EEVblog Electronics Community Forum
Products => Computers => Vintage Computing => Topic started by: slbender on May 26, 2022, 01:54:20 pm
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Hi all,
Any known failure modes in this Dell Latitude e5430 a somewhat older laptop?
Location of service manual or a discussion on prior problems in this 54xx series would be helpful.
Thanks,
Steven
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This site has a 60-page PDF which supposedly contains the schematics of the E5430. Within the document, the computer is called Compal LA-7901P -- which may (or may not) be the OEM platform DELL used: https://www.s-manuals.com/notebook/dell_latitude_e5430 (https://www.s-manuals.com/notebook/dell_latitude_e5430)
Edit: And this site has multiple step-by-step guides for replacing various components. Should be helpful for general disassembly hints: https://www.parts-people.com/blog/category/dell-latitude-repair-manuals/latitude-e5430/ (https://www.parts-people.com/blog/category/dell-latitude-repair-manuals/latitude-e5430/)
I assume you have an E5430 and have a problem with it? If so, I am rather baffled by your approach: "Forum members, please educate me about everything that might be wrong with my computer." Why don't you tell us about the symptoms first?
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It seems to be a common problem of the E5430 that it is not starting. (And it was already common when the laptop was relatively new, so there might be a design flaw involved.) See the multiple reports e.g. here:
https://www.dell.com/community/Laptops-General-Read-Only/Please-help-latitude-e5430-won-t-turn-on-and-black-screen/td-p/4547830 (https://www.dell.com/community/Laptops-General-Read-Only/Please-help-latitude-e5430-won-t-turn-on-and-black-screen/td-p/4547830)
The method described in the first reply in that thread seems to have worked for several users, according to feedback on other web pages and Youtube videos, although it is not getting a lot of love in the linked thread: Remove AC power and battery, press and hold the power button for 15 or 30 seconds. Worth a try, I think, since the effort is limited.
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I assume you have an E5430 and have a problem with it? If so, I am rather baffled by your approach: "Forum members, please educate me about everything that might be wrong with my computer." Why don't you tell us about the symptoms first?
Actually, I have three (3) of the same model Dell Latitude e5430 laptops, that I got on evil-bay last year. The first two sets powered up fine, and I installed an SSD, new extended power battery, and installed Windows 10 properly, but e5430 #3 was simply dead - no leds, no fan, no screen, no reaction to the power supply, or power switch just - dead, dead, dead. So that’s the story.
Maybe it’s the power input jack that is bad, I’ve heard of that type of failure, and seen similar problems on some cheaper no-name and named tablets over the years. Since I was hoping that the other two e5430’s don’t die at some point, I was seeking to know if any “known failure modes”, have turned up, like the power input jack, or a particular 3.3 volt regulator that might tend to fail, or something else that has appeared again and again, in the Latitude e5xxx sets making them “dead”.
Steven
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Didnt dell use a sneaky power connector that wouldn't charge unless it was a genuine dell power supply
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Update - I just tried e5430 #3 with memory but no HD installed, with a fully charged battery that had been on one of the working sets. Set #3 slightly came to life. The power switch led came on, as well as one other led in the front, the copper heat sink across the CPU got warm, and the fan came on after about 30 seconds for a bit. No backlight, no messages, no Dell logo, on the screen, then I put a bright led light on the top left corner of the screen, no errors or Dell logo appeared. So maybe the power jack is dead, and the backlight or some voltages are missing, so almost dead, but some things are working.
Steven
Steven
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Didnt dell use a sneaky power connector that wouldn't charge unless it was a genuine dell power supply
I didn’t think so, my two cheapie no-name power supplies work both powering the notebooks, and charging the batteries on e5430 units #1 and #2. When the sets are booted, with the screen on the power supplies get very warm, pull 85 Watts at 117 Volts from the AC line, charging the battery, and 80 Watts while charging with the computer not booted. When the battery is over 99% fully charged the power supply is pulling about 30 Watts when the e5430 is running and booted, and the screen is on. Finally, it pulls about 15-16 Watts when the battery is fully charged, but the computer is otherwise off. At least according to my PR-570.
Steven
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Why is a Dell e5430 "Vintage"? It's not even 10 years old.
I'm running HPs from 2008, and I wouldn't dram of posting anything about them here.
Apparently "time-shortening" has taken place...
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This not being a computer repair forum the best advice you're likely to get is go over the schematics and start seeing what works. Start by checking all the always-on power rails are present and go from there.
Didnt dell use a sneaky power connector that wouldn't charge unless it was a genuine dell power supply
No, but they do ID the supply connected and will refuse to charge while running if it isn't sufficient for the load. They will also complain at you if there's no ID and assume the lowest power type.