SPCR

I have a Dell Inspiron 1564 with Windows XP Pro, Intel Pentium 4.

When I plug in the A/C adapter, the battery will not charge and the computer will not boot if the battery is dead. If I charge the battery in another laptop and then put it in this one it will boot up, but only on battery power and until the power goes out on the battery. I have replaced the A/C adapter twice to double check the adapter being bad/good and have had same results with all of them. I have also bought a new battery as well with the same results. I don't know if it's the battery's problem.

Is there an alternative to replacing the motherboard? Is there somehow I can charge the batteries without having to put them into another computer?

Welcome to SPCR,

It is probably the power supply that has failed? I had a similar problem with an Acer laptop, and a new power supply was the solution.

Could be a bad power connector on the laptop, could be a bad power supply in the laptop. Don't know of an external laptop battery charger.

Lenovo/IBM makes (or at least made) small chargers. It's a pretty convenient device if you use more than one battery so I imagine other brands must have made some as well. If not, someone in China might have smelled an opportunity...
See if you can find chargers on eBay.

But a laptop broken beyond usefulness and therefore nearly worthless could work just as well if you don't mind having a bulky charger.

If I charge the battery in another laptop and then put it in this one it will boot up, but only on battery power and until the power goes out on the battery. I have replaced the A/C adapter twice to double check the adapter being bad/good and have had same results with all of them.

The other laptop that you charged your Laptop's battery in, was it the same model of laptop.? And did you use your mains adapter.?

If you answer yes to the second question then the problem is not your battery or mains adapter but the laptop itself. This first question is just curiosity.

If its the laptop there are only 2 things it can be, and only one (might be) worth doing. The cheap option is if the power plug on the laptop has been broken, this is often not visible at all, so in reality its going to cost you money taking it to have it looked at by a computer engineer and then fixed - cost unknown -get a quote to fix it, and use someone that's no-fix no-fee.

If the power connector on the laptop is OK then its the motherboard, at which point you need to get a new laptop as it wont be worth fixing a laptop that old. Laptop motherboards + fitting usually cost 50%+ of the cost of a new laptop which will be much better in every way than your current one.


Andy

Hi, you say it's a "Dell Inspiron 1564 with Windows XP Pro, Intel Pentium 4"

There is a recent model Dell Inspiron 1564, but this comes with a 1st gen Core iX CPU and (probably) Windows 7, if it's one of these you have then it's worth trying to fix it.

If it really is a very old model with a Pentium 4 then I think it's not worth messing with it, if you want the data get a cheap external 2.5" USB drive caddy, <10$/£10.
Unless you want to try taking it apart yourself (YouTube it!) or have a friend or friendly computer repairer to do it as it really wouldn't be worth it. I've done these sorts of repairs on laptops and always takes longer than you think and I've never charged anyone enough to make it worth the hassle!

If it's a new ish model then it's worth perusing. Almost certainly it's the power jack in the side of the laptop that's damaged, does the adapter feel a bit lose on plugging in?
I would say take it apart yourself, usually just take all the screws out the bottom, take out the keyboard and any screws under it then should "pop" apart all the way round. Look out for cables that need detaching too. Again YouTube is your friend!
The good news is if you go on eBay and search for 1564 power jack you find that it is on a separate cable or daughter circuit board, neither of which is expensive and just cables/connectors. (Many laptops have the power jack on the motherboard so either need a new motherboard ($$$) or get new jack and break out the soldering iron!)

Good luck, Seb