I have a Dell 1521..Was in the middle of watching a television show and my laptop just cut off. Now it won't turn on just sitting dead. The little green light is on on the charger but when I plug it in it goes off and I have to unplug it from the wall and replug it then the green light comes back on but as soon as I plug it into the laptop it goes back out any ideas?

Go to the printer manager at set it.Or try to do a print and select "properties" and change it.

Does the screen shows something? Or you press the power buttom and the PC does not respond at all?

Laptop batteries power a laptop when it is not connected to an electrical outlet. If the laptop battery fails to charge when the laptop is plugged into an electrical outlet, the battery is likely dead and needs to be replaced. Unfortunately there is no way to fix a dead battery. However, while a dead battery is the likely cause, it is not the only cause. The AC adapter may be broken, in which case the battery won't charge, or the battery contacts may be dirty and need cleaning. Prior to replacing the battery, perform simple tasks to ensure a dead battery is the cause of the problems.

1.Power down the laptop. Gently pull the AC adapter from the side of the laptop for removal.

2.Place the laptop in front of you, bottom side up. Locate the battery release mechanism. This can be a button that slides or needs to be pushed to unlock or release the laptop battery from the housing unit. Press or slide the mechanism. Slide or lift the battery from the battery bay for removal.

3.Insert the AC adapter into the side of the laptop. Power on the laptop. If the laptop does not power on, ensure the AC adapter is securely plugged into a working electrical outlet. If the electrical outlet is working and the laptop won't power on, the AC adapter is not properly working and needs to be replaced. Remove the AC adapter.

4.Dip a cotton swab in a small amount of rubbing alcohol. The cotton swab should be damp, not dripping wet. Lightly rub the dampened cotton swab onto the battery contacts and battery bay contacts to remove dust, buildup and grime. Allow the contacts to air dry.

5.Align the battery over the battery bay. Either press or slide into place. A clicking or snapping noise produced from the locking mechanism will confirm the laptop battery is securely locked into place.

6.Install the AC adapter. Allow the AC adapter to fully charge the battery for 8 hours.

7.Remove the AC adapter. Power on the laptop. If the laptop does not power on, the battery needs to be replaced.

When the charger is plugged in, is the charge light lit up?

Hello
You can get gelp from this youtube video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56e3fSk_XdM&feature=related
Good luck and do rate the solution if got help

Try this: Turn on your system while watching the display at an angle to see if there is any 'ghosting' to be seen. If there is, then either the display back-light (CCFL) or the inverter that supplies the high voltage for it has failed. The back-light lamps have a limited lifetime and the inverters are fairly frequent failures.
Unless you are very skilled with your hands and have a few tools, this isn't a good 1st project.

The touch pad probably needs to be replaced
You will need to disassemble the laptop ; Lcd, hinge cover, keyboard and palm rest to access it
If you want a step by step manual i can pull one from Dell for you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RvYRFlEFps

go into device manager check under cd/dvd see if theres any yello question marks next to it.if so you need to reinstall driver.if all looks ok could be cd has gone up

The processor is damaged. or overheating. the laptop powers it self off to prevent damage. Have it serviced as soon as possible to try to save the processor.