I have a Gateway (mistake #1 I know).

Recently it has stopped charging. The computer turns on when the battery is in it. It won't turn on if the battery is out but plugged into the power cable. The prong thingy in the back isn't loose and doesn't wiggle when the power cable is plugged into it.

I did some troubleshooting with Gateway and they said it sounds like my power cable is the problem.

So here is my question. I am going to have to wait several weeks before the new power cable arrives. But I need my laptop for work.

One of my friends has a power cable he is no longer using. But this is the problem. My computer says "input 19V 3.42A" on it. But he says his cable says "18.5 (you said 19) also 4.9 A you said 3.4 90w" when I was iming him.

If I plug his charger into my computer to troubleshoot and see if the cable is the problem, will it blow up my computer or something? I just want to plug it in and not turn it on, just see if the little light comes on saying that the computer is connected to the power cable.

10/16/2008 7:59:40 AM

jam it in and see what happens.


this is useful advice in other situations as well.

10/16/2008 8:15:09 AM

His power supply appears to be about 40% larger than the battery's expected amperage.

I know little, but I wouldn't try it.

10/16/2008 8:23:59 AM

some EE correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't that only the MAX output? it should only put out what's drawn by the laptop, not throw out everything it's got (i mean, think about how laptop charging works...if it was constantly putting out that power, even after the battery were full, wouldn't that be bad?)

either way, go to best buy, buy a power adapter (more proof that it shouldn't matter, since those are all set to the same output, yet can be used by different laptops), use it until your new one comes in, and then return it saying it wasn't working out for you

people do this ALL THE TIME...i'd be surprised if you walked into best buy and didn't find an open box adapter (use that one instead of a new one)

10/16/2008 8:35:38 AM

The closest Best Buy to me is a 10 hour plane ride away I already checked the electronics store near me and they had a total deer in the headlights expression while (failing in) helping me.

10/16/2008 8:40:58 AM

they have them everywhere - radio shack, circuit city, etc.

surely you don't live in the middle of nowhere...

10/16/2008 9:14:24 AM

If the plug actually fits, check the polarity. If that's the same, then it will work.

10/16/2008 9:32:51 AM

check online for an adapter; they'll be cheaper

10/16/2008 1:47:33 PM

it's Japan I'm sure there has to be something, I was literally drooling while in Electric City inside of that stadium-looking place. First thing you need to do is communicate a little more clear with whatever he's got.

What quagmire said is true, the laptop will only draw what it needs. The 3.42A is the maximum draw your laptop can be using when your playing videos, downloading pr0n, and charging the battery. The voltage difference shouldn't be much of a problem. The only thing I'm concerned about, though, is your laptop might try to pull more than is normally regulated by your old adapter. If that amperage is regulated by the computer then no problem, but if it goes basically wide open to accept whatever the AC adapter can put out you might fry your battery. Someone more into computer repair would probably know.

If it's gonna be a few weeks for sure, I'd go get one of your friends whose into electronics to rig up something that will work for now but it may be costly. You should've gotten that new one express mailed, there's tons of vendors for it, not just Gateway.

[Edited on October 16, 2008 at 9:27 PM. Reason : .]

10/16/2008 9:26:41 PM

Dell just shipped me one, arrived next business day.

[Edited on October 16, 2008 at 10:49 PM. Reason : Correction, that was a Compaq, actually.]

10/16/2008 10:48:10 PM

^^ The new one I am getting is free, so I didn't have much choice in the shipping. But at least I'm not paying for it.

I'll probably just wait until it arrives and continue leeching off the office computer. The closest real electronics store is over an hour away from me and a pricey train ticket I probably shouldn't risk screwing up the computer even further lol.

10/17/2008 1:44:39 AM

some of these chargers use crude voltage level serial signaling overlaid on the power voltage to indicate their capacity and other parameters I didn't bother to identify

in other words, it's possible that even if you plug the correct assemblage of transformers, diodes, and capacitors to deliver the expected voltage into that laptop's system board's bare, soldered terminals it will complain / refuse to charge the battery / refuse to power on without the battery / etc

knowing Gateway, if anyone ever pulled that shit it was Gateway (and in my experience it was not Gateway, but I could respect no PC manufacturer less than Gateway)

from the conditions you describe it may still be a loose power connection on the system board, but at the very least I'd expect a makeshift adapter to not charge the battery.

I've had "computer savvy" friends not notice a loose connection until it emitted sparks and magic smoke, most definitely necessitating a new power connector

[Edited on October 17, 2008 at 4:25 AM. Reason : otoh, the damage that adapter could do to the computer is zero and probably within tolerances, go4it]

10/17/2008 4:14:57 AM

Yeah Gateways are pieces of shit. I will never make the mistake of buying one again.

10/19/2008 8:43:04 PM