re: port replicator
Nope. That's just to give you serial, parallel, and USB ports that you can plug into one of your current ports.
I have exactly the same problem with my laptop. Dog got excited and kicked the cord when it was plugged in. It's not the cord (I've tried multiples). So it is somewhere in the vicinity of where it gets plugged in.
If you are handy with a soldering iron and have a good set of jewelers screwdrivers, you MIGHT be able to fix it yourself. But having taken apart and fixed numerous laptops, it can be a pretty daunting task.
I don't know how to do that--darnit. I don't want to have to send it in for a fix though.