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    Laptop losing power when on battery

    Discussion in 'Alienware M11x' started by rm20010, Dec 12, 2011.

  1. rm20010

    rm20010 Notebook Guru

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    Recently my m11x R2 would suddenly shut down if it's subjected to a light amount of force - for instance, picking up the laptop, or bumping it from the side. It only occurs when it's on a battery connection, so I suspected the battery connector was loose. I took off the bottom cover and checked the connection, and it was secure.

    Any ideas on what else might be loose inside the laptop to cause a shutdown?
     
    rm20010, Dec 12, 2011
    #1
  2. Descalzo

    Descalzo Notebook Evangelist

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    A bad battery cable? You might not be able to see the damage.
     
    Descalzo, Dec 12, 2011
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  3. first_leviathan

    first_leviathan Notebook Consultant

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    Agreed, bad battery cable. Happened to me before. I tried everything but nothing worked, so I just asked for a replacement battery. That's your last option, but try reseating and reconnecting first.
     
    first_leviathan, Dec 12, 2011
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  4. deadboy90

    deadboy90 Notebook Evangelist

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    definetly sounds like battery cable, to be sure fire up your laptop and move the cable a little, if it shuts down then we have our answer!
     
    deadboy90, Dec 12, 2011
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  5. rm20010

    rm20010 Notebook Guru

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    Will do tomorrow, thanks guys :)

    I'm already a year over my warranty (have 3 years coverage though); will they still replace the battery if the cable is bad? I was under the impression batteries had a year warranty regardless of any extensions.
     
    rm20010, Dec 13, 2011
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  6. squeak83uk2

    squeak83uk2 Notebook Consultant

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    i think in the case of battery "health" argie che, there is a one year warranty and is calssed as consumable, but if there is something else wrong with it hardware wise its considered hardware, i cant say for sure so would be best to call up.

    they may even replace it as part ot the fault finding process.
     
    squeak83uk2, Dec 13, 2011
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  7. rm20010

    rm20010 Notebook Guru

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    Hey guys,

    I pulled off the bottom cover, turned the laptop on, put it in the bios screen, and shut the lid and turned the thing over. Kept tugging on the battery cable and it didn't cause a shutdown. So it must be something else? :/
     
    rm20010, Dec 14, 2011
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  8. Descalzo

    Descalzo Notebook Evangelist

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    Dunno. It sure sounds like a battery problem of some sort, doesn't it? If it's not the battery itself or the cable, maybe it's some connection on the motherboard?
     
    Descalzo, Dec 15, 2011
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  9. ejohnson

    ejohnson Is that lemon zest?

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    My guess is there is a loose cable going from the power button to the motherboard.

    Take the computer apart and put it back together.
     
    ejohnson, Dec 15, 2011
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  10. ejohnson

    ejohnson Is that lemon zest?

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    ejohnson, Dec 15, 2011
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