Have known good ac adapter. Plug it into computer and the power light on the adapter goes out. Have replaced the DC jack on the motherboard. Where else could the short be located?

Hi have you tried to power up without battery?

Here below are possible causes and troubleshooting steps of laptop that can't power on, hope it may help:
Possible causes:

1. AC adapter failure.
2. Power jack failure.
3. Motherboard failure.

Possible troubleshooting steps and repair solutions:
1. Test the Acer Aspire 5920 ac adapter with a digital multimeter. It's possible that you have a failed AC adapter. If you don't have a multimeter, test your laptop with another known good AC adapter.

2.It's possible that power jack (socket where you plug the AC adapter) is broken. Remove the motherboard and take a closer look at the power jack. In some cases you can fix the jack by resoldering it on the motherboard. In other cases you have to replace the jack with a new one. Using a multimeter, test if the power goes to the motherboard through the jack.

3. If replacing the AC power adapter and jack on the motherboard doesn't help, most likely you have a bad motherboard. Replace the motherboard.

Here below are possible causes and troubleshooting steps of laptop that can't power on, hope it may help:
Possible causes:

1. AC adapter failure.
2. Power jack failure.
3. Motherboard failure.

Possible troubleshooting steps and repair solutions:
1. Test the AC adapter with a digital multimeter. It's possible that you have a failed AC adapter. If you don't have a multimeter, test your laptop with another known good AC adapter.

2.It's possible that power jack (socket where you plug the AC adapter) is broken. Remove the motherboard and take a closer look at the power jack. In some cases you can fix the jack by resoldering it on the motherboard. In other cases you have to replace the jack with a new one. Using a multimeter, test if the power goes to the motherboard through the jack.

3. If replacing the AC power adapter and jack on the motherboard doesn't help, most likely you have a bad motherboard. Replace the motherboard.

http://www.chargerbuy.com/replacement-dell-inspiron-mini-910-30w-ac-adapter-19v.html

Here below are possible causes and troubleshooting steps of laptop that can't power on, hope it may help:
Possible causes:

1. AC adapter failure.
2. Power jack failure.
3. Motherboard failure.

Possible troubleshooting steps and repair solutions:
1. Test the AC adapter with a digital multimeter. It's possible that you have a failed AC adapter. If you don't have a multimeter, test your laptop with another known good AC adapter.

2.It's possible that power jack (socket where you plug the AC adapter) is broken. Remove the motherboard and take a closer look at the power jack. In some cases you can fix the jack by resoldering it on the motherboard. In other cases you have to replace the jack with a new one. Using a multimeter, test if the power goes to the motherboard through the jack.

3. If replacing the laptop charger and jack on the motherboard doesn't help, most likely you have a bad motherboard. Replace the motherboard.

Hi,

I see that when the Adapter is plugged-in on the Laptop it does not charge, Have you tried a different AC Adapter to see if this is an Adapter issue or if this will be a hardware issue.

This concern can be an Adapter issue try a known good AC Adapter to see if the laptop will Charge or not if still it does not remove the battery and try the Known good AC Adapter to see if the Laptop will power ON using the known good adapter if it does then the issue can be the Battery or the Charger Board in the laptop now use the Old AC Adapter and see if the Laptop will as well turn ON with out the Battery if it does then the issue is either the Battery on the laptop or the charger board on the Laptop.

I hope this helps.

Problem description:
The laptop is completely dead. When you plug the AC adapter and press on the power button, nothing happens. The laptop has no signs of life at all. None of the LED lights is working.
Possible cause:
1. AC adapter failure.
2. Power jack failure.
3. Motherboard failure.
Possible troubleshooting steps and repair solution:
1. Test the AC adapter with a multimeter. It's possible that you have a failed AC adapter. If you don't have a multimeter, test your laptop with another known good AC adapter.
Acer Aspire 4740 AC Adapter
2. It's possible that power jack (socket where you plug the AC adapter) is broken. Remove the motherboard and take a closer look at the power jack. In some cases you can fix the jack by resoldering it on the motherboard. In other cases you have to replace the jack with a new one.
Using a multimeter, test if the power goes to the motherboard through the jack.
3. If replacing the AC power adapter and jack on the motherboard doesn't help, most likely you have a bad motherboard. Replace the motherboard.

It sounds like either a bad connection on the motherboard or a broken wire in the adapter making intermittent connection.

1. With the power adapter disconnected, do you have a power light? This would indicate the adapter is good and the plug is questionable.

2. Check your power adapter output with a multi-meter.(be sure to wiggle the wires around) If the power fluctuates, replace the plug.

3. If the power is solid, replace the motherboard connector.

You First need to test your AC Adapter Cord...
You can test if you have a secondary known working one.. plug that one in to see if same issue occurs.. OR you will need to test the AC Adapter using a multimeter (available at any home improvement store for under $7).. When testing the Plug End on the AC Adapter - Hold The Negative Test Prod Of the Multimeter to the Outer Side Of the Plug Tip, and Put The Positive(red) Test Prod Inside The Plug Tip... See If You Have Power Through The AC Adapter Tip... You Might Need To Slightly Wiggle The Cord Near The Tip End To See If THere Is A Short In The Cord....

If Cord Tests Good....

You Will Need To Replace The Laptops DC Jack...
The DC Jack is the port where your AC Adapter Plugs into on the laptop..

Your Faulty DC Jack Would Need to be desoldered, the motherboard cleaned of all old flux, Re-Tin The Contact Pads and then Resolder a New DC Jack Onto The Motherboard...

Motherboard or harddrive? I'm betting it's more towards the motherboard. The DC Power Jack to be more specific. This is the port where the AC adapter, (Charger), plug is plugged into.

The DC Power Jack is not much bigger, than the plug for the AC adapter that plugs into it. There are small pin leads that are on the bottom of this jack, and they go through the motherboard, and are soldered to the motherboard.

Accidental bumping of the AC adapter plug, while plugged into the DC Power Jack, can damage the jack. It can break the connections for the adapter plug, and/or can crack the solder joints for those small pin leads.

[Laptops use DC electricity. A flashlight battery, and a laptop battery, are examples of stored DC electricity. DC electricity has two poles. Positive and Negative. The DC Power Jack has two connections. Positive and Negative. {Even if the DC Power Jack has multiple holes in it]

There is also another known problem associated with DC Power Jacks. It may stem from a bad motherboard design.

More to the point, the area where the DC Power Jack mounts on the motherboard. In this design, the DC Power Jack motherboard area, is almost a separate part of the motherboard. It's shaped like a Peninsula. (Think of an island, with one side connected to the mainland)

This peninsula shape, has the tendency to crack away from the main body of the motherboard. Circuit traces are broken.

When the AC adapter plug is setting in a certain position, it presses the two broken halves of the circuit traces together, for a momentary contact. As the AC adapter plug is moved from this position, the circuit trace halves are moved apart, and there is no contact.

(No distribution of electricity from one circuit trace half, to the other circuit trace half. Think of a circuit trace as a very, thin, flat copper wire. When a circuit trace is broken, there is essentially a wire that is broken into two parts)

Solution?
See if the DC Power Jack can be repaired, (Solder joint connections re-soldered), or replaced.
If the DC Power Jack motherboard area is the aforementioned peninsula shape, it may require replacement of the motherboard.

There are very FEW, computer repair shops that have the technical expertise to replace a DC Power Jack. Easy fix is to simply replace the motherboard. (More $$$$$ too)

However, some laptops DO require replacement of the motherboard for this repair.
Bad motherboard design, for the DC Power Jack area on the motherboard.

Re-solder DC Power Jack solder joints? (IF, this is the problem) Average is $50 to $75 (US)
Replace DC Power Jack? Average is $125 to $150. (US)
Replace motherboard? Depends on the Gateway model. Could be $225 to $400 (US)

[Yes, most of the time the cost warrants just replacing the laptop itself, as the cost of replacing, is close to the repair cost)

Just to SHOW you ab average DC Power Jack, and the repair involved of replacing. (Doesn't show you, that the entire laptop needs to be disassembled, down to the bare motherboard in hand)

This is NOT a recommendation to replace the DC Power Jack yourself! It is just for knowledge of what is partially involved. (You can accidentally burn the motherboard when desoldering, or soldering, rendering the motherboard useless)

http://www.laptoprepair101.com/laptop/2007/12/06/dc-power-jack-repair-guide/

It may be that you need a new, (Or good condition used), motherboard. You may not.

The problem could be the DC Power Jack. The DC Power Jack is small, and the body is made of plastic. Sometimes there is a metal shell around the plastic body. (The jack is a rectangular shape, and is just a little larger, than the outside portion of that AC adapter plug!)

This is an example of a DC Power jack for a Toshiba Satellite a215-s5807,
http://www.notebookworks.net/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=NBW52-0133

As you know there is a metal pin in the center, and at the back of the round hole, there are flat metal contacts.

Let me explain the construction of a DC Power Jack, and how it's mounted to a motherboard. This all has relevance to the solution.

Your laptop uses DC electricity. (The AC adapter converts AC to DC. Your laptop battery, and a flashlight battery, are examples of stored DC electricity)

DC uses a Positive connection, and a Negative connection. The metal pin in the center is Positive. The flat metal strips at the back are Negative.

That laptop DC Power Jack has metal prongs, that come out of the plastic body. One prong, (Or pin), connects to the Positive metal round pin, in the center of the jack.
There may be one, or two prongs, (Or pins), that come out of the plastic body, and connect to the Negative side of the jack. (Flat metal strips)
These prongs go down through holes in the motherboard, and are soldered on.

With the AC adapter plugged in, an accidental bump on the plug itself, could break the body of the jack, or break solder joints that hold the jack to the motherboard.

AC adapter removed, and battery removed. Use a NON-metallic object, and see if you can make the center pin of the jack move. See if the entire jack itself seems to move.
A.If the center pin moves, you have a broken DC Power Jack.
B.If the entire jack moves, you have cracked solder joints. (Broken)

Replacement of the DC Power Jack for A.
Re-solder the solder joint/s for B.

Cost of replacing a jack at a reputable computer repair shop? $90 to $150
Cost of re-soldering solder joints? $50 to $90
Cost of replacing the motherboard?
$250 on up.

If you are a skilled person with the correct tools, it is feasible for you to replace the jack, or re-solder the solder joints.
It is also feasible that you yourself, could replace the motherboard.

Some laptops have a poor motherboard design, for where the DC Power Jack is mounted to the motherboard.

Crude explanation would be, that the main body of the motherboard is a 1 foot square. Then a 2 inch square comes out of the side of the main body.
The DC Power Jack is mounted to that 2 inch square. From accidental bumping, OR just normal usage of inserting, and removing the AC adapter plug, this 2 inch square can crack away from the main body.
This, of course would require a motherboard replacement.

Disassembly instructions for a Satellite A200 and A205 Series laptops. Very close to the A215 Series,
http://www.irisvista.com/tech/laptops/toshiba-satellite-a205/laptop-disassembly-1.htm

(Don't forget to buy, and use a cheap ESD wrist strap, to prevent static shock to the delicate hardware components, inside your laptop. Average cost is $7)