Well .. I am typing this message on a BCL50 laptop, what I guess is the same device. I got it with the symptoms quite similar to yours and was able to recover it, but .. this might help you only if you have access to a microscope and soldering iron with REALLY small tip (0.4mm is absilutely maximum)csn_0 wrote:thanks nicks.
i suppose i have to bite the bullet, get the necessary tools and dissemble the laptop. i shall report how i get along with it.
meanwhile, seasonal greetings to one and all. have a jolly good one. don't drive if you drink. cheers.
The problem is, that whoever designed this laptop, made a bad judgement about the surface mount process parameters for power controller chip, what is the only chip on board having leadless package. It is labeled PU12 and can be found underneath the motherboard close to CPU. It had developed a cold solder joints and they were corroding over the year or so.
After re-soldering the chip (takes a watchmaker accuracy and patience of the turtle ...), everything went back to normal. Works like a charm now.
I have no experience with thesw laptops, so I am not even sure if this is a common failure. But just saw your posting and thought about sharing it.
Warning - I am designing and building electronics for living, so I consider myself pretty good with soldering iron. I am having a 0/0 vision. So please take me seriously when I am saying "DO NOT try this without a microscope!!" And good no-clean flux. This chip IS small and it is impossible to do a visual check with a naked eye whenever or not anything got shorted in a process.
Best Regards,
Andrus.