A short cable connects the power button on your Compaq Presario CQ50 to the motherboard housed inside the laptop. If the cable is broken or the power button's board goes bad, you need to replace the board and its cable to repair the problem. The power button board and cable are attached to the bottom of the plastic cover above your keyboard, which means you need to remove several parts to actually reach the defective cable.
Instructions
1. Power down the CQ50 and close the screen lid. Unplug the power cable, and any other cords or peripheral devices attached to the laptop's ports. Set the laptop upside-down on a flat and sturdy work surface.
2. Find the black slide bar at the left side of the Compaq's case. Push down the bard and slide it toward the left to pop the battery pack upward. Pull the battery pack out of the laptop.
3. Remove the five Phillips screws positioned inside the exposed battery port. Remove the screw at the top left corner of the case and the screw at the top right corner of the case. Turn the laptop over so the top edge is facing up again. Open the screen lid so you have access to the keyboard.
4. Slide the edge of a flat-head screwdriver against the plastic tab at the top right corner of the keyboard. Push the tab down and repeat the process with the second tab at the top left corner of the keyboard.
5. Lift the keyboard up until the black cable underneath the keyboard comes into view. Unplug the cable and pull the keyboard off the Compaq.
6. Locate the white and blue power cable positioned directly beneath the power button. Unplug the cable and pull the plastic keyboard cover piece off the laptop. Flip the keyboard cover upside down to locate the rectangular power button board.
7. Remove the Phillips screws located at the left and right sides of the power button board, and pull the board off plastic keyboard cover. Set your replacement power button board onto the cover and replace the two screws.
8. Place the entire plastic keyboard cover back onto the case and connect the new power button cord's cable to the port below the power button. Reassemble the keyboard cable, keyboard, screws and battery you removed previously.
Tags: power button, button board, power button board, keyboard cover, plastic keyboard, plastic keyboard cover, battery pack