DELL XPS M1530 battery needed to run?

My DELL XPS M1530 died recently and will no longer turn on. The hard drive is fine (I've already removed it and put it in an enclosure) but I've done some testing on the system to find out what is wrong before shelling out $ for a new one.

I was first told that the only two reasons it cannot turn on (all that happens is the lights light-up for a second and then nothing happens) would be the power connector or the motherboard.

However, while in stores looking at other computers today, I was told that for older laptops like the DELL XPS M1530, the battery needs to work and be inserted in order to "complete the circuit" and power on the machine.

The battery has been dying/almost dead for quite some time now and has barely held a charge. Because I leave my computer plugged in almost all of the time, this has never been an issue.

However, before I go out and buy a new machine, I wanted to come here and ask if it is true that a battery is needed to "complete the circuit" with the laptop and that it cannot be powered on without a battery installed?

If that is the case, I may just go on to Amazon and get one of those $20 batteries to make sure I don't need a new computer.

Any previous owners or those in the know about this model PLEASE reply. Stressful situation here.

 

To my knowledge, there is no need for the battery once the power adapter is in. My XPS M1530 just died 2 weeks ago.
Here's a test: Hold Fn key and press the power button. If the numlock LED flashes, you will need a new motherboard

 

I did as you said. The numlock LED flashed while the other three LEDs next to it remained on. Damn.

Have you read about the m1530 NVIDIA GPU being faulty and that DELL apparently will replace them even for laptops out of warranty if you call and ?

Anyone have insight on either of these issues?

What laptop did you get (or are leaning towards getting)?

 

I already had my motherboard replaced because of the GPU and they were certainly not willing to replace it for free. There was a $2 Million penalty to Nvidia in the U.S. for making faulty cards. That money was used for fixing the affected laptops, but I'm sure that it's long gone by now. You can always call Dell and see what happens (I say they will give you a quote of approx. $500 for the replacement board).

I just ordered a Dell XPS 15 and I'll see how that goes.

Note: I've been able to revive my M1530 twice using the following method: DELL XPS M1530 bad video card fix! ( the redneck way) - YouTube (you can use a hair dryer instead)
It only stays on for a few days but it's more than good enough to do a backup

 

I called and they basically told me to screw off. They admitted it was a defect and said that an extension had been given on the warranty for that part but now that that extension is over and the recall is over they would not replace my motherboard/GPU. So now I'm screwed.

I'm considering the XPS 15 but I heard there are rampant WiFi problems. Also it is significantly more expensive than equal models (such as Lenovo) though the construction is a thing of beauty.