Power problems in the laptop computer.

[Tim]

I've got a Dell Latitude CPi-A366XT. I swapped the motherboard in it a year ago and all has been well since then.

Yesterday I used it for a while, then put the batteries on charge. After a while I heard a static buzzing type of sound coming from the laptop.

The battery that got used the most was apparently shorted or had gone bad.

Today I tried charging the other good battery and it started making the static noise again.

It I turn on the computer from battery power, it runs fine, but if I plug in the charger it starts making the noise, and then if I unplug the charger the laptop shuts off.:aol:

Any ideas? I suspect something on the motherboard is bad. If that's the case, I can find one on eBay and put it in, I've already done that once.

[Tim]

Any ideas? I'd like to fix this thing so it runs like it used to. Worst case I'd have to find another motherboard on eBay for $20 or so.

[Leonardo]

Are you sure the buzz sound is not coming from the charger?

[Tim]

No, it seems to be coming from the laptop itself.

Today I put the one good battery in the right side bay, turned the computer on, then plugged in the AC power to test for noise and to charge up the battery.

It charged it up just fine, no noise or anything.

But even with the battery in, if I unplug the AC power, it shuts off.

I checked on eBay, and I can get a new motherboard for about $22 with shipping, and a P2 400 Mhz CPU for about $15 shipped.

I have to laugh when I think that this computer ( CPi-A366XT ) sold for $2,999 new when it came out in January of 1999!;D


There are forums that mod the Abit BP-6 motherboard, I wonder if there's a forum dedicated to modding this laptop?:respect: