Help for the laptop wire needed - keep it untechnical.  

Is that the only option, it's too late to go to town now, the shops shut in less than an hour.

It's the ONLY non-technical answer I know of...everything else is an attempt to replace something in the wire itself...

did you check the fuse in the plug ?? thats the simpliest otherwise it could be the wire or the power pack inside the laptop

cheapest fault would be the fuse,

next would be buying a new wire

final would be if the power adapter had gone in the laptop.

Well as it works in one and not the other it sounds like the wire then. Is the fuse inside the plug end? Does an English plug need an English fuse?

Yes! The fuse is inside the plug. To change the fuse you just need to unscrew the central screw from the middle of the 3 prongs. inside you can see the fuse. It will be labelled something like 13amps or 3amps. Ideally for a laptop you probably want about 3amps for your fuse. It will work with 13amps but it won't blow as quickly, and fuses are actually there to blow. It is a good thing when your fuse blows and you should feel happy. Snap out old fuse, snap in new one and then just put your central screw back into the plug, so as to put it all back together. Really easy.

Fuses are just like wires that are really weak and fall apart easily if the electric gets too hot. They melt if the electric is too much and come apart. You can't put them in back to front or anything. They are nice and easy to replace.

If it were the battery, switching cords would not have made a difference...therefore, it is likely the cord.

Also,if it has a fuse in the plug,try replacing that first..

Hi shepherd spy, it's an English plug going into an European adapter then into a two pin Greek wall socket. It just looks like a normal English plug to me but I haven't got a clue what to do if I open it and if I take it to the cafenion they won't know English plugs. So it sounds like a new wire like Lamby said, do you think it will be ok to put a Greek wire into a toshiba laptop then if they sell them up at Multirama?

If you can open it,and one of the 2 wires inside is disconnected from the metal terminal,put it back into the hole in the terminal and tighten up the screw again. you may need to trim back the plastic insulation to get the wire long enough to fit back if it's broken..

Ok we'll see if we can find a screwdriver. I know there was one around last week somewhere.

There's a black box sitting in the middle of the wire by the way. It says it is an acidic adaptar???

OK,so if you can't fix the plug,then it's now going to be more expensive to replace...the box is the power supply for the laptop..I was hoping the Laptop had a power supply built in and it was only the lead you might need to replace..good luck!

OK I've looked at the plug and it won't unscrew and we've pulled the leads in and out of the black box thingy and it isn't sending any power to the lap top. Do you think it's worth trying the computer repair man or taking it up to the shop for a new lead? Sorry I'm clueless with this stuff.

Can You describe what it says on the box,please? does it say anything like "110v-240v"? laptops are designed to go anywhere and some can automatically convert electricity from a socket in most parts of the world..but as you have the power supply block on the Lead,it could be 220/240v only..is your lead from the wall socket removable from the block part,or is it all in one piece? if the plug part is removable from the block,try swapping that lead for the other computer's and see if it works..

If it's just the plug part that's the problem,that's easily replaced.
(and cheaper).. If the Block DOES say 110v-220v (or 240v),then that's a universal power supply..it can take ANY mains voltage.you could go to the shop and get a greek plug and lead that fits into the socket in the block so you wouldn't need the travel adaptor..

It appears to be the block bit not the plug end. I've just asked Stvasile this as well, repair black box or order a new one, what do you think?

If it's the box that's the trouble,they usually are not worth repairing..they're a sealed unit,and once you bust one open to see the problem,it's not cost effective to do anything but replace it..repair guys in electronics look at a repair thinking "Is it going to cost more to repair than replace"? If Yes,they'll recommend you bin the thing and buy a new one..that's why they call them consumer electronics..

And I suppose that bit is expensive?

I agree with ShepherdSpy - I think it's better if you get a new one. I just browsed some of the local online computer shops and a laptop cable is about 50 $.
However, considering you're not very technical, I think it's better if you go and buy one yourself. That's because these cables are of various input/output voltage and you may end up buying an inappropriate one online. If you go to the store yourself, you just show the vendor your old cable and ask for one like that. If you can, you may even take your laptop and test the new cable at the store, just to make sure.

It might cost you less than 50$, it depends on the model, but I think 50$ is a safe amount to take with you.

I didn't expect anything as expensive as that for a laptop on its last legs anyway, I think I'll see if a friend of the Greeks who has just got a new lap top still has his old wire system.

Thanks so much to both of you for your help to the technically challenged.

apart from repairing the computer,that lead with the block in it is one of the more expensive accessories that comes with the computer..unfortunately..

It sounds like the lead from the mains socket to the black brick, block, power supply thing, can itself be unplugged from the power brick. When you do this, does it look like the wire for a kettle? These wires are called IEC wires. Suprisingly they are dead standard and you can swap european ones for uk ones. The only difference is the plug on the end. Big 3 prong thing for UK and ireland and little euro thing for europe. You can thus just swap a UK wire for a euro one and carry on using the same power supply brick. Well you could if your brick thing was working anyway, which it might not be! Not a lot of help in your current situation but just saying as it would mean you could do away with using the travel adaptor!

Ta much for BR,Thea...I hope the replacement isn't too expensive...

Don't say that.

Sorry but you asked for non-technical....

Yes I've just been fiddling round now with Shepherd Spys advice and there's no electric coming through the wire. This is when I don't like driving an hour to town each way just for this.

The cable only works on one of the laptops, it has the box in the middle . Ok it's one black box that doesn't work - bad news then. Do you think order a new one on the internet or see if the shop in town can repair the black box?

pity that mylot doesn't offer a chatroom function...this format works well for a leisurely discussion,but it could be confusing for Thea sorting through all the different advice (or the same advice coming from several different people!)

Especially when I lost the internet before in the middle of it as well.

The good news is,it didn't take out the computer too...

It means you have a model with only one cable, not with a two-segment cable...
It's fried... I'm sure you can get one online, maybe even from a local website, not necessarily e-bay or such...
Don't you have an Utra Pro Computers in Greece too? Or something like that... Flamingo Computers? see if they have an online store.

Hi, I answered you in SS's box. We have a multirama here in town. If I can't get one off someone else you're right about me not looking on line, anyway you know what the postage is like on this kind of thing anyway.

Thanks for your help.

Hi Zed, my two experts above have identified the problem and it's an expensive wire. There's no way he'll be getting a new lap top, mine is nearly dead as well.

So are you going to buy the expensive wire then, Thea?

Hi vonmac, my two experts above have identified the problem thanks, and what a suprise, it's expensive.

I have a spare black box and connection cable for an ASUS laptop
It works, but the laptop doesnt as it fell 6 feet from a shelf onto the ground earlier today
Bits went everywhere. So I am using the spare laptop.
If you want the one from the asua you can have it. It would probably solve your problem

Wow, that's a really generous offer, thank you. I don't know if all these kind of things are compatible or not. I'll have a look tomorrow what make his is as I'm nearly asleep now, then I'm sure some expert here would know if they fit together.

Have a look and see, if you want it its easy enough to jiffy bag up and post

Sounds like a good plan! :)

And then you're back to the "Posting stuff to Greece" situation that may or may not be able to get there..

Hi Vonmac, thanks again for your kind offer but bearing in mind Greek customs refuse electrical things into Greece now, stupid but true, I hung on first in the hope I could contact with the local computer man. I caught up with him yesterday and he gave me a spare wire he had, so problem sorted, but thanks again.

Glad the problem got sorted.
If anyone does want it, let me know. Our house is full of stuff like this,
Must have a clear out one day, but we dont throw things away that other people might be able to put to good use.

Hi willowgirl, it's one of those plugs which won't open.
Useful info though thankss.