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In this guide I remove the motherboard and repair the DC power jack in a Dell Inspiron B130 laptop. You can use same instructions for Dell Inspiron 1300 and Inspiron B120 laptops. All three models have same type of body.
In my case the power jack started failing intermittently. The laptop started switching from AC to battery power on its own. In order to switch it back to the AC power I had to fiddle with the adapter plug and find the right position. I tested the laptop with another adapter and it failed exactly the same way. I came to a conclusion that the DC power jack is not making good contact with the motherboard and has to be repaired.
In Dell Inspiron 1300/B120/B130 laptop the DC power jack is soldered to the motherboard. If the jack is broken, you’ll have to unsolder it and replace with a new jack.
Let’s start removing the motherboard.
STEP 1.
Check out spare parts for Dell Inspiron 1300/B120/B130.
Before you start taking the laptop apart, do not forget to turn off the power and remove the battery.
Lift up the right side of the keyboard cover with a small screwdriver and continue removing the cover with your fingers.
STEP 2.
After the cover is removed you can access two screws securing the keyboard. Remove both screws.
STEP 3.
Lift up the keyboard and place it upside down on the palm rest.
STEP 4.
Now you can access the cable connector and release the cable.
STEP 5.
Unlock the connector, pull the cable and remove the keyboard.
On the following picture the connector is displayed in the unlocked position.
STEP 6.
Remove two screws securing display hinges on the bottom of the laptop.
STEP 7.
Remove two screws securing display hinges on the back side of the laptop.
STEP 8.
Disconnect the video cable connector from the motherboard.
Disconnect the wireless card antenna cable.
STEP 9.
Remove the display panel assembly.
Here’s an example of removing the LCD screen from a Dell display panel.
STEP 10.
From the bottom of the laptop you can access the hard drive, memory modules, wireless card, optical CD/DVD drive and heat sink.
STEP 11.
Remove the hard drive cover.
Pull the hard drive assembly to the left and remove it from the laptop.
STEP 12.
Remove one screw securing the optical CD/DVD drive to the laptop base.
Pull the drive from the laptop and remove it.
STEP 13.
It’s not necessary to remove both memory modules and wireless card for the purpose of this guide but you have to disconnect the Wi-Fi antenna cable.
STEP 14.
Loosen four silver screws securing the heat sink.
STEP 15.
Pull the heat sink up and disconnect it from the processor.
As you see, in my laptop the heat sink is clogged with dust and needs a good cleaning.
STEP 16.
Remove all marked screws from the bottom of the laptop.
STEP 17.
Remove eight screws securing the top cover.
Disconnect the touch pad cable.
Disconnect the lid close switch cable.
Disconnect the CMOS (RTC) battery.
In this model the lid close switch is discrete module and mounted under the fight hinge.
If the lid close switch failed, you can remove it and replace with a new one or simply unplug the faulty switch from the motherboard and use the laptop without it.
STEP 18.
Separate the top cover assembly from the laptop base and remove the cover.
STEP 19.
Remove five screws securing the motherboard.
Disconnect the speaker cable from the motherboard.
STEP 20.
Start removing the motherboard from the right side as it shown on the picture below.
STEP 21.
Remove motherboard from the laptop base.
The DC power jack is soldered directly to the motherboard.
I assumed that the power jack is not making good contact with the motherboard and I was correct.
As you see, there is a crack in the solder joint around the “+” pin.
The “+” pin got oxidized and not making good contact with the motherboard.
If you resolder the jack without cleaning the “+” pin, your repair will not last.
It is necessary to unsloder the power jack, clean all contacts and solder it back to the motherboard.
You’ll find more detailed instructing in this guide for fixing failed DC power jack in a laptop.
On the following picture you see the same jack soldered back to the motherboard.
You can find a new power jack for Dell Inspiron 1300/B120/B130 here for less than $8.
December 3rd, 2011 at 7:03 pm
Hi Chuck,
Maybe I can help. I recently took apart my Dell Inspiron 1300 to repair its DC jack and had a hard time replacing the screws as well. After some trial and error I seem to have got it right. There are three types of screws, a 3mm (short), a 5mm (medium) and 8mm (long) screw. The four screws that hold the LCD screen in place (also marked by the letter D) are 8mm (long) screws. The two screws underneath the LCD screen are 3mm (short) screws. The 5 or 6 screws underneath the keyboard that holds the top on are 5mm (medium) screws. The eight screws on the bottom of the laptop should all be 8mm long screws. The five screws securing the motherboard should all be 5mm (medium) screws. I hope this helps you or anybody else. This is a great guide with pictures on how to fix a laptop DC jack, but could have used this information as well.
October 12th, 2011 at 11:03 pm
I took my old inspiron b130 apart to make this repair a month ago and got sidetracked. My wife’s cat knocked over the pill box I had been using to keep the screws separate, and now I can’t remember what screws go in which holes. Can you help with that?
September 14th, 2011 at 10:29 am
I use the manual for a Dell Inspiron 1300 and its Ok.
Thanks
August 11th, 2011 at 8:31 am
Wow, thank you so much for this! I just fixed the jack on my Dell laptop and I am going to try it again with my son’s Dell laptop which is having the same issue. These instructions were really great! The only trouble I had was unlocking and disconnecting the cables from the various connectors. I figured it out eventually – probably took me a little longer than most people – duh! Step 5 Keyboard cable connector unlocks as pictured – opens like a door. Step 8 Video Cable connector: just pull blue tab straight up. Step 12 Wifi cable on wireless card: Pull straight up on gold metal piece at the end of the white wire. Step 17: Touchpad connector is LOCKED so first gently pull back brown locks(on both sides of cable) in the direction of the touchpad. They will move slightly to unlock the cable and then it will just slide out. The lid close switch and battery connectors are not locked: just pull gently to detach the connectors. Same with the speaker cable in Step 19.
May 21st, 2011 at 9:21 am
Brilliant. An absolutely perfect example of how to document and detail repairs. Kudos and many thanks.
April 28th, 2011 at 3:44 pm
Thank you for this very detailed process. I was able to successfully repair my DC power jack using your process. I discovered that my Dell 1300 Inspiron was intermittently switching from AC to battery power when I move the laptop around on my lap. I took it apart and sure enough, I discovered the same issue that you had….a poor looking soldering job. I think it was cracked; but my 61 year old eyes couldn’t be sure, even with a magnifying glass! I didn’t have to remove the MB from the case, as you did. I went through all the steps up to where you unscrew the MB and remove it. I left it there, because I really have great difficulty un-soldering multiple pins and the removing the unit. It is too easy for me to break the module or crack the MB while trying to remove it. Instead, I cleaned the pin that appeared to be cracked, by using the soldering gun to re-flow the solder and apply a minute dab of new solder. It worked. My only problem during the disassembly was that I dislodged the F1 key and have had trouble snapping it back in place.
I re-assembled the whole unit successfully. I plugged in the unit and it seems to be charging and staying AC connected; even while I move the unit around. Thank you again for this repair process. It’s a keeper.
March 14th, 2011 at 4:15 pm
Thank you, very very much,
This was the first laptop hardware repair I have attempted, and now, thanks to your guide it was also a successful one. I was very apprehensive about taking laptops apart due to a complete lack of experience, but your thorough documentation along with the clear pictures made it very straight forward and quite enjoyable.
Again Thank You
March 4th, 2011 at 11:21 pm
THANK YOU SO MUCH for this informative tutorial!!!!!!!!! This is the only website I could find with pictures. It helped me get to the fan of my five-year-old Dell 1300 where I gave it a good cleaning out and oiling which has fixed my noise problem (diagnostics all passed!). You saved me money on repairs that I don’t have as I’m currently unemployed.
When I have funds again, I’m sending them to you. And that’s a promise
February 20th, 2011 at 11:28 am
Komberly,
Make sure both memory modules plugged correctly. Maybe one of them is loose and the laptop runs with one module.
Did you reinstall OS after replacing the motherboard? If the motherboard not 100% the same, it’s possible to reinstall OS and all drivers to make it work properly.
February 19th, 2011 at 3:14 am
Thanks for this, my Dell Inspiron 1300′s DC power jack was wobbily. I reconnected it with superglue though seeing as there was no or very little solder around my machine, must have been bulit by a automated system. Anyway i can’t seem to reconnect the touchpad cable, it just won’t go in. And because i was a bit vigorous taking that part out, i took the cable out of both the motherboard and the touchpad, i’m left with the cable out on it’s own. Any help in reconnecting it wold be greatly appreciated,