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• Acer Laptop does not power up after repairing DC power jack

  - by Misbah Mashkoor

  I have an Acer travelmate laptop which (by mistake) I dropped on the floor with the power jack side down, with the charger connected and it broke the DC jack from the inside of the laptop. Then I unscrewed the laptop and soldered the DC jack back and then plugged it in and switched on the laptop without the batteries. It did switch on, that was before screwing everything back. Then after assembling the whole thing back it does not power up. So I disassembled it again and just took the part which contained the DC jack (My laptop is like in two parts one contains the power jack which then sits on some pins on the main PCB) to a technician and he said that if you had connected this to a motherboard then it would have burnt cause the soldering was not right. And then I checked with my laptop again by connecting everything the light (the charging light) comes on when I connect the power but it does not switch on. Right now nothing is connected to the laptop; no HD, CD ROM, RAM , Battery. Nothing! Even then it does not power up. Any suggestions?

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• Cross OS data recover question, USB drive involved.

  - by Moshe

  Here's the story: A MacBook had OS X 10.4 and Windows XP dual booting using rEFIt. Then the Windows partition gets corrupted and it won't boot. Presumably a virus. There were sensitive files there and those were successfully copied to a USB drive and then 10.5 was installed on the hard drive, formatting the drive in the process. The USB drive's contacts cracked and he data is lost from there, unless it can be resoldered. The issues is that there is too much solder there already. So, how can the data in question be recovered? The files were Microsoft Money (not the latest version) files for the Windows version of the program. Right now, only OS X is installed on the MacBook. Is there Mac based program that can recover the Windows data or am I better off trying to resolder the drive? Does anyone know how to best resolder a USB drive more than once, where the first solder is ther, but detached from the silicon? Also, what format (extension) are Microsoft Money files? In need of help!

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• Compaq motherboard CQ60 AMD - nvidia chipsed graphic problem

  - by Dritan

  Hi! It nice to have read that you solved this problem this way. I have 2 laptops Compaq CQ60 AMD Athlon with Nvidia graphic cards. the first one is new, when i press power button, it lights up only the ON led in front and nothing else, no fan working, blank screen, no beep.. I don't know what may be the problem. When I put on power adaptor, it lights up only the side power led near dhe power adapter plug but it doesn't light up the front led one. the second one have this problem that it spins the fan, light power and On led, but it doesn't show nothing on the screen blank (even with external monitor). In this case it maybe this problem of the Nvida Graphic Chip and it may need a reflow. I have an hot air station, but I don't know if I should try this or the oven one. Please can you give me any suggestion what to do to solve this. I have read that the solution of the Oven method is just temporary,maximum of three months, do you have the same experience about this? Any suggestion is wellcome.

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• Skynet Big Data Demo Using Hexbug Spider Robot, Raspberry Pi, and Java SE Embedded (Part 3)

  - by hinkmond

  In Part 2, I described what connections you need to make for this demo using a Hexbug Spider Robot, a Raspberry Pi, and Java SE Embedded for programming. Here are some photos of me doing the soldering. Software engineers should not be afraid of a little soldering work. It's all good. See: Skynet Big Data Demo (Part 2) One thing to watch out for when you open the remote is that there may be some glue covering the contact points. Make sure to use an Exacto knife or small screwdriver to scrape away any glue or non-conductive material covering each place where you need to solder. And after you are done with your soldering and you gave the solder enough time to cool, make sure all your connections are marked so that you know which wire goes where. Give each wire a very light tug to make sure it is soldered correctly and is making good contact. There are lots of videos on the Web to help you if this is your first time soldering. Check out Laday Ada's (from adafruit.com) links on how to solder if you need some additional help: http://www.ladyada.net/learn/soldering/thm.html If everything looks good, zip everything back up and meet back here for how to connect these wires to your Raspberry Pi. That will be it for the hardware part of this project. See, that wasn't so bad. Hinkmond

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• Performing mechanical movements using computer

  - by Vi

  How to make a computer (in particular, my laptop) to perform some mechanical movements without buying anything $5, soldering things inside computer or creating big sophisticated circuits? Traditionally CD-ROM tray is used to make computer do some movement IRL by, for example, SSH command, but in laptop tray is one-shot (unless manually reloaded) and also not very comfortable [mis]usage. Some assistance circuits can be in use too, but not complex. For example, there is a little motor that can work on USB power. Devices in my computer: DVD-ROM tray: one-time push. USB power: continuous power to the motor or LEDS or relay that turns on something powerful. Audio card. 3 outputs (modprobe alsa model=test can set Mic and Line-in as additional output). One controllable DC output (microphone) that can power up LED and some electronic (may be even mechanic?) relay. Also with sophisticated additional circuiting can control a lot of devices with a good precision. Both input and output support. Probably the most useful object in computer for radio ham. Modem. Don't know about this much, it doesn't work because of hsfmodem crashes kernel if memory is = 1GB. May be it's "pick up" and "hang up" can turn on and off power taken from USB port? Video card. VGA port? S-Video port? Will them be useful? Backlight. Tunable, but probably unuseful. CardBus (or some) slot. Nothing interesting for the task probably (is it?). AC adapter and battery. Probably nothing programmable here. /* My AC adapter already have additional jacks to connect extra devics */ Keyboard. No use. Touchpad. Good sensor (synclient -m 1), but no output. Various LEDs inside laptop. Probably too weak and requires soldering. Fans inside laptop. Poor control over them, requires soldering and dangerous to tinker. HDD (internal and external) that can be spin down and up (hdparm -Y, cat /dev/ubb). But connecting anything serially with it's power line makes HDD underpowered... And too complex. Is something are missed? Any ideas how to use described components? Any other ideas? May be there are easily available /* in developing countries */ cheap devices like "enhanced multimeters" that are controllable from computer and can provide configurable output and measure current and other things? Things to aid pushing many physical buttons with computer. Isn't this a simple idea and implementation and a lot of use in good hands?

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• laptop headphone jack problems

  - by Xitcod13

  A while back my headphones mysteriously started making static noise and one of them stopped working completely. At first I thought it was headphones so I bought new ones. Alas that did not solve the problem. The problem must be inside my headphone jack. I did some research online and they suggested unplugging USB devices. Which has a strange effect of changing the static noises to high frequency Morse code noises (it's the aliens). I don't have this problem when i listen to music on speakers. The static is there on headphones whether there is music or not. I own a soldering iron for electronics and I am quite skilled at soldering. I would appreciate any help I can get. My laptop is the HDX 18. It has 2 headphone jacks that act exactly the same. Interesting thing i just noticed is that when i pull out my headphones almost all the way both of them start working but so do the speakers making the headphones kinda useless. Maybe there is a way to turn of the speakers as a temporary solution. I am using vista x64.

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• Looking for a good computer repair kit

  - by johnny

  I'm afraid I'll get ripped if I get the generic kit from Tigerdirect or whatever. For clarity this is not software I am after but physical tools. It should include something for occassional soldering of electronics, crimper, other things I cannot remember. Hoping for ideas or product links (yes I am searching also). Thank you.

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• Electrified Light Saber Helps You Slay Bugs Like a Jedi [Video]

  - by Jason Fitzpatrick

  This fun little DIY project combines a toy light saber with the guts of an electrified fly-swatter to yield a bug slaying sword perfect for your epic battles against the Empire’s tiniest soldiers. Courtesy of Caleb over at Hack A Day, the build is surprisingly simple and quick to put together (if you’re handy with a screw driver and soldering iron). Check out the video above to see the build and the results or hit up the link below to read more about it. Building a Bug Zapping Light Saber [Hack A Day] How to Make Your Laptop Choose a Wired Connection Instead of Wireless HTG Explains: What Is Two-Factor Authentication and Should I Be Using It? HTG Explains: What Is Windows RT and What Does It Mean To Me?

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• Upgrade a Retro Corded Mouse with Wireless Bluetooth Connectivity

  - by Jason Fitzpatrick

  If there’s a beloved retro mouse gathering dust in your office closet for want of wireless connectivity, this detailed tutorial will guide you through upgrading the guts to turn your corded mouse into a Bluetooth model. If you’re handy with a soldering iron and not afraid to hack apart the guts of a modern but inexpensive Bluetooth mouse, you should have no trouble digging right into this project. The end result is a modern mouse packed inside the casing of your old mouse–same old look and feel, brand new engine inside. Hit up the link below to check out the full tutorial. Retro Wireless Apple Mouse [via Lifehacker] HTG Explains: Is ReadyBoost Worth Using? HTG Explains: What The Windows Event Viewer Is and How You Can Use It HTG Explains: How Windows Uses The Task Scheduler for System Tasks

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• Hack an Old Hardcover Book into a Reading Light

  - by Jason Fitzpatrick

  If you’re looking for a clever way to conceal a reading lamp on your bedside table, this hardcover-to-book-light conversion is just the ticket. For this project you’ll be hollowing out a hardcover book and replacing the guts with a wooden frame and a strip of cool-running and efficient LED lights. You’ll need some very basic wood working and soldering skills and an afternoon or two (mostly consumed, as the author notes, by waiting for glue to dry). Check out the video below to see the full build: Hit up the link below for a full parts list and additional building tips. How To: Not Your Ordinary Book Light [Grathio via Neatorama] How To Recover After Your Email Password Is CompromisedHow to Clean Your Filthy Keyboard in the Dishwasher (Without Ruining it)Learn How to Make HDR Images in Photoshop or GIMP With a Simple Trick

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• Are there any 5.1 surround audio switches on the market?

  - by thepurplepixel

  (Somewhat related to this question) I have a set of Logitech 5.1 surround speakers, which use 3 stereo 3.5mm TRS connectors (minijacks) to transfer the audio (the typical green/black/orange audio outputs). I have a Griffin Firewave hooked up to my MacBook Pro, and my desktop has a Realtek ALC889 audio chipset. I have looked for a way to, essentially, switch the speaker inputs between my Firewave and my desktop without having to disconnect the cables from one, route them around my desk, and plug them into the other. I'd love to have something like an old Belkin DB-25/LPT switch, but for these audio cables. Of course, purchasing one and soldering my own cables on the connection terminals is always an option, but, is there a reasonably priced 5.1 audio switch (or 3x stereo) on the market that will accomplish the simple task of switching audio outputs between two computers into a set of 5.1 speakers? Thanks in advance!

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• Are Motherboards for the Acer Aspire One AOA150 Netbook Compatible with the AOA110?

  - by Mindstormscreator

  I have an Acer Aspire One ZG5 AOA110-1588 netbook, and the motherboard doesn't have a port for a SATA 2.5 inch hard drive; it only supports this slow 8GB SSD type drive. Through research I've discovered that the AOA150 motherboards do have a SATA slot, and the bottom plate of these laptops have an appropriate protrusion for the drive to fit in (for example, compare this to this). The AOA110 and AOA150 models are very similar in appearance and specs. I've even seen tutorials that involve soldering a SATA connector onto the AOA110's motherboard, essentially creating an AOA150 motherboard (right?) So, could I just swap out the motherboard in my netbook with the MBS0506001? (I'd post another link to the actual board but can't because of the spam prevention...) I assume I would also need to purchase and replace the bottom cover with a larger one and possibly get a hard drive caddy as well...? Thanks!

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• How to rebuild a Li Ion laptop battery?

  - by spoulson

  I have an aging Gateway NX560XL laptop. The battery is toast and a new one, even aftermarket, starts at $130. So, to experiment, I began tearing apart the old battery to see what can be done. I found it used 8 standard size 18650 Li Ion cells arranged two cells parallel then in series (like: ====). Some online shopping revealed ~$7-13/ea replacements depending on mAh output. My plan is to load test to determine the bad cells and replace only those, as I read that typically only 1 or 2 may be bad. I'm proficient with soldering, however these cells are attached with welded tabs. Some of them broke during disassembly and I'm not sure how to reattach them. What I found online are cells like these that have solder tabs pre-welded to the ends so I can solder wires onto. Is there any guide available that provides the instructions and parts to do this kind of rebuild?

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• Repair snapped USB flash drive

  - by Richard Slater

  I have a USB Flash Drive that has had the USB connector snapped away from the circuit board. In the past I have had great sucess with soldering the connector back to the circuit board with 4 solid core wires. Unfortunatly this particular device shows up as "Unknown Device" in device manager and displays 0ma power usage. Giving a closer look at the circuit board it appears that the Data + connector has come away from the PCB. Which would explain why it is not recognised. Is there any practicable way of lifting the data from the device? larger version

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• Learning Electronics & the Arduino Microcontroller

  - by Chris Williams

  Lately, I've had a growing interest in Electronics & Microcontrollers. I'm a loyal reader of Make Magazine and thoroughly enjoy seeing all the various projects in each issue, even though I rarely try to make any of them. I've been reading and watching videos about the Arduino, which is an open source Microcontroller and software project that the people at Make (and a lot of other folks) are pretty hot about. Even the prebuilt hardware is remarkably inexpensive , although there are kits available to build one from the base components. (Full disclosure: I bought my first soldering iron... EVER... just last week, so I fully acknowledge the likelihood of making some mistakes. That's why I'm not trying to do the "build it yourself" kit just yet. It's also another reason to be happy the hardware is so cheap.) There are a number of different Arduino boards available, but the two that have really piqued my interest are the Arduino UNO and the NETduino. The UNO is a very popular board, with a number of features and is under $35 which means I won't hurl myself off a bridge when I inevitably destroy it. The NETduino is very similar to the Arduino UNO and has the added advantage of being programmable with... you guessed it... C#. I'm actually ordering both boards and some miscellaneous other doodads to go with them.  There are a few good websites for this sort of thing, including www.makershed.com and www.adafruit.com. The price difference is negligible, so in my case, I'm ordering from Maker Shed (the Make Magazine people) because I want to support them. :) I've also picked up a few O'Reilly books on the subject which I am looking forward to reading & reviewing: Make: Electronics, Arduino: A Quick Start Guide and Getting Started With Arduino (all three of which arrived on my doorstep today.) This ties in with my "learn more about robotics" goals as well, since I'll need a good understanding of Electronics if I want to move past Lego Mindstorms eventually.

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• EE vs Computer Science: Effect on Developers' Approaches, Styles?

  - by DarenW

  Are there any systematic differences between software developers (sw engineers, architect, whatever job title) with an electronics or other engineering background, compared to those who entered the profession through computer science? By electronics background, I mean an EE degree, or a self-taught electronics tinkerer, other types of engineers and experimental physicists. I'm wondering if coming into the software-making professions from a strong knowledge of flip flops, tristate buffers, clock edge rise times and so forth, usually leads to a distinct approach to problems, mindsets, or superior skills at certain specialties and lack of skills at others, when compared to the computer science types who are full of concepts like abstract data types, object orientation, database normalization, who speak of "closures" in programming languages - things that make little sense to the soldering iron crowd until they learn enough programming. The real world, I'm sure, offers a wild range of individual exceptions, but for the most part, can you say there are overall differences? Would these have hiring implications e.g. (to make up something) "never hire an electron wrangler to do database design"? Could knowing about any differences help job seekers find something appropriate more effectively? Or provide enlightenment or some practical advice for those who find themselves misfits in a particular job role? (Btw, I've never taken any computer science classes; my impression of exactly what they cover is fuzzy. I'm an electronics/physics/art type, myself.)

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• Is it possible to replace the Logitech G500 wire without rebuying the mouse?

  - by leladax

  It has to be replaced ideally in whole, from the point it starts inside the mouse (with a white 4-5 piece of wires connection) to the end (of the USB connector to the computer) or at least to a considerable length because there is fatigue very near the mouse and the more I fix it there with soldering the closer it gets to being unfixable or reaching towards 'inside' the mouse where fixing it will be hard or impossible. So I wonder if there is a way to get a replacement of the whole thing or at least the inside-the-mouse connector to a certain length. Also I wonder if other mice types are identical in the connector of the inside.

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• I don't have a free PCI / PCI-e slot, can it be worked around?

  - by Borek

  I need to add a PCI(e) card to a nettop PC that is so small that the card won't fit there (and there is no external alternative like we're used to with external TV tuners). The only ports available are USB and eSATA, is it possible to somehow "dock" the PCI card into some device that would then connect to the PC via USB or eSATA? Or am I out of luck? (I don't mind the solution being visually ugly, I wouldn't even mind opening up the case and soldering some wires in, anything that would work would be great.)

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• What skills are needed to be successful at robotics?

  - by Click Upvote

  I'm considering studying to be a robotics engineer. The desire to work in that field is definitely there.. but I'm wondering what my chances of success would be. Generally I'm good with mental tasks of any sort such as programming, maths, physics, etc, and I think i'd be able to do electrical work such as soldering wires, changing batteries, etc. However, I'm not so good with things of a physical nature where I have to use my hands. For example, if you give me some vegetables to slice and dice, all of them will be diced un-evenly and some will look ugly. This might be because I have poor mind-hand coordination or because of a lack of concentration. Thoughts?

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• Reviving a dead laptop battery

  - by Alex Ciminian

  Is there any way to revive a dead laptop battery? I have a three year old Dell Latitude laptop that I've been using pretty intensively. After a year or so, the battery dropped dead - if I plug the laptop out it goes into hibernation in a matter of seconds. Probably this was because I kept working on it plugged in all the time, but back then I didn't realize what effect it could have (this was my first laptop). Currently, I'm searching for a new laptop and I was thinking if there was something I could do to get the battery back working. I've found several links (sorry, I'm a new user so I can't post them) about freezing Li-ion batteries, but the opinions seem to mixed - some say that it worked for them, some not. If you've tried the freezing technique please let me know if it works. Or if you know another way to make a dead battery work again, please share here. I've already seen this thread, but I'm not very handy with soldering. If it's the only alternative I'll try it, but there's a big chance that I'll screw it up. Thanks!

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• laptop motherboard "shorts" when connected to adapter

  - by Bash

  Disclaimer: I'm sort of a noob, and this is a long post. Thank you all in advance! summary: completely dead laptop with no signs of life whatsoever (suddenly, for no apparent reason) Here's the deal: Lenovo Y470 (only a few months old with no water or shock damage). It stopped working suddenly (no lights, no sound, even when connecting adapter with or without battery). I tried a different adapter (same electrical rating), but no luck. I disassembled the thing completely, and tried plugging in the adapter and looking for signs of life with all different combinations of components installed (tried all combinations of RAM, CPU, USB power cords, screen, etc plugged in). no luck. Then, I noticed (as I was plugging in the adapter to try for the millionth time) that there was a "spark" for an instant when I first connect the adapter to the power jack. The adapter's LED would then flash (indicating it isn't working or charging). So, I thought the power jack has a short of some sort (due to bad soldering or something). Scanned virtually every single component on the motherboard, and tested the power jack connections with a multimeter. No shorts or damage to anything on the entire motherboard. Now I'm thinking I need to replace the motherboard. But, my actual question: What does this "shorting" when connecting the adapter signify? (btw, the voltage across the power connections and current through it drop to virtually zero when the adapter is connected and "sparks", and they stay that way). The bewildering thing is that there are no damaged components, and the voltage across adapter terminals returns to normal after I disconnect it (so it's not damaged). Please take a look at the pictures (of the motherboard's power connection and nearby components) and see if I'm missing something completely obvious... Links to pictures and laptop and motherboard model: pictures on DropBox Motherboard model: LA-6881P Laptop model: Lenovo IdeaPad Y470

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• Melting plastic around DC-in jack in laptop

  - by Ove

  I recently noticed that the plastic around the DC-in jack of my laptop was warped (melted) a little bit. Since I noticed, I have done some experiments, and saw that the metal tip of the charger heats up very much when I am gaming, or performing CPU-intensive work (it's so hot that i can't hold it between my fingers). When I am using Windows normally (web browsing, music, video), the tip is not hot. I tried using another charger from a compatible laptop, but its metal tip overheated as well, so the problem is not caused by the charger. I have been using this laptop for gaming for 1.5 years and I never had this problem. When gaming I always use a laptop cooler. Dust is not the problem (i cleaned out the dust), and the CPU and GPU temperatures are not higher than when I got the laptop. The only thing that is excessively hot is the charger tip. Because I bought my laptop from the USA, sending it to warranty and back would cost more than the laptop's value, so I need to fix it myself. I have googled around, and I saw that the problem might be the DC-in jack that is located on the motherboard of the laptop. I plan to take the laptop apart and see if it has become loose, and soldering it in place if it has. My questions for you are: Did anyone deal with this problem in the past? Did anyone manage to fix it? Is the DC-in jack the culprit in this case? Or is it possible for the problem to be caused by another part on the motherboard? Is there any way I can check the DC-in jack with a multimeter? What should I measure (resistance, etc)? EDIT: My laptop is a Sager NP5135 (aka Clevo B5130M). I also posted on NBR, including some pictures: link

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• Replacing the LCD panel in a netbook (Asus Eee PC 1005)

  - by neilfein

  Yesterday, I was cleaning up and dropped my Asus Eee 1005PE. The screen is cracked inside (i.e., cracks are visible only when on), and no longer works properly. I booted up with another monitor attached, and the computer itself is fine, but needs a new screen. Best Buy wants at least $250 to repair it (that includes their $150 fee to breathe in the same room as the unit), and Asus was of no help at all. (They're incredibly cagey and won't provide any money numbers at all, not even the cost of the part.) If replacing the LCD is no more trouble than replacing memory or a hard drive, I can do that. It's within my means to buy the part (18G241010402, a TFT LCD), but I'd like to know more about the procedure involved. My question: How does one replace the screen in this unit? Do I simply open the case and swap out the unit, or do I need to disassemble anything else to get to the screen? I don't want to order the part and then end up in a situation like this. Is the case screwed shut, or is it like an iPod where they glue things closed? I know enough about my abilities with a soldering gun to not attempt to solder tiny wires, would any of that be involved?

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• Use external display from boot on Samsung laptop

  - by OhMrBigshot

  I have a Samsung RV511 laptop, and recently my screen broke. I connected an external screen and it works fine, but only after Windows starts. I want to be able to use the external screen right from boot, in order to set the BIOS to boot from DVD, and to then install a different OS and also format the hard drive. Right now I can only use the screen when Windows loads. What I've tried: I've tried opening up the laptop and disconnecting the display to make it only find the external and use the VGA as default -- didn't work. I've tried using the Fn+key combo in BIOS to connect external display - nothing I've been looking around for ways to change boot sequence without entering BIOS, but it doesn't look like it's possible. Possible solutions? A way to change boot sequence without entering BIOS? Someone with the same brand/similar model to help me blindly keystroke the correct arrows/F5/F6 buttons while in BIOS mode to change boot sequence? A way to force the external display to work from boot, through modifying the internal connections (I have no problem taking the laptop apart if needed, please no soldering though), through BIOS or program? Also, if I change boot sequence without accessing external screen, would the Ubuntu 12.1 installation sequence attempt to use the external screen or would I only be able to use it after Linux is installed and running? I'd really appreciate help, I can't afford to fix the screen for a few months from now, and I'd really like to make my computer come back to decent performance! Thanks in advance!

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• Workaround for Dell "Power Supply Not Recognised" issue

  - by Haedrian

  So, I have a Dell Inspirion and the power supply port appears to be damaged. Basically when I plug it in I get a nice popup telling me that it couldn't detect that its a Dell power supply so it won't charge the battery and underclocks the system. It still works for other purposes (that is, giving power) I thought it was the actual power supply cable so I bought a new one, that worked for a while, provided I inserted it at JUST THE RIGHT angle. But now that's not working anymore, so I assume its the part which connects to the computer. The battery charging I can live without, the underclocking I can't. I'd like a way around this issue. Things I've tried: Updating the BIOS Replacing the power supply cable Inserting it at different angles Turning it off and on again Swearing at it Twisting it while inserting it So, is there a workaround somehow? I'd like to avoid taking out my soldering kit and risking permanently damaging expensive equipment if that's allright. I'm hoping for a software solution. Added: The exact model is a Del Inspirion N5010

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