The Bios update was to stop the adapter overheating and shutting down. You can force the update to work, but make sure the battery is full or you may end up with a doorstop. It would take close to half an hour to overheat give or take.....If it happens as soon as you plug it in it would be a charger issue in the computer. There is a battery charger card seperate to the motherboard. http://www.parts-people.com/index.php?action=item&id=601&prevaction=category&previd=2&prevstart=9 I have put in a link, out of stock at the moment. You may be able to find one on ebay if you need one. You can also find a service manual at the product support tab above.
Thank you for this information, Chris. I will see what I can work out with this. The battery and the adapter will work independently but since I can't have the adapter in at the same time as the battery...I can't recharge my battery.
What you are saying is making sense to me because I felt there was some kind of power surge or something coming from the battery that won't allow the adapter connection. The second the adapter plug touches the computer (while battery is installed) the adapter quits.
I didn't realize that computers had all this power in controlling adapters, batteries etc from mother boards and bios. I never had problems like this before...at least not that I was aware of on my previous computers.
Thank you for your help and I will let you know what I get worked out.
Try the battery in the other bay, ( where the floppy is ) and see if that makes a difference. This may work and give you a bit of time. ( and let you charge the battery )
Thank you, Chris. I had tried the other bay and swapping out the batteries (I have 2 batteries). It didn't work.
Do you know if Dell can do some kind of analysis on my computer via internet to determine what is actually my computer problem? I would like to know for certain if I am dealing with a $35 part or a $700 part. I really don't want to make a financial investment with my computer and find out it is something else that is causing the problem. My computer is 3 yrs old and it was not an inexpensive purchase for me. If I have to live with it being on an ac adapter, then I will, but I know it depends on whether or not it is the motherboard.
This reminds me of going to the doctors. You have a symptom and the doc prescibes a medication that seems to generically fit this symptom. But further testing may show it is something much different. So, you keep throwing money at doctor visits and presciptions you can't use. Oh, well, sounds like personal experience...huh?
It's just difficult to know when to cut your losses when it is uncertain what is the problem.
If you get a quote it will most likely be for the MBD including charger card. For $30 - $40 I would change the card. Still cheaper than having someone look at it. If that doesnt fix it, you can be fairly sure you will need a motherboard.
AussieChris
4.2K Posts
0
June 17th, 2005 05:00
Hi,
The Bios update was to stop the adapter overheating and shutting down. You can force the update to work, but make sure the battery is full or you may end up with a doorstop. It would take close to half an hour to overheat give or take.....If it happens as soon as you plug it in it would be a charger issue in the computer. There is a battery charger card seperate to the motherboard. http://www.parts-people.com/index.php?action=item&id=601&prevaction=category&previd=2&prevstart=9 I have put in a link, out of stock at the moment. You may be able to find one on ebay if you need one. You can also find a service manual at the product support tab above.
Regards Chris
CNortonCPA
4 Posts
0
June 17th, 2005 15:00
AussieChris
4.2K Posts
0
June 19th, 2005 21:00
Hi,
Try the battery in the other bay, ( where the floppy is ) and see if that makes a difference. This may work and give you a bit of time. ( and let you charge the battery )
Regards Chris
CNortonCPA
4 Posts
0
June 20th, 2005 15:00
Thank you, Chris. I had tried the other bay and swapping out the batteries (I have 2 batteries). It didn't work.
Do you know if Dell can do some kind of analysis on my computer via internet to determine what is actually my computer problem? I would like to know for certain if I am dealing with a $35 part or a $700 part. I really don't want to make a financial investment with my computer and find out it is something else that is causing the problem. My computer is 3 yrs old and it was not an inexpensive purchase for me. If I have to live with it being on an ac adapter, then I will, but I know it depends on whether or not it is the motherboard.
This reminds me of going to the doctors. You have a symptom and the doc prescibes a medication that seems to generically fit this symptom. But further testing may show it is something much different. So, you keep throwing money at doctor visits and presciptions you can't use. Oh, well, sounds like personal experience...huh?
It's just difficult to know when to cut your losses when it is uncertain what is the problem.
Cathy
AussieChris
4.2K Posts
0
June 20th, 2005 21:00
Hi,
If you get a quote it will most likely be for the MBD including charger card. For $30 - $40 I would change the card. Still cheaper than having someone look at it. If that doesnt fix it, you can be fairly sure you will need a motherboard.
Regards Chris
CNortonCPA
4 Posts
0
June 21st, 2005 14:00
Thank you for your advice, Chris. I greatly appreciate it.
Cathy