Member Avatar for sheilabb

Hi,
I am hoping someone can help me. About a week ago, my Dell Inspiron (bought it in Sept 2004) Windows XP started doing this funky thing. I can only turn it on by unplugging the power source or removing the battery. I hit the power button and nothing. I then have to remove the power source and replug it and then hit the power button and it turns on. Has anyone experienced this? Is there anything i can do. I have already done a computer restore to the day before it started happening, but nothing.

thanks.

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Short, practical next steps that build on ’s software-side suggestion and focus on hardware diagnostics you can do safely before deciding on replacement.

  1. Power‑drain / EC reset — unplug AC, remove the battery, then press and hold the power button for 30 seconds. Reconnect AC only and try to power on, then try battery only. Note LED behavior, any beeps, and whether the fan starts immediately.
  2. Adapter and DC jack checks — look for fraying, a loose/wobbly jack, or a burned smell. If available, measure the adapter output with a multimeter and compare it to the label. Try a known-good compatible adapter if you can.
  3. Battery and contacts — inspect for corrosion or swelling. Clean contact pads with a small amount of isopropyl alcohol and a cotton swab, let dry, then test again.
  4. Internal quick checks (only if comfortable) — reseat RAM and the drive connectors, and blow dust out of fan/heatsink with compressed air. Excess dust or a failing fan can cause thermal throttling and slow operation.
  5. Run pre-boot hardware diagnostics — on most Dells use the one-time boot menu to run hardware tests (battery, adapter, memory). Record any error codes shown.

If these steps point to an adapter, battery, or a loose DC jack, those parts are often cheaper to replace than the entire machine. If diagnostics show motherboard faults or you are not comfortable opening the laptop, get a repair estimate. Before attempting firmware/firmware-related fixes, back up your data and follow model-specific vendor instructions or have a technician perform them.

When reporting back, include: results of the power‑drain, whether AC-only or battery-only boots, adapter voltage (if measured), any diagnostic error codes, and exactly what LEDs/beeps occur. That information will make further troubleshooting far more targeted.

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Member Avatar for markdean

Once you turn it on, how does it turn off? Does it go into hibernate or stand by mode? and what do you have it do when the lid closed? I ask because I had a Dell Latitude C series that would do that but it was a bug with how the system handled power options like stand by and hibernate. It would never recover from lid closing going to standby mode and would sometimes not come out of hibernate. Pressing the power button would do nothing and I had to unplug it and remove the battery to get the power button to work and power it back on. I think a BIOS update fixed the problem. I also would make sure APM/ACPI is enabled in the BIOS and Windows sees it as that type of computer since that's what controls all that stuff. Also review your settings in the Power Options Settings like what happens when the lid closes and what does it do when the power button is pressed. Some have this set to go to standby but if there is a problem with it returning from standby then change that to power off the system. I have mine (Dell D550) set to power off when the power button is pressed and do nothing when the lid closes and then sleep when the sleep button is pressed (which I never use).

Member Avatar for sheilabb

Hi,
i am so sorry it has taken me this long to respond. thank you for respodning. to answer your questions,
I am still having the problem. i changed the power settings, but i am not sure how to do a BIOS update thing you mentioned. also the whole thing is slower than 3 weeks ago and only seems to work when i hear the fan churning. i fear i need a whole new computer though this one is only 18 months old, but of course with no warranty. any other suggestions would be great. thanks again.

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