laptop power socket repair easy?

[Gaz the Sparky]

Hi i have got a hp omnibookxe4500 laptop ad the power socket on the computer is loose and is getting very hot. I think it just needs a new jack the laptop charges ok once you get the plug in the right position.

I am confident at soldering components onto a circuit board i have just got a couple of questions

1. will i destroy any components soldering the new jack onto the circuit board

2. is it just a case of buying the right size connector and unsoldering the old 1 and soldering the new 1 on or am i missing something ?

3 has anyone had any experience of stripping down this type of laptop is it easy

4 will I have to load any software or reboot the system ?

grateful of any advice good or bad lol

 

[Spark123]

Can only comment on laptops in general;
If you get heat into any semiconductor it can cause damage, if the socket is in the middle of a wide open space it may not be a problem. You need to buy the correct socket with the pins for mounting them in the correct place, may be easier to go to a manufacturers repair centre for this. I believe motherboards can be made up of multiple layers to so you need to make sure it is soldered all the way through. The only other thing I can add is that last time I took a laptop to pieces I lost the bios settings. It may be advisable to copy them down first.

 

[eggplant]

Also reffering to laptops in general and not this specific one,

1. Probably not if you are cereful, usually theres enough room around the socket.

2. Yes, but often (Dell are terrible for this) the socket isnt usually a straight forward 5mm dc socket although it may look like it from the outside.

3. Not that particular one, some manuf's/models are easier than others, just remember where the screws go as often they are different size. A tip is to take photos along the way (Assuming you have a digi camera) time consuming to an extent but might save a lot of hassle/cost.

4. No

Good luck

[/code]

 

[Igorian]

Always best to have a service manual. You can get a whole bunch for HP and others here for very little money. The HP one is available for instant download and at £20 is well worth it and will save on the whee bits.

Edit. Just noticed the HP disk is actually a tenner.