My kindle is charging but not connecting to my computer, what's wrong?

Hi,

If you used the same cable on all your Kimbles to connect to a computer but only the older one doesn’t connect this at least proves that the cable is OK.

It may be that the charge port enclosure has lint or other debris in it preventing a good connection on all the pins.

The data connection pins are pins 2 and 3 while the power pins are 1 and 5.

Inspect the charge port using a strong light and a magnifying glass to see if there is any obstruction and that all the pins are there and that they are all straight and parallel with each other.

If there is any lint etc, use a vacuum cleaner to try and suck out any obstruction. DO NOT use a metal pin or probe to try and clear it as you may damage the pins and / or cause an electrical problem in the tablet. If necessary, use a sharpened wooden toothpick to very gently clear any debris.

If the port enclosure seems to be clear it may be that the charge port connector has become partially loose from the systemboard.

Here’s a link the Kindle Fire Motherboard Replacement guide. It is useful as it shows how to open the tablet so that access to the connector is possible.

If the connector is just loose you will need SMD (surface mounted device) soldering skills and tools to effect the repair.

If this seems too daunting, take your tablet to a reputable, professional mobile phone or electronics repair service and ask for a quote. Tell them about the ifixit guide if they have any doubts about how to open the tablet. ;-)