Dell Inspiron 1501 Notebook Computer - AC Adapter - Won’t Stay Connected?

We have had similiar problems with our Gateway laptops. We have placed a call and an on site tech comes out and replaces the motherboard. No questions asked..

Thanks for the info Chad.

I spoke to a friend who works for Dell and they are not aware of any problems as I also bought a 1501 for Xmas.

My recommendation will be to call Dell and ask for a replacement, I think Dell would be interested in getting this system back as they have $150M to improve CE…

Hi Gary,
That is what he did and Dell is sending a replacement unit and is paying to have his old laptop returned. And he didn’t even have to yell and scream.

Happy holiday.

I have a 1505 and I have had this problem.. The cable just does not fit securely..

Hi Travin,

Thanks for your comments. It is appreciated.

Ron

same problem with a dell latitude c510
sucks!!

Hi Steve,
Makes one wonder how many Dell laptops have this problem. It seems like the problem is no isolated to just one model. Thanks for the comment and info.

Ron

Orderd a 1501 with Vista Premium Home edition for my wife. After 2 hours of attempting to connect with wireless network, I called Dell support. After 30 minutes with Dell support I was informed that wirelesss connectivity will not be supported until a driver is released mid month (March 2007) from Microsoft.

What a joke, Dell is shipping product that they claim supports wireless networking, yet, it doesn’t. Even worse, they aren’t telling anyone that it doesn’t work. Which means a lot of consumers are wasting a lot of time on a problem that they cannot solve, that Dell knows about.

Shame on Dell, I am returning it, and buying an HP.

Hello JW,
Thanks for your comments and sharing this information with us. It would seem that Dell would be responsible for having the correct driver, not Microsoft. Strange…..

I just purchased the Dell 1501 and had the same issue with the adaptor. I really would have to tape it to keep it in place. It will be charging and when I return 10 mins later the cord will have fallen out. I called Dell and told them that there was no way anyone in their right mind could have designed this cord to stay in place. They are sending me a replacement adaptor and I’ll see how it goes. They should be taking a look at it and changing the design if that is the case.

L,
Thanks for sharing your experiences with us. I hope the new adapter fixes the problem for you.
Ron

I bought a Dell 1501 in Febuary 1 week later the adapter (block to lappy) snapped in my hand. I called dell said oh wow never heard of that happening You’ll get a new one tomorrow. I called 2 days after (no adapter) No notes on account about adapter, will order it again. 2 more days passed I called AGAIN, Said it was on the way but I wil reissue it. That same day the 2nd order arrived, WRONG PART it was the cord (wall to block) So I put 2 and 2 together and figured the 3rd was wrong too. Finally I asked for Supervisor and explained what happened spelled out the part I needed and the next day it arrived. Noticed tonight that the adapter is looking a little bend again and I normally charge it and then take it out and use battery I have been very careful but it’s not looking any good. I think the adapter dell created is bad.
Leona

Hi Leona,
Here is what amazes me. This problem with the adapters was reported back in I believe November, 2006. It is hard to believe that Dell has ignored this for so long. And it is things like this that is killing Dell in the PR department.

Thank you so much for your comment. Hopefully this will alert others that the problem still exists.

Regards, Ron

Hey so I got the replacement, and really it was way worse then the first one I got. I called Dell and complained that the person that designed it must have been an idiot…I was quite upset. So they promised me a different adapter that would be compatible with my computer. It came a couple of days ago and guess what, it doesn’t fit with my computer haha…it amazes me how incompetent they are. So called for lik the millionith time, and told them the problem, they said they are going to send a third adapter and hope it works. I’m ready to send my damn computer back at this point…hopefully it works, but I seriously think that it’s a design flaw…right now it’s all taped together to make it work…what do you think? Should I return it?

Just got delivery of a new Dell Inspiron and noticed same problem with lead going from plug to adaptor. The bit at the end simply does not fit the adaptor, full stop. Seeing everybody’s endless problems in attempting to get satisfaction from Dell I simply tied the damn thing together with string. It works, but is rather crude and should be totally unnecessary

Hi Martine,
I guess Dell is just ignoring the problem. To bad. They are digging themselves a hole by not giving consumers a quality product. Maybe Dell should include a piece of string or some tape with every unit they sell.

Thanks for your comment. Ron

My Dad bought me a Dell Inspiron 1501 for X-mas this past year. I’ve had so many problems with this laptop already. I have other Dell products as well, but this one caused me more than one. My keyboard broke 2 times, so I had to get another keyboard the first time. Well there’s a stripped screw in the system, so I had to send my laptop back completely so they could install a new keyboard. After that, I had to get a brand new keyboard after that because this “new” one broke as well. Then the AC Adapter. It just doesn’t work. It does fit loosely into my computer, BUT, the green light never lights up. It picks and chooses whenever it wants to work. But I will be getting a new one in a few days and I’ll have to update if that one works.

Hello Jen,
Let us know how the new adapter works.
Ron

Hi,
have the them problem with the ac adpater on a Inspiron 1501, buyed in dezember 2006.
It starts 3days ago, but I´m from germany so my dell laptop too, but i live in the USA now.
I get no connection to dell in germany and the guys in the usa told me that i have to call in germany and not here.
So i´m a lil bit lost here and I´m angry that dell make so a big deal that the laptop is from germany.
At the moment my laptop still works and i hope that it keeps alive^^

Cya Salvatore

Hi Salvatore,
Sorry to hear about your problems. I’d call Dell here in the US see if you can speak with a supervisor or higher authority. If the system is under warranty Dell should make the repair no matter where you live.

Just my two cents, Ron

Just a quick note:

I work in a fairly well known Canadian big-box computer retailer; we carry HP/Crappaq, Toshiba, Acer and Sony. All of the aforementioned (except from Toshiba and Acer) require that the computer be warrantied in the country of purchase. Though it would seem illogical, I found information on a Dell international warranty programme, which would lead me to believe that you must pay extra for the priviledge of not having to return it to the country of purchase.

I just bought a Inspiron 1501 and the screen does not work. The picture its so faint taht I can not read it. When I hooked up my desktop monitor the picture was fine. I called dell and they were unable to solve the problem so Dell sold me a defective computer. Anyone else have this problem?

Hello Valerie,
Sounds like it is time to call Dell and demand a new system.
Ron

I just received a dell laptop and have the same problem with the ac adapter.. Anyone who would look at this thing would realize that it won’t hold together! The best way I’ve found to secure it is to wrap the rubber strap around the connection– it usually makes it work, but then the ac adapter overheats like crazy. Has anyone received a replacement that has actually worked?

Hi Sara S,
Thanks for sharing your experience with us.
Regards, Ron

I have recently bougt a 1501 and just of a weeks use my computer crashed 3 times with gray bars running down my screen

Hello Steve,
Thanks for the comments. Did you get the problem resolved?
Ron

Im havin the same prob with the AC Adapter, im using a friends currenlty but i wont be here for much longer. The green light does not come on at all, and i used to hear a crackly sparking noise if i reconnected the ac adapter at the middle part, the piece with the green light is the fried part, the cord to the wall works just fine on my friends ac adapter. Tell me if this problem can be easily resolved at theimmortal555@yahoo.com

Hi Owen,
I would contact Dell for a replacement. I am sure Dell is aware of this problem with the AC adapter and should send you a replacement. Be firm when speaking with them.
Hope this helps,
Ron

I have an HP Laptop that wont hold the ac adapter plug in place either. Very frustrated because it’s no longer under warrenty.

Hi Michele,
Thanks for passing this on. I had no idea that HP had a similar type problem.
Ron

Well, I don’t know about the adapter not staying in place, but I can tell you that I’ve had to have the adapter replaced twice for my Inspiron 1501. The first time they stated it was due to the system board. Dell replaced the board plus the adapter due to the adapter’s power light would remain on only when not plugged in to the computer. A few days prior to what Dell thought was the system board going out, I noticed the power indicator on the comp going on and off regarding the adapter being plugged in or not.

After the replacement of the system board and the adapter I had about a month of no problems until the same thing happened over the weekend. The power indicator was fluctuating and a day later or so the computer went dead. This time though, Dell refused to place the system board, and stated that it must be something wrong with the battery or the adapter, so as of today, I’m waiting for both those replacement parts to come in to see if that will get my computer up and running.

Guess we’ll see!

Hello Brooks,
Please let us know how the next repair goes. Thanks for your comments.
Ron

My Dell Inspiron 6000 has the same problem, the adapter won’t stay.

Hi Lea,
Thanks for the info.
Ron

I just got a Dell Inspiron yesterday and I’m having this same exact problem! I have to keep the stupid adapter propped up against a chair and a box to keep it plugged in…it’s so annoying!

Hi Shauna,
Thanks for sharing your experience with us.
Ron

Ugh. I got my adapter in late June 2007, and in 2 weeks I had to call Dell to get a replacement. And now, a month and a half after that, my second adapter is no longer working. I really don’t understand why this is happening– I really need my laptop at hand and it’s horribly time consuming to have to call Dell, be put on hold, and then wait for the new adapter to arrive by DHL.

irritation!

Hi rhiannon,
Thanks for sharing your experience with us.
Ron

I have been having the problem with my Inspiron B120. The adapter cord doesn’t connect well and the computer switches back and forth from ac to battery power constantly. I thought it was a defective cord and purchased a new one. Now I am thinking I’d better contact Dell because the new one works even worse.

Hi Tina,
If you do decide to contact Dell, please let us know the results.
Thanks, Ron

I bought a NEW laptop. Had many annoying prolems. After approximately three months Dell offered to exchange the laptop.
They did BUT the replacement had a tag which said: Thank you for choosing Dell outlet. I had bought a NEW laptop, not a refurbished.
Now I am having the ‘adapter missing’ problem.
I will never again do business with Dell Corporation. My profession was
computer software on Mainframes for over 30 years so I have some idea
of how computers work.
Save yourself aggravation, buy another brand. Dell is not worth the
never-ending aggravation.

Thanks for letting me know that i’m not alone with this problem! I got this Inspiron 150 in say April 2007 and recently had to reload the OS because it was moving slugglish. After loading all the drivers i notice the display became dull and i still cannot get it back to it’s initial brightness even after turning up the contrast using “Fn key + Up arrow key”.

Hello Ricardo,
May I suggest checking on Dells support site to determine if they offer a newer driver?
Ron

i just bought a dell 1501, and i haven’t had problems with the ac adapter, but my laptop gets realy hot on the bottom when i use it on ac power. i was just wondering if this is normal

Hello David,
It all depends on what ‘really hot’ means. Like you can’t touch it really hot or warm to the touch? First thing I would recommend is to check and confirm your cooling fan is working OK. Also use the laptop on a flat surface with no obstructions like carpeting.

I also recommend a laptop cooler if you use the system a lot. I have a Antec cooler for both my lappies and they really cool down my systems.

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Customer-reviews-for-Antec-Dual-Fan-Notebook-Cooler-75004/sem/rpsm/oid/89840/rpem/ccd/productDetailReview.do#tabs

Hope this helps, Ron

I have a Dell Inspiron 6000 that is just out of warrantee now. The AC adaptor input is apparently dead. It’s either a loose connection to the motherboard or something worse. All signs point to a motherboard replacement, which I cannot believe. The Dell guys want $500 for “out of warrantee” service repairs. This includes shipping, handling, labor, diagnostics, etc. They will refund up to $300 if it doesn’t need a new motherboard, but what are the chances that they wouldn’t recommend it even if it didn’t need one. I’m getting that sinking feeling. Isn’t there anything else that I can do?

Hi Craig,
I am guessing that you have already tried another adapter from a similar Dell system? I also find it hard to believe that the mobo has gone out,not totally impossible, but hard to believe.

I see your point. Why wouldn’t they recommend a mobo replacement anyway. It is terrible that we can’t put our trust in anyone now a days.

What can you do. Sue Dell. Go to your local court and file a small claims action against them. You may just be surprised how they respond. If you chose this option, let us know how it turns out for you.

Regards, Ron

Hi Ron,

I have an Inspiron B120. First, the adapter went out about 3 months ago. So Dell sent me a new one. The new one functioned well for about 3 months, until it went out and the battery died down. First I bought a new battery (which Dell refused to replace), but the problem persisted. So Dell replaced the Motherboard. Still had the same problem. Now Dell wants to re-replace the motherboard (even though I just replaced it earlier today) and replace the adapter.

Ron, is it just me, or is Dell trying to resolve everybody’s problems with the same things that just aren’t working? When gas doesn’t put fire out the first time, why are you going to douse the fire with gas again? Ron, please tell me help is on the way.

Best,

Dan

Hey guys! I got a Dell Inspiron E1705 for going to college online. My adapter fits snuggly, but after a couple of days the AC apadter gives out, like many, it only works when it wants to, or I have to make the cord perfectly straight. If it moves just a bit, the things turns off. I have had FOUR replacments so far. Do you think its because I use it for more than 3 hours at a time? I know the battery last for only 3 hours? GOSH!!!! This is so FRUSTRATING!!!

P.S. Everytime it gets plugged in, it has either a beeping noise or just a long noise!

I have inspiron 6000. My first adapter was ok, but the cable around the plug in was so bad that after one year it wore out and the broke down. The I got a replacement adapter, but it was too loose to fit so I called Dell, and found out that the model of the adapter was wrong. So I bought a new one(correct one) which fits better, but still not perfect. I have to hold the plug at a certain degree or bend it so that it won’t disconnect. Damn you Dell!!! Next time, I will by my good old vaio

There is a problem in my Dell Inspiron 1501 with the wifi wireless. The operating system installed in it is Vista Basic home edition and sometimes the wireless was detecting the network connection and sometimes it was not detecting. I am trying to look into the matter and diagnosing the actual problem in it. If anyone have any idea how to resolve this issue please mail me. faisy2 at gmail.

My husband bought me a Inspiron 1501 a little over a month ago. For the last three weeks we have been in contact with Dell and have had no luck! The screen on the laptop tends to go. At first it would go black but the actual laptop was still powered on. Then it started to go to Black stripes with color. The only way to get the image back was to restart it by pressing the power button. We have heard a number of excuses til today and nothing has been done. I read I can take them to small claims. Who’s name is it that I put on the docket.

I have this same problem. About 3 months ago i had the same problem with a Toshiba(spelling?) that my mom bought me. So she called and called and finally we found out that we could send it in and get it fixed but i have no clue how it is doing right now(because we sent it to a family menber). So i got a Insprion 1501 about 2 months ago with Windows Vista home basic. and thought yes fianlly a computer that doesnt have problems but about a month ago i found out that it was sending a error message saying “Ac adapter not determind.” and i called a friend of mine to find out what it meant. she told me it meant that it was charged(which she has had the 1501 for over a year.) Today i turned on my computer to see it at 10 percent!?!?!? and though oh ^%$#. I went on dells website to see if they had any drivers or anything all i got was a “what to do if you get a error”. Also my dad(who has had a dell for over a year) told me he got this error message last week. I dont get this. Dell should relize that it has this problem.
Email me if anyone finds a way to fix this
Xokatielynnx33@aol.com

i have an older dell. the first ac adapter would go on and off at its whim, and make a cracking noise when i jiggled it around. i replaced it, and the brand new one failed within a month. i wound the cable around a few times and taped it into place, and that held it for about 5 months. then just now, seemingly for no reason, it stopped working again. no green light for me, i’m typing this on a nearby desktop. is there anywhere that i can buy a new cable?

Hello drew,
My only suggestions is to take a look out on eBay to see if anyone is offering a replacement. Last stop would be Dell itself. :-(.

Hope this helps, Ron

My Dell Inspiron 9400 has an adaptor that doesnt seem to be working properly. My old adaptor had the same problem. Every once in a while it beeps and stops working all together, then suddenly it will stop beeping and begin working again. It does this quite often.

My daughter has had the same AC adapter problem.
We unfortunately let the Dell warranty expire, so I bought a new adapter on the Internet. Her computer was having battery problems, and we weren’t sure if it was the adapter or the computer so we took it to a repair shop. The repairman said one of the most common Dell laptop repairs he sees is the AC adapater portal not working properly. He repaired it in August but could not guarantee the problem would not continue. Now, in November, my daughter called from college to say the computer is dead again, with the same battery problems, apparently from a bad AC adapter portal.

Well, my Dell laptop (inspiron 1501) has some issues, with the connector on the motherboard. A few days ago, I noticed that the laptop’s battery was at ~45% charged for most of the day, and it wasn’t charging. When I booted up with the charger connected, I got an error from the bios about the adapter not being recognized properly, system won’t run at full performance, etc, etc.

I was able to find that it wasn’t the adapter quite quickly, thanks to the fact that I am running Linux on this laptop. I knew that I was going to need to call tech support, so I decided to check the logs to see if Icould get any info to try and help with the diagnosis. My logs, starting from when this problem first appeared, were filled up with messages like this:
[ 1082.318000] atkbd.c: Unknown key pressed (raw set 2, code 0xd5 on isa0060/serio0).
[ 1082.318000] atkbd.c: Use ’setkeycodes e055 ‘ to make it known.
[ 1082.334000] atkbd.c: Unknown key released (raw set 2, code 0xd5 on isa0060/serio0).
[ 1082.334000] atkbd.c: Use ’setkeycodes e055 ‘ to make it known.

Now, when I looked at these log messages, I saw that the messages were appearing regardless of the connection status of the adapter. WHen I called Dell Tech support, I gave the guy this info, he suggested I try removing the static (which didn’t work), and then said that I’d best not take any chances and send in the laptop for repairs.
I haven’t recieved the package yet to send the laptop to them in, but it’s due to be home when I get home.

I can get the thing to charge the battery, but I have to (seriously) do the following things:
1) Think happy thoughts. THis was a joke at first, but the problem has progressed to where this is a very important part. Which means the thing won’t last too long. For best results, I continue this step throughout the entire process.
2) Insert the connecter firmly into the laptop. Make sure it’s in as far as it will go, without damaging the connector or the laptop further.
3) Turn the adapter back and forth, rotating fully and quarter turns, randomly. Keep the adapter pressed firmly.
4) remove the adapter from the laptop enough for the laptop to recognize the laptop has been disconnected from the power supply, then quickly go to 2.
Repeat steps until it starts charging, and DO NOT DISCONNECT THE ADAPTOR UNLESS YOU WANT TO GO THROUGH THIS ALL OVER AGAIN!

Hopefully the system will be fixed soon.

ok, heres my problem i got an inspiron 1501 from a rent-to-own place called colortyme, the cord fits, it charges fine. but it wiggles alittle and falls out at near any movement, i have about, 3 people counting myself who pass it round alot while toking up and its a b*tch to keep having to pick up the damn cord and plug it back in

My boyfrined bought me a sony vaio laptop this past christmas. Since that time I have had to replace my AC adapter seven times, here’s the problem. I will have my adapter plugged into my computer and all of a sudden it will stop working. When I say working, I mean it no longer charges my computer and it my this very fast paced high pitched beeping sound that comes from the black box on the adapter.

I have sent my laptop in to sony twice and both times they have sent it back saying nothing is wrong with my adapter. The last time they sent it back they did not replace they adapter and it worked fine, until about a week ago. It stopped working again. I googled the problem and found a few people who had similar problems. One person said to wiggle the cord on the adapter nearest to the box, so I tried it and it fixed the problem for a few days. This morning it stopped working again.

I’m kinda freaking out because my warranty for my computer runs up in two weeks and sony is doing nothing to help me fix this problem. . . .

Please help me

Many people are having the same problem with dell 90-Watt 2-Wire AC Adapter. It just isn’t built to take constant movement, which is what a laptop is for. My best find, (after replacing the adapter 3 times @ $65 each time.) is to go aftermarket and find a cord that is compatable with the system you are looking for. I’ve had the HP-OQ065B83 Adapter Compatible with Dell AC Adapter Inspiron 1150, 1501 for approximately 1- 1/2 years, with no problems, YET. Good luck to you all with the crapy dell adapter. By the way, you can find the cord at laptopsforless.com

You guys just aren’t using enough muscle! :]
I have an Inspiron 1501 & at first I thought I had the same problem with my adapter, it seemed like it didn’t fit and it was too short. So, I tried put tape on it & what not but I finally got fed up & I called tech support. All you have to do is push harder than you think…I thought I was going to break it, but nope it went right in & fits great.

Hi Meg,
Interesting. Thanks for the comments and for the info.
Ron

I bought my Dell inspiron 1501 Jan 2006, and within 6 months my power cord quit working, I went to the computer store where I purchased it, they replaced it. But now today the new one that I got has also quit working!!! I plan on goin back to the computer store, but what then??? My warranty will run out next month, and three to six months down the road I will have to purchase more power cord! This is crap!!! My daughter in law bought an inspiron within two months that I purchased mine, and she is now on her second cord! I dont know what to do. Will dell actually help when you call them? And I do use a cooler system that sits under my computer. HELP…someone PLEASE

My daughter has an Inspiron B120 and we too have been thru the power adaptor problems. We were recently visiting my parents and my
Dad became aware of the problem. The ultimate mechanic, he took a look and said there are 2 “springs” in the ac jack that were not fitting tight enough to hold it in place and make contact. He used something to bend the springs in towards the post in the center and it has been working great. I looked at it tonight and it appears the “springs” he referred to are metal strips. Good luck.

This has happened to me TWICE with a Dell Latitude D620. It’s NOT a joke; I have to tape the damn thing to keep it charged, and Dell pretends not to know about the problem. It’s just absurd!

my adapter is not charging the laptop. it runs fine and does not drain the battery but it is definitely not charging it back up. any help?

I have a Dell Inspiron 6000. The first adapter cord lasted about a year. After that, I’ve had them replaced every three months or so. I’ve had the computer a little over 2 years and I’m now on my 5th adapter cord replacement. Dell will replace my cords (except the first one because it had been so long) but they are very blind to this issue. As far as I know, they have done absolutely nothing to resolve the actual issue instead of sending me new replacements every time the old one shorts out. I think this is really sleazy, I would like the computer otherwise but I’m getting tired of going through the frustration of trying to get them to replace the cord and the wait until I get the new one. I’m going to have to buy a new computer which I don’t have the money for.

I have this same problem with my inspiron 600m. I bought it 3 years ago, but I’ve only had this problem with the power cord for a few months. I use tape to keep it in place, but this is becoming less and less effective. I used to be able to tape it in place and have it stay there for a week or so, but now I am constantly repositioning it. My theory is that when the laptop heats up it causes the plastic to expand, making the jack too big for the cord. I’m reluctant to buy a new cord because I don’t think it will make a difference if the problem is with the jack.

I got an Inspiron 1501 Used a few days ago, Not a single problem with it.
It was purchased from dell in Febuary 2007

I bought a Dell Inspiron 1501 in January of 2007. Everything went alright for about 5 months and then my bios stopped recognizing the the battery. I called Dell, they had me flash the bios (should have made me send it in for this but they didnt) After that, it was alright for another few months. Then, the bios stopped recognizing my battery and my cdrom drive…. I called Dell…. They told me I had to UPGRADE the bios this time… they even gave me the bios upgrade…. So I got started (note, im not a complete idiot, ive been working with PC’s for a long while and I’ve flashed many bios) The “software” go so far as to delete the old bios before installing the new upgrade… and then shut down… so… guess what???? NO BIOS… Thats right, full power, even power to my cdrom drive… but no bios… Oh.. and Dell… They Vacuum Solder the bios chip to their boards.. and the board for the 1501 is no less than $249 new and $190 used. Oh.. my dell warranty ran out 2 days before this whole ordeal went down…. aint that a pain????

latch Broke… Lid Broke on corners, Dell replaced under warranty
Fan had also died causing over heat… Keyboard was replaced MB fan and Heat sink was replaced under warranty

Three power supplies replaced under warranty

After Warranty ran out I noticed the Lid was cracked on the corners again. It appears the “friction fit” Hinges were over tightened and causing the lid to flex an crack. This I fixed as warranty ran out. I am so Fed up with the poor quality workmanship that goes into the Dell Laptops I will never buy another one. I may just yank the drive and sell the corpse on E-bay.

By the way my current power supply just died… inspirons are a piece of crap.

i have an inspiron 1501 and I too am having problems with the adaptor charging the battery. so i followed on of the guides on here and it worked for about 5 seconds til it stopped charging again. I also noticed that though the adaptor DOES fit into the spot it is a little lose. it does not fall out or anythign. my main problem is chargning the battery.

My Inspiron 6000 has this problem. It’s driving me nuts. I have three adaptors..none fit correctly. My unit is out of warranty so I doubt Dell would do anything for me.

can anyone tell me what mother board is on a dell 1501 laptop running windows xp

I bought a dell inspiron last month, and it is now jan 08 and i have no problem with my ac adapter, it fits very snug.

I had the same problem with my HP laptop. After replacing the AC adapter receptacle at $300 a pop, I found out about a media cable for the HP laptops built about 3 years ago. I can plug my AC plug into it and it attaches to the side of the PC with thumbscrews very securely and solves my problem forever. I don’t think they have the media connectors any more. I just hope this PC lasts awhile. I got my media cable on Ebay.

I’ve had the same problem with my Dell Latitude - a co-worker said it looks like my computer needs to do “Keigle” exercises. The pins inside the connector just don’t make contact. The tech guys at my office are going to replace the mother board next week…. Do you think that’ll make the connection tighter?

Hi Mary,
It has seemed to help others. Best of luck.
Let us know what happens.

Wow, I thought I was the only one. I have had my Dell Inspiron 1501 for about a year and a half, and I am having trouble with my power adaptor. With mine, I have to fiddle with the cord, and move it around for an endless amount of time until I can get it fixated in some weird position until the light finally turns green. The problem is, I have to do this after every single time that I unplug it. It really gets old, and I was thinking about buying a different adaptor. Although, after reading the previous comments, I’m not sure if that’s a good idea, because they all seem to have this problem. I’m not sure what I am going to do, but I don’t want to deal with this anymore.

The mother board was replaced yesterday. So far, so good! Plug is still not snug, but at least it’s making a connection now.

Hi Mary,
Thanks for the update. I hope it continues to work for you.
If you have any more problems, please let us know.
Regards, Ron

I purchased a Dell Inspiron 1501 In October 2007. Febuary of 2008 Power Adapter went bad. It appears as if the Pin seperated from the charger and is left in the charging port of the Notebook. I get the same error THOUSANDS of customers receive on startup. “The AC Adapter is not recognized Press F2 for Setup or Any Key to Continue”

Well like everyone else Dell is sending me a Power Adapter 2 Day DHL. But I am worried that this will become a re-occuring problem because of all the others that have had the same issue. I explained this to the very idiotic Tech Support Rep, who by the way was most likely in Banglore India that this was in fact a known problem and I wanted more than a power adapter, I wanted replacement of my system with a similar system of equal or greater value that will not experience this problem. Behind Habeeb’s laughter he told me that he could sell me the extended warranty!!! I then explained to him that purchasing an extended warranty for a known issue is not only wrong but illegal and that they should extend their DOA on these systems.

I then asked for a supervisor which to no suprize was not available, and could not call me back. The Tech told me to wait for my power adapter and that should fix the problem.

I think we as consumers should seriously consider a class action law suit against Dell because they are failing to resolve a known issue, thus forcing customers to pay for repair outside warranty or purchase extended warranty coverage.

I am so disgusted with Dell, in the past 4 years I have purchased 5 systems for my home alone and will never purchase another shoddy piece of junk and advise everyone else to do the same.

Hi Everyone. I had a very similar problem with my inspiron 8130. It was off warranty and i had to toggle with the cord to make it work. Eventually it stopped working at all. I don’t normally post but I want make sure that you don’t replace your motherboard unnecessarily. I called around to 24 places before i found someone who could use a soldering iron and replace the DC jack. The first 23 places said that it couldn’t be done. The 24th place told me they do it 10 times a week. It cost about $150 but it was much better than buying a new motherboard.

I purchased a dell inspiron 1501 for Christmas and after the first month of using it I had problems with the ac adaptor also. I’ve read many of the other comments and my problems are the same. Does not dectect ac adaptor, won’t charge, lose adaptor, and so on. Fist I got a new ac adaptor and now I am in the process of sending the laptop back for the second time. It is more of a headache than a pleasure having it. After reading about all these problems I also agree a class action law suit be brought against dell.

I’ve had the same issues with the power adapter, but have worked around by just not moving while the adapter is in place….:-/ sucks, but anyway, I was going to let it go. So last night I reinstalled my system to it’s original state, and after doing so and reinstalling all of the drivers I ran into a seperate issue where the wireless network would not connect. I contacted tech support through online chat and after a quick chat session and allowing the tech to controll access to my laptop and reinstalling drivers and making sure all the settings were appropriate, which I have to say was really interesting to watch while he attacked the problem with a vengeance, we found out the settings in the router were wrong so I had to call the router co for that, but at the same time I had found this site listing the same complaint about the adapter, so I told the tech guy, and he said he will ship a new adapter, and also a box for my lappy in case the adapter does not fix the problem. So all in all, I’m pretty pleased thus far with Dell’s customer service, and will remain a customer.

I’d like to chuck my 2 cents in as well. I have a Dell inspiron 600, and the adaptor has never stayed in properly, from day 1. I am now on the second adaptor, as the old one ended up pulling apart from being taped to the computer, desk, chair, etc so many times, and this one does not fit either. If I so much as breathe on it wrong it just goes plop and falls right out.

I thought I had the same problem, and sent increasingly irritated emails to Dell (UK), who dutifully sent a replacement adaptor and cable, and then another one - I kept explaining that there was no problem with the parts, just that they didn’t go together. Am now embarrassed to find out I simply wasn’t pushing the cable hard enough into the adaptor. Am wording a grovelling email to Dell…

Same problem. been through numerous chargers..
dell inspiron b130.

It appears that I am having the same problem with the adapter on the Dell Inspiron 1501. I noticed it a few months ago, but didn’t really think much of it. I thought that I was pulling the cord loose. However, now it seems that I am having to prop the cord in to get any homework done at all. I have almost dug out the tape. I am so sick of dealing with Dell and all the problems we have had with them. I have considered buying a new cord to see if this fixes the problem. Not sure that I would be wasting my time.

I’m SO glad I read this board! We have the exact same adapter problem with our inspiron 1501 and my husband was just about to shell out bucks for a new battery thinking that would solve the problem.

Guess we’d better get jiggling & taping. What a crock!

Ok, here’s is my fantastic update!!! I received the new adapter about a week after my original post here and still it did not correct the falling out issue, so I sent the laptop off finally this past Friday and just received my laptop, with new motherboard installed which DOES hold the adapter in place properly!!! Woohoo!!! Now, first I’d like to say, Dell has done everything in their power to satisfy me without me pitching any kind of a fit. All I did was contact Dell tech support via online chat and they rapidly sent me the new adapter and a box for my laptop just in case the new adapter could not resolve the issue. Then, being paranoid about shipping my lappy off to some strange place, I finally sent it last Friday, and today is now Wednesday so it took a whole 6 days total to have the adapter issue fixed! All of you that have the same problem, take care of it while it’s under warranty. It takes less than a week, and you pay nothing whatsoever, not even shipping via DHL. I hope you all the best with your Dell lappy’s and seriously, get it fixed, it really is easy and fast!

I am working on my 4th ac adapter in 3 years. I just had them send me a new one to finally figure out its the connection on the back of my computer not the ac adapter. i have a inspiron 6000.

I’ve just got a Dell Inspiron 1720 for my birthday last thursday. Everythings great with it except the charger doesn’t fit right into the unit. I’ve been looking for a new one online but there all the same. I’m wanting to know how I can get one that fits right.(if there is any of course)

Hi tasiah,
I’d call Dell and tell them it doesn’t fit correctly.

The CURE!!! FIX YOUR AC ADAPTER NOW! First, let me say thankyou to those who have descibed thier problem in DETAIL - this helps associate readers with similar problems for a more concise dignostic troubleshoot to better resolve the issue in question, namely ME:). So with that being said PLEASE make sure you have the same problem as the “CURE” for same results (makes sense i hope) Now this “CURE” is for those who have the problem of the AC Adapter NOT charging= If, as suggested above from Meg, “push harder than you think” makes a charge (regardless of how brief) then simply cut carefully (with a buck knife) a washer size ring off from the plug inwhich is forced into the compter and = WHALLA! Also, as a side note for those with SCREENS going black/not working check out similar threads regarding the inverter board - pEAcE

Hello DIRECTOR MOJO.
Thanks for sharing this information with us. I am sure it will help those who are experiencing the problem as you have described.
Regards, Ron

well i purchased by computer in oct or november of last year, by jan i was having problems with the ac adaptor not being recognized with my computer, well i callled dell and the tech support (who was very rude and hard to understand) but anyways they sent me a new cord and it worked fun until 2 days ago (april 23) and this is beginging to really tick me off. But it’s not that the cord won’t stay in the black box won’t work, the green light on it won’t come on and my battery won’t charge. We’ve tried several different outlets, and whatnot and nothing works, if this continues I WILL demand a full refund of my computer and all the games that I ahve pruchased on it from the internet!

April, that’s my issue too. My adapter seems to fit correctly, but won’t charge the computer. The computer was actually working fine, I just had to hit Enter at the beginning of each reboot once I got the “ac adapter” error. But as of two days ago, the green light won’t come on at all, and my computer is completely dead. I called Dell today, but the the really hard to understand lady in some obscure third world country, wouldn’t put me through to tech support because I’m not sitting in front of my laptop (I’m at work). Sigh.

Oh, and the lady at Dell told me they have no record of this being an issue. I say we all flood them with calls the next couple of days and maybe they’ll get the hint!!

I have been experiencing the same error message as April and Cobble, but until today just shrugged off the error message and hit F1 everytime i booted up my computer. Today when i unplugged my laptop (inspiron 1505) and it immediately shut off, I realized i had a problem on my hands and realized the battery was at 0%. I unplugged and replugged the connection between the 2 halves of the cord (the adapter can be separated into 2 parts) and also moved it to a different outlet and it is suddenly charging. I don’t know why it’s working now, but until it is at 100% power I’m not going to try to figure that out. The Ac-adapter has always worked as far as sustaining the computer’s power, just not charging the battery.

i just got the inspiron 1720-yesterday i got the message to hit f1
because it does not see my power adapter. Today I called Dell he said I had the wrong adapter and is sending me a replacement. I am sure the one I have is correct just it is not charging the battery.

I am having the same problem with my Dell 1521. It has been this way since day one. At first I was fine with it, but its starting to p*ss me off now. I am going to call Dell and see about getting a motherboard or replacement machine.

Hi Amy,
Let us know your results.

My Dell Latitude D630 charges. The problem is the power cord is so loose that it falls out many times a day. I have to keep picking it up off the floor and reconnecting it to the back of the laptop. I remember having the same issue with a Latitude a few years ago, so I think of it as a Dell design flaw and haven’t called it in as an issue.

[…] has been a running thread of comments here, referencing problems with that AC adapter for the Dell Inspiron 1501 laptop computers. Seems there […]

I just had System Restore on my Inspiron 6000 to its original state. I did this yesterday night on June 2nd. Today, on June 3rd, I am getting this error saying, “AC Adapter type cannot be determined.” The Power Meter window shows Current Power Source as AC Power and Battery status shows 100%. The LED indicator light goes on and off every now and then. Stays off for a while, comes back on goes off again !!!. It means it stays on AC Power but it is just the light won’t stay on continuously. The light had no problem until yesterday before performing the System Restore. Amazing.
Laloo

La_Laloo,
That is totally unreal. Thanks for sharing this with us.

update to 1720 adapter: Got new adapter worked for 12 days
get the power adapter messager, called tech support
did a bios check update and it still does not see adapter.
I asked for a new computer and she told me to call cust care
which I will do in the am. The other choice is new motherboard and adapter on a 60 day old computer which broke it 30 days.

Hi Judy,
I hear your frustration. I hope you get it fixed in a timely matter.

well, did call cust care today etc., since the machine is over 30 days old they are going to sent out a tech. Anyway, that will
be fine. Today I just turned the computer on after I took
out the adapter and then put it back again, guess what
no beep or message?

Hi Judy,
Let us know what the tech. finds.

Regards, Ron