The only real connection is between the jack and board - everything else means delving into integrated circuits on the board, without schematics, which are unavailable.  Even Dell doesn't repair - they replace faulty mainboards.  Unfortunately, you'll find boards are expensive even now:

http://www.parts-people.com/index.php?action=item&id=3492

There are no external battery chargers for this system so if you really want to keep using it, you'll need the board.  I'd still strongly recommend buying a replacement system - for 50% more than the cost of a board, you can get a brand-new notebook that's much faster.

Thanks for the response - I'll definitely consider it.

I was on this site looking for HOPE! I didn't find it.

I have had my computer since 2004, and my computer has been back to Dell SIX TIMES for this exact problem. The motherboard has been replaced every time.

DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THE ADAPTOR  THAT'S NOT THE PROBLEM.  It has nothing to do with the any other part in the computer. When the computer gets heated up the motherboard fires on that DC jack and it starts arching across the board. Later on it gets where it can't recognize your adaptor, so it won't charge the batteries at all (I know I have 3, I am down to one battery recognizes sometimes if I get the adaptor just right)  Am I Right TECH guys about the Arching, No you won't admit it!

PROOF--Dell was sued by several people in 2007 and that's the only way I got them to fix my out of warranty computer in 2007. I have never had so much trouble out of anything in my life. Dell won't admit that they bought bad motherboards or that the motherboards that they replaced the bads ones with were just as bad. The company probably said they fixed them. So Dell just waited for us all to get disgusted and go away. So what if they lost a few hundred customer that keep yelling, "DON'T BUY DELL,  THERE COMPUTERS ARE LOUSY" there are millions of people in the world and more being born every day.  They have to remember though we are influencing people as we go. (Even on there own website.) Now two years later it is showing up again the same problem. Their motherboards have come back to haunt them once again.

(ILLHINES you don't have to take this suggestion just thought I would let you know) I suggest you get a light weight computer, you can always add more memory to it later as you get more money.  It's not hard to add memory and not expensive. You need a good sound card and graphics card for internet access. You can store things on flash drives, very cheap and convenient, instead of storing them on the computer to save memory space. If you are a gamer you will need more memory, video and sound. Just tell the salesman what you want to do with the computer but he has to keep it in your budget and name brands aren't always the best. Big companies like to hide problems. If you get another laptop, while it is on the adaptor DO NOT MOVE IT. Dell tried to say that is what messed up my computer. (Charging it on the bed on a cooling tray, the bed would move the adaptor messing up the connection.) It hasn't helped the last 5 times I returned it to you guys.

So for all of you out there with a Dell Laptop don't  think you are immune just because you didn't buy a Inspirion 5150 because they interchange these parts and use them in other computers. If you are having the same problems,flashing screen, flashing LED lights, not charging, overheating, inability to boot up,then I am talking to you. You could be in the same boat one day, KEEP AFTER THEM, DON'T GIVE UP!

Good Luck,

Donna

Any notebook that has worked for five years has outlived its design life - whcih is about three years.

75% of ALL notebooks -- regardless of the name on the outside - are made by just two companies.  The other 25% come from a half-dozen more.  You may think you're buying a different system - when if fact the company that made the 5150 for Dell is a major supplier to Sony, Toshiba, HP/Compaq, Apple and others.

The major fault of the 5150 is the Pentium4 CPU, which  MANY companies had trouble with - they run too hot for mobile use, and reliability suffers.  It's not a Dell problem - it's why Intel had to go back and introduce a whole new core design (the Pentium M and successor Core CPUs) that are much better at power/heat.

Still cheaper to buy a battery online than a new notebook (Dell Inspiron 5150 Battery). It's a lot less of a hassle than transferring all your programs and files.