across the terminals does not place anything like the same load as the laptop does on the power supply. So it may well produce the correct voltage unloaded but drop like a stone when loaded by the laptop.

    But that would need swapping with a known good power supply to eliminate that, which like the battery swap may not be easy to achieve.
  • RobinOfLoxleyRobinOfLoxley Posts: 27,040
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    I have a CQ61. Often fails to report properly anyway.

    All above are answers are also true.

    Mine seems a bit sluggish now. Time to buy new????
    (and yes, try clean install first etc)

    Edit: or SSD upgrade.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 32,379
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    chrisjr wrote: »
    If the laptop runs on the charger with no battery installed then that probably rules out a problem with the DC socket. If that is the case then likely it is the charger circuit on the motherboard that is at fault. Or the battery itself.

    The way to check if it's the battery would be to swap for a known good one. Which may be easier said than done :) But swapping a duff battery is a whole lot easier than swapping out a duff motherboard.

    Of course it could still be the charger. The fact the voltage measures OK does not of itself imply all is well. Sticking a multimeter across the terminals does not place anything like the same load as the laptop does on the power supply. So it may well produce the correct voltage unloaded but drop like a stone when loaded by the laptop.

    But that would need swapping with a known good power supply to eliminate that, which like the battery swap may not be easy to achieve.

    It doesn't. I'm a retired electrical engineer so understand electrics.

    I used a Fluke multimeter, the light at the charger socket lights.

    I'll just sell it. I've bought a new W7 laptop anyway.

    Thanks for your help. The fan was constantly running so was in the process of buying a new one. The fan is a nightmare to get into.

    I've had it 3.5 years so not done bad service. I'm using my spare 10 year old Acer to write this:D
  • Gary_LandyFanGary_LandyFan Posts: 3,824
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    woodbush wrote: »
    The fan is a nightmare to get into.
    I know. Absolute nightmare. Why they couldn't just put a removable access panel like other computers I do not know.
    You really shouldn't have to remove the entire front fascia just to get to the fan.

    Although I have the HP G61 model (same computer, but sold as the HP brand instead of the Compaq name, used for lower end machines).
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