HP Smart pin ac adapter problem

[HipHoper]

Hello

A client brought me an COMPAQ NX7300 laptop, And he complained that he had some problem with it's non genuine power supply which his electronic neighbour "fixed", but now the computer runs EXTREMELY SLOW.
I checked the system and read on the net that it might has to do something with the power supply voltage.
I understood that the original power supply is a "smart" power supply that supplies TWO voltages (Central pin and internal ring supplies 2 different voltages - So the computer "knows" it's original power supply).
The thing is that this is quite an old computer and it's battery is dead, And I don't want to spend money to buy a new original power supply.
I opened the "fixed" power supply, And it seems to have a resistor between the inner pin and the internal circle ring which I don't know it's value. (it has dark brown,dark brown,black,white and orange lines on it from right to left)
The power supply voltage is 18.5V.
I know that this non genuine ac adapter worked with this laptop for more than a year, So I ask myself if there's something i can do - Soldier it in some way or replace the resistor so it'll work again.
If there's not enough info or some solution, i will go to a shop and hope they will let me try out another power supply before i'm committed to buy it.

[CCT]

I would think the power supply leads with the resistor would be the low output ones - that shouldn't slow the comp down.

Have you done a defrag and temp files cleanup?

[HipHoper]

Hi CCT,

I took the laptops hard drive out and connected it to another computer and it works fine.
Take apeek at this :

http://www.itwriting.com/blog/985-hp...er-supply.html

[MobilePCPhysician]

Have you tested the power supply to see what voltage it is supplying? Most likely the resistor is good. The power supply itself is bad.

[HipHoper]

Thank you MPP. I have tested it with a regular multimeter and it gave around 18 Volts. I played with the voltage selector but it didn't helped.
Bought an original HP power supply - Problem solved - Computer back to normal speed