Power supply woes

My laptop power supply stopped working two weeks ago. I ordered a replacement part, but I had four days of living in the Nineteenth century, without a computer, until it arrived (despite paying £8 for next day delivery!). Two weeks later, the damned thing has failed again. I've checked the fuse, and it isn't that. Right now, I have 10 minutes of laptop battery remaining, and probably another week wait for a replacement part, as I need to send the old one back.

Why the hell is nothing made to last, these days? And why does every laptop manufacturer have a different power supply unit design (that even varies between models by the same manufacturer)? This is something the EU needs to look at next, like they've done with mobile phone chargers, and enforce a standard. :mad:

Do you mean the external power supply? That is what it sounds like.

What brand laptop? What fuse are you talking about?

Most companies send the replacement part and then have you ship back the defective part, I am surprised they expect you to ship the old part first.

Yeah, it's an external power supply, the one that steps down mains voltage to a voltage suitable for the laptop. There's a fuse in the plug itself, and I thought that might have gone, but no. I have to send the unit back because they want to test it to make sure it's faulty, before they agree to give me a replacement.

Your laptop company is for crap from the sounds of it. I am use to Toshiba, Dell and IBM. They all send the part and have you send back the defective.

How much is a second external power supply? It might be worth having two. I have one at work and one at home. I don't recall it being expensive.