X61 - Broken power jack

[CAS]

My X61's power jack (where the adapter plugs in to the laptop) has been loose for some time, and I often had to wiggle the connector to maintain power. Tonight it gave up the ghost. The case overall is pretty banged up, and the edge where the connector plugs in is cracked - I actually bought a new bottom case, but hadn't yet gotten around to replacing the old one. Does anyone know the most likely culprit, and if it's a repair I can make myself? I see there are power jack/cable combos on ebay for about $10. I also see that you have to completely disassemble the machine to do that replacement. I'm up for trying, though not for soldering. The laptop is way out of warranty, and I don't think paying any significant sum for repairs is worth it(?) I have about 5 hours of battery life left (across 2 batteries), which should be just enough to get important data off. I'd very much appreciate thoughts from anyone who's dealt with this.

[RealBlackStuff]

You don't need to solder.
No need to make backups either (although that never hurt anyone...).
Just take it all apart as per HMM, and swap out the defective DC jack.

[CAS]

Thank you! I've ordered the part from ebay- here's hoping it goes smoothly. Figure I'll use my remaining battery life for a backup, just for disaster-proofing

[Brad]

If needed you could use an X6 base to power your X61.

When you replace the power jack it may be a good time to install the replacemenet base.

Brad

[dmdsoftware]

The DC power jack should not be an issue. It's actually just on a cable that plugs into the mainboard. Thank goodness it is not a part that is soldered onto the motherboard.

Be careful when you replace the base case. I did mine recently, there are a lot of cables such as the antennas that run throughout. Also, the LCD cable is heavily tied down with tape, and if you are not super careful, you'll tear it very easily. Just take your time.

[CAS]

Thanks, Brad. The base is a good idea I hadn't considered. And thanks dmdsoftware, for the cautionary advice. I could tell from the manual it was going to be a long operation, but the warning about LCD cable is really helpful!