Several troubleshooting steps will be required to repair your Dell.
Computer repair can be complex, and many individuals often leave the task to the capable hands of a computer repair technician. All the same, there are a number of problems that you can troubleshoot and repair in your home without anyone's aid. Battery, keyboard and monitor problems are common issues that you can fix with only a Phillips head screwdriver, even if you have no prior repair experience or computer expertise.
Instructions
1. Check the battery indicator light. Laptop batteries last for roughly 1000 charges, so your Dell Inspiron 1200 laptop's battery may need to be replaced. Flip the unit over and locate the horizontal battery outline on the top center of the bottom of the Dell. Below this will be the battery release mechanism. Slide it to disengage the battery and replace it.
2. Check the keyboard cable below the keyboard of the Dell Inspiron 1200 laptop if the keyboard is unresponsive. Do so by first removing the keyboard-related screws on the bottom of the unit with a Phillips head screwdriver. These screws should be marked with a keyboard icon for easy identification.
3. Flip the Dell Inspiron 1200 laptop back over once the screws are removed and pop out the keyboard shield. This shield will be above the keyboard and directly below the bottom of the monitor, and it can be pried up and out by using a thin wedge-like object to pry under one of the shield's edges. Lift the keyboard partially out once the shield is gone and check to see that the keyboard cable that runs from the base of the Dell to the bottom of the keyboard is correctly plugged in. Reconnect it if necessary.
4. Check the "LCD Closed Switch" if the display is dark and not powering up. The LCD Closed Switch governs the backlight because it acts as a sensor that judges whether the Dell laptop is open or shut, and accordingly tells the monitor's backlight to power "on" or "off". This switch is actually a small, pin-size button located directly beside the right bottom hinge of the laptop's monitor. Tap this switch vigorously several times, as it may have become "stuck" in the "off" position, resulting in a display that has its backlight turned off even when the computer is open.
5. Reconnect the inverter cable of the monitor if the display still doesn't work after tampering with the LCD Closed Switch. Remove the plastic caps that cover the screws on the bezel of the Dell Inspiron 1200 laptop's monitor by simply popping them off; then remove the screws along the monitor's perimeter with your Phillips head screwdriver. Once the bezel is removed, notice the white inverter cable at the bottom center of the display. It should be plugged into the inverter cable connector to its right. If it is not, plug it back in.
Tags: Dell Inspiron, Dell Inspiron 1200, Inspiron 1200, Inspiron 1200 laptop, Closed Switch