Re: Vintage Packard Bell Laptop power board:

Sorry. Hope these two pictures are viewable. Suppose people will want to know the model too. It's the PB Statesman Plus, AKA Zenith Zstar 433/VL. No, there's no service manual or such to be had....

Okay. I have two Packard Bell Statesman 486 laptops, both made in 1995. Both have toast power boards, both with caps that are leaking electrolyte on their PCBs. One completely died under power, and reeks of dead fish when given power, the other smells less and runs the notebook, but audibly buzzes and is caked in electrolyte. Swapping the "working" board brings the other machine up.

This is my first attempt recapping anything. My issue is I don't know what caps to buy. Only one lists the series. The others are: ce04w mr(e) 105c n366 with italic N 16v 330uf, n333 100uf...

Re: New Members - please post your introductions here

Hi, I'm new here. I think this stuff is kinda interesting, but I've never understood it at a technical level. I am mostly joining because I have a 1996 laptop I would like to get recapped. I don't see myself ever doing SMD work like that, but I would like to improve my technical knowledge and maybe learn to solder.