From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG  Tue Apr 14 00:47:32 2009
Return-Path: <owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG>
Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34])
	by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 8C5391065672
	for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>;
	Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:47:32 +0000 (UTC)
	(envelope-from cwhiteh@onetel.com)
Received: from honeysuckle.london.02.net (honeysuckle.london.02.net
	[87.194.255.144])
	by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 2ABB08FC0C
	for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>;
	Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:47:32 +0000 (UTC)
	(envelope-from cwhiteh@onetel.com)
Received: from [192.168.1.75] (93.97.24.219) by honeysuckle.london.02.net
	(8.5.016.1) id 49D39F4E0095ED48; Tue, 14 Apr 2009 01:47:25 +0100
Message-ID: <49E3DD1C.5010407@onetel.com>
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 2009 01:47:24 +0100
From: Chris Whitehouse <cwhiteh@onetel.com>
User-Agent: Thunderbird 2.0.0.21 (X11/20090321)
MIME-Version: 1.0
To: Graeme Dargie <arab@tangerine-army.co.uk>
References: <01FB8F39BAD0BD49A6D0DA8F78973929567A@Mercury.galaxy.lan.lcl>
In-Reply-To: <01FB8F39BAD0BD49A6D0DA8F78973929567A@Mercury.galaxy.lan.lcl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Cc: User Questions <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
Subject: Re: (OT) good laptop hardware repair group or forum
X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5
Precedence: list
List-Id: User questions <freebsd-questions.freebsd.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>, 
	<mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-questions>
List-Post: <mailto:freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
List-Help: <mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>, 
	<mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:47:33 -0000

Graeme Dargie wrote:
>>
> 
> My grandmother had a HP that just died too.  My brother took the first stab
> at it, describing it as a likely "DC-DC converter" problem, and I was seeing
> indication of a bad seat on the CPU.  It was working just fine and for the
> CPU to become unseated is not likely.  I tore that machine apart until I
> couldn't figure out how to get the top or bottom plate off that surrounds
> the motherboard.  I didn't fix it, but we all gave up and she went and
> bought another system.
> 
> 
> The DC-DC converter is what takes the 18V (or whatever) the mains/battery
> supplies, and breaks it out into the 3.3V, 5V, 12V, etc needed to power all
> the various components.

Someone pointed me to this service manual http://tinyurl.com/de6luh. You 
might find one for yours on the HP site. I suspect something similar has 
happened to mine, I'm going to take it to a shop for advice, some of 
them will do component level fixes which is cheaper than a new motherboard.

Chris