elusivecat

If you are familiar of different parts of laptop/computer, you can give it a try dissambling and fixing. I have done it and majority of times it is just unhooked of power connector inside dell machine (their power connectors are like tip-top buttons, and they often come off and thus disabling the internal power to the machine completely)/

1. Try using friend;s dell power adapter . If it works, you need to get new adapter.

2. Is the power LED (icon) in the laptop on when the laptop is connected to power supply (even if laptop is off)?

3. Most DELL machines have issue with power wires inside the laptop. These wires end are connected with motherboard with tip-top button, and you just press male end on female end. Often it just comes off,

4. You can dissemble dell laptop easily. There are lots of online help ..

this is the page for disassemble

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins1520/en/sm/fan.htm#wp1179839

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins1520/en/sm/cpucool.htm#wp1179839

you can try!