To put it simply, it won't turn on. It tries - when I hit the on button the lights flash for about a second then it shuts off. I suspect it might be the AC adapter / power supply. It has an LED on top. The LED is lit but when I hit the power button the LED dims. I dunno if this is typical or if it might be a symptom of the problem.

This isn't the original PS. It's the third one, one of the ubiquitous ones you see on Ebay. The connectors wear out, and I haven't had much luck with replacements. The connector is still in good shape on this one, but I'm thinking about replacing it anyway. Other than this problem the laptop has been very reliable. But it is getting kinda old - 10 years now. I hang onto it because it's still a solid performer. Faster than most new ones, plus it's got other stuff I like - 2 drive bays, a 17" screen, wifi, memory card slot, HDMI port and more. And yes, it has a CD/DVD drive. Yes, it's big, but I don't cart it around so I don't care about its size.

So am I barking up the right tree here or is there something else i should be thinking about?

Best,
Michael

My Music:
https://soundcloud.com/michaelmcbroom/albums