When i plug in my newly purchased ac adapter/charger to my Toshiba a215-s4807 laptop all that happends is the plug-in/ac adapter LCD light will flash blue. i don't really see a pattern just a constant flash. and thats it. i took out my battery and tried to run it that way but still only the blue plug-in LCD light flashes and the computer won't boot up at all.
Do i need a new motherboard?
It may be that you need a new, (Or good condition used), motherboard. You may not.
The problem could be the DC Power Jack. The DC Power Jack is small, and the body is made of plastic. Sometimes there is a metal shell around the plastic body. (The jack is a rectangular shape, and is just a little larger, than the outside portion of that AC adapter plug!)
This is an example of a DC Power jack for a Toshiba Satellite a215-s5807,
http://www.notebookworks.net/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=NBW52-0133
As you know there is a metal pin in the center, and at the back of the round hole, there are flat metal contacts.
Let me explain the construction of a DC Power Jack, and how it's mounted to a motherboard. This all has relevance to the solution.
Your laptop uses DC electricity. (The AC adapter converts AC to DC. Your laptop battery, and a flashlight battery, are examples of stored DC electricity)
DC uses a Positive connection, and a Negative connection. The metal pin in the center is Positive. The flat metal strips at the back are Negative.
That laptop DC Power Jack has metal prongs, that come out of the plastic body. One prong, (Or pin), connects to the Positive metal round pin, in the center of the jack.
There may be one, or two prongs, (Or pins), that come out of the plastic body, and connect to the Negative side of the jack. (Flat metal strips)
These prongs go down through holes in the motherboard, and are soldered on.
With the AC adapter plugged in, an accidental bump on the plug itself, could break the body of the jack, or break solder joints that hold the jack to the motherboard.
AC adapter removed, and battery removed. Use a NON-metallic object, and see if you can make the center pin of the jack move. See if the entire jack itself seems to move.
A.If the center pin moves, you have a broken DC Power Jack.
B.If the entire jack moves, you have cracked solder joints. (Broken)
Replacement of the DC Power Jack for A.
Re-solder the solder joint/s for B.
Cost of replacing a jack at a reputable computer repair shop? $90 to $150
Cost of re-soldering solder joints? $50 to $90
Cost of replacing the motherboard?
$250 on up.
If you are a skilled person with the correct tools, it is feasible for you to replace the jack, or re-solder the solder joints.
It is also feasible that you yourself, could replace the motherboard.
Some laptops have a poor motherboard design, for where the DC Power Jack is mounted to the motherboard.
Crude explanation would be, that the main body of the motherboard is a 1 foot square. Then a 2 inch square comes out of the side of the main body.
The DC Power Jack is mounted to that 2 inch square. From accidental bumping, OR just normal usage of inserting, and removing the AC adapter plug, this 2 inch square can crack away from the main body.
This, of course would require a motherboard replacement.
Disassembly instructions for a Satellite A200 and A205 Series laptops. Very close to the A215 Series,
http://www.irisvista.com/tech/laptops/toshiba-satellite-a205/laptop-disassembly-1.htm
(Don't forget to buy, and use a cheap ESD wrist strap, to prevent static shock to the delicate hardware components, inside your laptop. Average cost is $7)
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Why did you get a new adapter? Was there an issue with the old one??
Did you replace the power supply in the hope of fixing your problem? If you have two power supplies that both do the same thing then that isn't your problem. Is the blue light on the power adapter or on the computer itself? To say your motherboard is broken is like saying your car has a broken motor. It could be many things.
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