Sennadar Forums

Sorry it's late, but I'm having laptop issues, and once I got the computer up, I just got it up here ASAP before something went fubar.

It hasn't been spellchecked, and I was intending to put about half a page more on it, but we'll just work with what we have and I'll put that half page in the next chapter.

So, ignore the typos in this chapter.

As far as the laptop goes, I think my AC power adapter is going out on me. Every time I plug up the adapter when the laptop is off, the laptop turns itself on automatically and it's lost its BIOS settings, but once you load it up with default BIOS settings, the computer operates normally and will reboot normally with saved BIOS settings. If the laptop is already on and you plug up the adapter, it has no problems at all. The battery charges as normal and the laptop performs normally. It seems that so long as I do not plug up the AC adapter while the laptop is off, it works as normal.

So, techheads, am I right that it's the AC adapter, or could it be the flash memory where the BIOS settings are saved? And is there a way I can identify the problem without going out and shelling out $100 I don't have for a new AC power adapter?

Thanks Fel

You just made my Sunday

Ralph

thank you fell.
loading it on my ereader the moment i reboot the computer

Judging from the description, it sounds like the motherboard itself. If it was the adapter, it would generally happen all the time. But the easiest (and cheapest) way to test is find someone that has the same type of power supply, and try it out.

Thanks For the chapter Fel.

Thanks Fel

Thanks for feeding us shadow monsters

It sounds like the CMOS battery is dead or dying. The CMOS battery helps hold the BIOS settings in a memory chip which must stay powered to save its information. CMOS batteries are usually the one sided flat batteries that are rarely used. Your CMOS battery may be accessible if you open your laptop up, but it might also be a bitch to get at it.

zeekgenateer wrote:It sounds like the CMOS battery is dead or dying. The CMOS battery helps hold the BIOS settings in a memory chip which must stay powered to save its information. CMOS batteries are usually the one sided flat batteries that are rarely used. Your CMOS battery may be accessible if you open your laptop up, but it might also be a bitch to get at it.

Easy way to test this:
Turn off laptop. unplug power adapter. Remove main battery (and secondary batteries such as those that may slot in the CDROM slot). Leave for 20 minutes. Replace main battery. turn system on

If your CMOS battery is dead, you likely will have lost some bios settings and/or time will be off.

Troubleshooting will be a biteasier if we knew the make and model of the computer.

Pm if you want.

-M

Fel,

I would think what zeekgenateer and miraborn have said could be the problem.

BTW - I have been enjoying the stories quite a bit, even if I never say it.

Now back to the shadows for me

WHOOT!! Another fix of Shadow Walker... Thanks a ton.

ralbloke wrote:Thanks Fel

You just made my Sunday

Ralph

dittos the above..thanks man.

I doubt it is the CMOS Battery, as Fel stated that he can power it on and off with the Battery only, but when he plugs the power supply in only while the computer is off will this problem occur. If it is the CMOS Battery, it's the strangest one I have ever heard of.

The fact that the cmos data is erased and the computer spontaneously starts up when the ac adapter is plugged in makes me wonder if there is a electrical short-circuit somewhere in the connections to the ac adapter.

First, thanks for another chapter, Fel. Well done.

Secondly:

physicalard wrote:The fact that the cmos data is erased and the computer spontaneously starts up when the ac adapter is plugged in makes me wonder if there is a electrical short-circuit somewhere in the connections to the ac adapter.

I had exactly the same thought, since the CMOS doesn't cause a problem during a normal on/off cycle. I had something similar happen some years ago on an NEC laptop and the techie who repaired it discovered that I had a frayed wire in the lead to the AC adapter. Since it was a new machine it was 'fixed' on warranty.

kp