1150 just died...

i'm having a very similar problem with my 1150.

it started going into hibernate when i moved it or typed too hard, now it's given up the ghost completely. when i hit the power key, the power light flashes on and off and that's all i get. Dell tech support reckon the motherboard has had it but i'm less than convinced.

it was also bought 4/04 strangely enough so it is 2 months out of warranty. the prospect of spending 500 quid on a new motherboard doesn't appeal.

any help out there??

Rev 3 - How to fix you broken Dell 1150 and 5150

This was mostly taken from another thread on this board.  I (Dan Perry) have modified the thread with a few more instructions and tips.  I just finished my second 1150 – I have 2, and have updated the instructions.

FIXING THE PROBLEM - you have nothing to loose if it's not working and outside warranty.  The second machine took less than 20 minutes to disassemble, 5 minutes to reflow the solder, and 20 minutes to re-assemble.  With the second machine, I had to do this twice because I did not get the solder to reflow the first time.  I have updated the soldering instructions below for the older and poorer eye-sighted.

The biggest issues in performing the procedure are keeping the right screws together (there are a lot of screws, different sizes and lengths) and re soldering the chip that is actually the cause of the problem.  This is really not too hard.  If you are not sure that you can do it, I’ve heard there may be some non-Dell service shops that will do it for you.  You may give them these instructions.

1.       Make sure you are well earthed (or “grounded” for Americans as if Americans can ever be well grounded) to prevent static.

2.       There are a lot of parts, if you think you may have a problem in re-assembly, get a camera and take sequential pictures as you go.

3.       Remove power and the battery

4.       Remove the hard disk (2 screws – keep with the drive)

5.       Remove the M cover on the bottom and remove the memory chip (push the little tabs outward and it will pop up).  Keep the M cover and the memory together.

6.       Remove the C cover and clip off the two tabs on the side of the cover.

7.       Disconnect the modem cable under the C cover and remoce the modem with the 2 screws.  Keep the modem and it’s two screws together.

8.       Remove the DVD drive, one screw marked with an oval symbol next to the serial number tag and a little black plastic lever under the M cover will pop it out.  Keep the screw and the DVD together

9.       Remove the two posts on the VGA connector on the back panel of the computer (the hex head posts used to hold an external VGA screen cable in place).

10.   Remove the keyboard by tilting the screen all the way back and prying out the cover with the power button on it and then the four keyboard screws.  The gently pull the keyboard cable straight up from the socket on the motherboard.  Keep the 4 keyboard screws and the keyboard together.

11. Remove the tin plate under the keyboard one screw and keep with the tin plate.

12. Remove the 2 screws from the power switch PC board and gently pull the power switch PC board straight up (may need to pry gently under the corner of the PC board).  Keep these screws with the power switch PC board.

13. Remove the LCD display.  Unplug the LCD connector from the motherboard pulling gently straight up on the soft tab.  Gently lift the tape holding down the cable from the case.  You will need to re-attach the tape – leave the tape on the flat cable.  Now remove the 3 screws from each of the 2 hinges.  Each hinge has 3 screws, 2 screws in the top and one in the back (the only two screws on the back of the computer).  Do the back two screws first.  Set the six screws and LCD display aside keeping the screws with the display.

14. Remove the 2 screws from under the LCD between the 2 hinges; keep these screws with the LCD.

15. Remove all remaining screws from the bottom of the base.  Keep these together marked bottom screws.  Remove the one screw from the bottom that is on the outside edge of the battery compartment.

16. Remove the top CPU cover with the touch pad and gently pull straight up to remove the touch pad connector.

17. Remove the CPU Fan (4 spring loaded screws) and one little cable. There is thermal grease that sinks the CPU to the fan assembly.  This may require a bit of slow constant force to remove.  Set the fan assembly aside.  Do not wipe off the thermal grease.  NOTE: in my second 1150 repair, the entire CPU came out of the socket with the fan.  If this occurs, gently pry the CPU from the heat sink noting the orientation of pin 1 on the CPU (a missing pin in one corner).  Then with a flat blade screwdriver, unlock the CPU socket and drop the CPU into the socket.  You will not need to press it in if the socket is released.  One the CPU is seated, re-lock it down with the socket latch screw.

18. Remove the graphics heat sink, 3 screws I think

19. Remove the plastic bracket around the battery – keep screws with bracket

20. Free the little board between the two tin covers (HD and CD), it is held with 2 screws the little board stays with the bottom case.  Don’t try to remove it, just get it out of the way for the next step

21. Remove the 2 tin covers 1 for the hard drive and one for the DVD/CD drive.  Keep the screws for these together with the tin pieces.  Note that the DVD cover has a metal tab that hooks into the motherboard so once the screws are removed gently slide the tin cover toward the board edge.  The second cover has a little latch that may be pressed slightly to unlatch it from the motherboard.

22. Remove the speaker connector on the front of the motherboard.

23. There are some remaining screws that hold the motherboard into the bottom case.  Remove them; keeping them together and labeling them mother board screws.  It will be difficult in re-assembling to know what holes to use these screws in, because now there are a lot of screw holes in the mother board that are no longer occupied.  If you want to be sure, you could get a highlighter (for marking papers) or a Sharpe and put a dot by each screw hole on the motherboard that you remove a screw from in this step.

24. The motherboard should now be free.

25. Once, you have full access to the motherboard. Under the mini PCI bus connector, which was positioned under the case cover labeled 'C' there is a black plastic sheet stuck to the motherboard to insulate. You will be able to see on this black plastic sheet dimples where the offending tabs were pressing the motherboard.

26. Peel this black plastic back to reveal the components; I used a piece of scotch tape to hold it back while performing surgery.

27. The chip that you need to re-solder is the one nearest the middle of the motherboard under the dimpled black plastic cover.

28. You will probably not be able to see any visible damage

29. The IC (chip) whose connections will have been broken by the pressure is an LVC14A with 14 pins, surface mount.

30. With a very fine electronic soldering iron (with a pin point tip) touch each of the IC legs for 1 second to re-melt the connections that have likely fractured by the pressure. It is not that difficult - just needs a very steady hand. Do not add any solder, you may burn the board or join two pins together - they are very fine !!!

31. That was for the folks that still have a very steady hand, great eyesight, and a pinpoint tip on their soldering pencil.  As for me (Dan), I have none of the above, but I do have a very small tip soldering iron.  With a dry tip (absolutely no solder – actually never even been tinned) I slowly (about 4-6 seconds total) dragged the tip across all the pins on both sides of the chip.  I did this 3-4 times on each side allowing a few seconds between sides to make sure I did not overheat the chip.  On my second 1150, I had not put the soldering iron on long enough to reflow the solder and I had to pull it apart a second time.

32. Put it back together - AND IT WILL BE FIXED

33. A note on re-assembly, the CPU heat sink uses the spring-loaded screws so as to not overstress the CPU connections with the heavy fan assembly.  In tightening the screws, initially I believed that they were intended to not be tightened right down tight.  After doing the second CPU, I believe they were intended to be snugged down tight and not backed off.