You are an IT support technician in a large office building. A user reports that their laptop intermittently stops charging whenever the computer is jostled or the power plug is moved. Which component is most likely defective?
Laptops run on low-voltage direct current (DC). The external AC adapter converts the building's AC mains into the DC voltage the laptop needs and plugs into the laptop's DC-in (power) jack. If that jack becomes loose or its solder joints crack, moving the plug breaks the electrical connection and the battery stops charging. Replacing or re-soldering the DC-in jack resolves the issue. The CMOS battery only maintains firmware settings, the wall outlet would affect any device plugged into it, and laptops have no separate "AC jack."
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What is a DC jack and why is it important for laptops?
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