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Broken Flexible Flat Cable For Power Button Console

post #1 of 14
4/8/05 at 7:54pm
Thread Starter 
Model Information: 7405gx

Ay Guys,

Bad news for me, man do I feel up the creek. Well. After getting my system back from the shop I was glad they fixed the fixed mobo problems, but dissapointed with the fact that they broke the pcmcia eject button. This was fine, but soon after, can't figure why, the power button came dislodged, no way to fix. Well, I just can't afford to pay 40+ dollars for mailing everytime, so, since I wanted to upgrade the memory, and fix the issue of the power button as well, I opened her up. Well the upgrade went fine but soon after the power button slipped under the console again.

Getting to the point, after opening it up again, I just couldn't fix the power button without removing the cable, and what do you know, it's shredded, and now I'm out of flexible flat cable (the 9/10? conductor) with the zif socket that goes from the keyboard to the power/volume buttons.

I feel screwed because I can't find anywhere to buy this thats, not bulk and out of the country, and needing specific measurements.

Any ideas, or ways to turn her on not using the power button would be greatly appreciated.

- R
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post #2 of 14
4/8/05 at 9:01pm
Most electronics repair shops carry this type of cable such as vcr repair shops. Granted it's hard to obtain directly, Radio Shack doesn't even have it. It's called "flexible flat cable". Bring it with you to the shop. Hope this helps.
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post #3 of 14
4/8/05 at 10:53pm
if just the part at the heads is broken, you can easily fix that... well, not easily, you have to be patient. just cut the cable from where is shreded, and with a sharp knife start scratching the isolation off. be careful not to cut the inside wires (or w/e they are). also, make sure u take off the isolation on the same part it connected before. you will notice that the extremities of the cable are a little thicker. if you have to cut beyond those heads, just take them off the plastic that is glued on the connector, and glue it back after you cut the piece.

i know my explenation is a little twisted, but i'm tired :P
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post #4 of 14
4/8/05 at 11:16pm
Good idea but if he needs to send it in to get serviced they will know it's been repaired. I would get a new one.
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post #5 of 14
4/9/05 at 12:16pm
i think it's going to be hard to find a new one. if he has a steady hand he will get a nice, clean job. I recommend getting the plastic at thea head of the cable off first, and then cut the cable down as needed. next step would be to glue it back on, then with a razor or smthing sharp, to get the isolation off.

i already did this twice and it's working great. of course, i wasn't looking for a clean job... but then again, i am out of warranty anyway :P.
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post #6 of 14
4/9/05 at 7:22pm
Send ADEAL on ebay a email, they may have that cable. You want to inquire about a gateway m520 which have the same case design as ours.
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post #7 of 14
4/9/05 at 8:34pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks All

Well Guys,

Thanks for all your help. I'm following all paths right now. Trying shops, emailed ADEAL, and for now trimmed the broken wire to like a half inch - this was tricky, were talking tweasers and angles, because it turns out the shreded contacts weren't the problem, it was like a bend crack across the whole flex cable way towards the bottom contacts (don't ask me how this happened :P ). Either way, without being moved, I don't think it will dislodge, so for now, lin server, as it stands . Hopefully ADEAL can help me out so I can put a proper flex in there again and be back on the road with my baby. Keep any suggestions or solutions coming.

Thanks again all,

- R

Notebookforums - Rocks my socks
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post #8 of 14
4/9/05 at 9:00pm
Thread Starter 

Another issue

This is getting crazy. Power button slipped out again. Turns out the plasic arm holding the power button has shattered. Man oh man this stinks . I wonder how many pennies the manufacturer saved on that one. Well now my pursuit has become for the whole bloody panel cover and flex cable. Sheesh :P. Well once again I emailed adeal. Hoping for the best.

- R
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post #9 of 14
4/10/05 at 5:43pm
Thread Starter 

Cannot Win

Man oh man,

Well it looks like I cannot win. I search adeals ebay site, find the item, it says check for compatiblity, so I wait for a response to the email I sent earlier, email says I think this is what your looking for with the same link I found, except he jacked the buy it now 10.00. Talk about putting the squeeze on someone. It's like a car dealer flipping the sticker after you ask about a car.

I just can take this anymore,

- R
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post #10 of 14
4/10/05 at 7:58pm
$10 is still a good deal.
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post #11 of 14
4/10/05 at 8:42pm
Thread Starter 

Its The Principal

Ay All,

$60.00 is a lot to a guy already paying through the nose for tuition and living off ramen :P . It's the principal of the thing though. Adeal took a while to respond to my email, and in that time I found the suspsected item that would work,
I read however, check for compatiblity, so I put off buying till I got a response to the original (you got a part like this type query email) and got back an email only saying, this looks like what you want, with the link, and the price gone from 50.00 -> 60.00. With, tax, shipping, this all becomes a hefty price, and makes me more appealed to jimmyriggin it to work with some radio shack buttons, and trimmed vcr tape.
I went to a car dealer once, and when I mentioned I wanted a certain car he tried to jack me on it once, and when I brought it up, he said "you won't find a better deal than this", well I left, plain and simple.
If I let people disrespect me as a consumer now, I might as well hang myself with a rope of receipts.

Thanks for all the help though so far guys,
hang tough,

- R
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post #12 of 14
4/10/05 at 9:07pm
$60 for that piece, may be reasonable, but I think it sounds like a bit of a rip-off. You cound try to jerry rig it, but keep an eye on theses forums for someone parting their notebook out. For about 3-4x that price you could get a DOA model on eBay and have alot more parts to fall back on or recoupe your cost with, don't pay it.
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post #13 of 14
4/11/05 at 12:24am
they want $60 just for that flat cable? lol, i'll take a look around... i think i saw 1 of those in my spare parts bag...
keep ur hopes up... i'll look 2morrow morning
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post #14 of 14
5/14/05 at 11:47am
so did you find one yet?
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