Toshiba Satellite A70 Laptop

First: You owe me a beer. That "I improvised with an elastic and paper-clip"; made me laugh so hard I ALMOST lost some. Couldn't really enjoy it though.

Second: If you could "punt" and make it workable with "elastic and paper-clip", then the mother-board isn't bad. It sounds like the jack on the power supply, is the wrong size for the plug on the laptop. Yeah, the mother-board that they are trying to sell you will fix the problem; but you can probably do the same thing by buying a "one-size-fits-all" AC to DC converter, and using the jack that fits your mother-board.

Check the polarity coming from your current "brick", and how that correlates to the current plug. Then select the correct jack from the "universal" set that fits your laptop. Usually the center is ground, and the outer shell is the positive post.

Usual problem is a cracked joint on the motherboard power connector, or a broken lead just behind the connector on the power lead...

These two points are where all the strain occurs when the power lead is plugged in/out.

First thing..try to establish is it the Laptop or the power cable.

If it's the cable...new psu.

If it's the laptop you may be able top open it up and get the joint re-soldered (or get someone else to do it) Those laptops can be buggers to get back together once you have finally found the n+1 screws and clips to open 'em up in the first place.

Del

Thank you all.

Del:

Indeed, it seems that the problem is most likely the motherboard connection. I tried with a similar power unit unsuccessfully. Still working with the elastic and paperclip pulling on the connector. I'll take your advice: I'll have s/o with more dexterity open the laptop and solder.

Cheers

Vince

The re-charge connector on cordless telephones goes the same way. Chances are it's a broken soldered joint close to the inlet power connector. Whip it open, re-solder the joint and box it all up again. See what happens.

Isn't improvisation wonderful?!

My Toshiba Lappie suffered a similar fate.

Just do as the others suggest but check the power plug first, the fault on mine was the psu plug, I tried all the versions of the plug available, none would fit, Toshiba must make its own! but one was close so I drilled it out to make it fit and its worked perfectly ever since!

John.

I had a problem on the recharger for some oxygen equipment I use. It turned out to be a fault with the connector on the recharger not the actual device. One of the pieces in the connector had slipped out of position. It had absolutely nothing to do with the device so check the connector on your power pack first.
Good luck