It just decided to stop working, the brick won't light up. So for the forseeable future ill only be able to log in on my phone! I'll check daily for PMs but ill otherwise be a bit scarce.

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Namarie

I hate it when that sort of thing happens. But at least it's easily replaceable, unlike a motherboard or hard disk - good luck with it.

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Dagster

I'm sure you probably have done, but have you tried changing the fuse in the plug?

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You don't have to be great to start. But you do have to start to be great.

Err no I haven't Dave, electronics aren't really my forte. I was just going to buy another one on eBay at some point soonish...

Would you advise me to try replacing the fuse instead?
Also when/if I get a replacement, would you advise against third party stuff?

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Namarie

Well a pack of fuses is very cheap from a DIY store. A laptop usually has a 5A fuse. Have a look under the plug between the 3 prongs. If its an older plug, the fuse will be inside the casing so you will need to undo the big screw in the middle to get to it. Newer plugs have a removable red plastic fuse cover which will give you access to the fuse without having to unscrew the whole thing. Its just a case of popping it out of its cradle and replacing it with another. It is very simple really. No wiring involved. (Although if you do take the plug casing apart you can try gently pulling the wires to make sure they are done up tight, ruling out another possibility). There are probably tutorials on changing a fuse on 'how to' or youtube.

I should also point out that if it does turn out to be the fuse, then that normally means a problem elsewhere. Perhaps the 'brick' is overheating or you may have a split cable. It could just have been a power surge from the mains though!

If you still can't get it working after that, or if you're too worried to try, then I've bought second hand phone chargers from ebay with no problems so I don't see any reason a laptop charger will be any different, but of course every seller is different. Always check previous feedback and seller ratings.

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You don't have to be great to start. But you do have to start to be great.

Are you going to make the painting challenge? Ha ha another one down, i will win now lol

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You would of had me crawling on all fours like a BEAST!

The thing to remember about fuses is that they blow for a reason. It might just be a power spike and nothing to worry about, but it's not recommended to just replace one without having the device thoroughly tested. So replacing the unit is the safer and probably cheaper option anyway.

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Dagster

Get a surge protector bar - they are cheap (starting at £5) and can prevent most power spike damage. A UPS (uninterruptable power supply) is the best of the bunch but they are not cheap - £70 and upwards - but they protect against all variances in power supply including a total powercut. The UPS can also perform controlled shut downs on computers, saving files and closing all applications, though they will only do this when the UPS battery is running out of jiuce and the mains power has not been restored.

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