My laptop won't start...freaking out
June 8, 2024 5:17 AM Subscribe
My laptop won't down to 0 battery and wouldn't charge. I bought a new cable because tye light on the cable wasn't turning on i assumed the cable was bad. The new cable won't charge either. I need this computer. Help? Either fix it or get a new one and get my files over stat.
The computer will not turn on at all. So lots of the solutions suggested online are not options. How do I get this going if I go ti geek square will they help me right now? If I buy a new computer it will take forever to get software installed and my files back right? Can they just dup my hd over? I have work to do.
The computer will not turn on at all. So lots of the solutions suggested online are not options. How do I get this going if I go ti geek square will they help me right now? If I buy a new computer it will take forever to get software installed and my files back right? Can they just dup my hd over? I have work to do.
What is the make and model of the laptop?
posted by Diskeater at 5:40 AM on June 8, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by Diskeater at 5:40 AM on June 8, 2024 [1 favorite]
Has there been any physical damage to the laptop? My charging port got messed up after a fall, but I was still able to get it to charge by sort of wiggling the usb up and down until it was able to make contact with whatever it’s meant to make contact with (I’d then have to hold it in that position to maintain contact so it wasn’t really a sustainable situation, but worked in a pinch). Might be worth a try?
posted by exutima at 5:51 AM on June 8, 2024
posted by exutima at 5:51 AM on June 8, 2024
It's possible the battery is bad rather than the charging/power circuit. If it's within your technical competence/comfort to do so, you could try opening the case and disconnecting the battery. This may allow the computer to run so long as the AC charger is connected.
posted by nanny's striped stocking at 5:57 AM on June 8, 2024
posted by nanny's striped stocking at 5:57 AM on June 8, 2024
What is the make and model of the laptop?
Seconding the question - this is relevant for a few things, one of which is to be able to tell how easy it would be to just take out your drive and connect it to another device if worst comes to worst.
If you're not sure about make/model, there's probably a sticker at the bottom of the laptop.
posted by trig at 6:11 AM on June 8, 2024 [1 favorite]
Seconding the question - this is relevant for a few things, one of which is to be able to tell how easy it would be to just take out your drive and connect it to another device if worst comes to worst.
If you're not sure about make/model, there's probably a sticker at the bottom of the laptop.
posted by trig at 6:11 AM on June 8, 2024 [1 favorite]
If the light on the charger isn't turning on, have you tried a different outlet or made sure something else turns on when plugged in to this outlet?
posted by Lady Li at 7:55 AM on June 8, 2024
posted by Lady Li at 7:55 AM on June 8, 2024
Best answer: Is the battery removable? If it is, remove it, see if it will start with the power cable.
A fully dead battery may take time to be able to accept a charge, so leave it plugged in for a while. Your library has computers where you can do at least some work.
posted by theora55 at 8:28 AM on June 8, 2024 [1 favorite]
A fully dead battery may take time to be able to accept a charge, so leave it plugged in for a while. Your library has computers where you can do at least some work.
posted by theora55 at 8:28 AM on June 8, 2024 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Ok,sorry all, I went out. It's a Dell G7. The cord does have a brick attached...AND...
The battery was fully charged and working when I got home. Emergency averted.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 1:57 PM on June 8, 2024 [3 favorites]
The battery was fully charged and working when I got home. Emergency averted.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 1:57 PM on June 8, 2024 [3 favorites]
That's great!
For the record: Looks like the G7 is very easy to open up and remove storage from, so even if it didn't boot it probably wouldn't be hard to copy over your data to another computer.
That said: if it ever happens that your hard drive or SSD goes bad, you're going to lose your data, probably not in a repairable way (this is the case with any computer). So if that would be an emergency situation for you, I really recommend coming up with a continuous backup strategy, ideally including a cloud-based method, so that your next computer disaster isn't such a disaster. (For a work computer I also recommend getting a backup machine - you can usually buy something really great secondhand for like $200, unless you need very high specs.)
posted by trig at 3:34 PM on June 8, 2024 [1 favorite]
For the record: Looks like the G7 is very easy to open up and remove storage from, so even if it didn't boot it probably wouldn't be hard to copy over your data to another computer.
That said: if it ever happens that your hard drive or SSD goes bad, you're going to lose your data, probably not in a repairable way (this is the case with any computer). So if that would be an emergency situation for you, I really recommend coming up with a continuous backup strategy, ideally including a cloud-based method, so that your next computer disaster isn't such a disaster. (For a work computer I also recommend getting a backup machine - you can usually buy something really great secondhand for like $200, unless you need very high specs.)
posted by trig at 3:34 PM on June 8, 2024 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: That said: if it ever happens that your hard drive or SSD goes bad, you're going to lose your data, probably not in a repairable way (this is the case with any computer). So if that would be an emergency situation for you, I really recommend coming up with a continuous backup strategy, ideally including a cloud-based method, so that your next computer disaster isn't such a disaster. (For a work computer I also recommend getting a backup machine - you can usually buy something really great secondhand for like $200, unless you need very high specs.)
Yes, this will literally be my next AskMe.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 4:14 PM on June 8, 2024
Yes, this will literally be my next AskMe.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 4:14 PM on June 8, 2024
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posted by kschang at 5:28 AM on June 8, 2024 [2 favorites]