I have an older Dell Inspiron 24 that contains files and documents I'd like to recover. It spent a long time in storage, and although it now powers on briefly with a known-good adapter of the correct wattage and connector type, it reports that a 0 W AC adapter is connected. I've tested two different adapters with the same result.
This could be a problem with the power jack, battery, or internal hardware. When I try to start it, I hear a faint electronic sound, somewhat like a disc spinning in a DVD player, but the system shuts off shortly afterward. I can't get into the BIOS before it powers down.
What troubleshooting steps are worth trying? I'd especially like to know whether removing or disconnecting the battery could help, and whether there's a safe way to recover the files if the computer itself can't be repaired.
3 Answers
Try a power reset: disconnect the charger and remove or disconnect the battery if the model allows it. Hold the power button for about 10 seconds, reconnect only the charger, and try starting it again.
If the battery is removable or accessible, try booting with the battery disconnected and the charger plugged in. On some older systems, a failed battery can prevent startup, although this depends on the model and won’t fix a damaged charging circuit.
The simplest recovery method is to remove the internal drive and connect it to another computer using a compatible USB drive enclosure or adapter. If the drive is still healthy, you should be able to copy the files without getting the whole computer running again.
That was my backup plan, but I wanted to see if I could get the entire computer working first. I know I sometimes make things harder by being stubborn, so I appreciate the suggestion.