# Laptop power question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-power-question/804171>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 11, 2017, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-power-question/804171 "2017-12-11T04:09:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-power-question/804171/1 "2017-12-11T04:09:18Z")

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My old Dell Inspiron is on its last legs, figuratively speaking. It’s around 10 years old, and I plan on buying a new one. I just want to get through the holidays first.

The power button has been a pain in the ass lately. I normally just kept the laptop running, and had it wake up upon opening the lid.

Yesterday, as I was positioning it to watch Netflix, I accidentally unplugged it from the power source. I pulled the keyboard up to reconnect the power button with the mother board (as I said, the power button has been an issue, but I’ve been able to work around it).

While I was doing that, however, the connecting plug pulled loose from the mother board. Now, even after establishing a complete circuit, I can’t get it to power on.

I did some googling, and saw several ways to “jump start” a laptop, but they require the battery to be installed. The battery hasn’t worked in this one in I know seven years.

So, am I screwed? Or is there a way to limp through the rest of this year, using an unconventional method to start it up?