The hardware store guy suggested a much better solution – splicing tape – to me. Its working great for me.My adapter went bad at the other end – i.e. the magnetic head where it connects to the laptop. The rubber covering on the cable got softer and softer due to heat and started coming off.I went to the hardware store and talked to the guy. The suggestions I had read about were (a) IDE cable (b) electric tape (c) silicone sealant (d) heat shrink tubing. The IDE cable stuff is good for avoiding this, but once you have your cable screwed up, you need ‘firmer’ solutions. The electric is what I used before but it sticks so bad, and when it comes off, it takes parts of the cable with it.I looked at both sealant and heat shrink at the store, but it looked like they would not be perfect solutions. You need a thicker heat shrink tube to go over the magnetic head of the adapter. And heating the cable is less than ideal. You cannot take the sealant off once ou put it.But a splicing tape ‘fuses on to itself’. It can easily be taken off too. It has a lot of tension when you put it, and it holds very tight. The force can be easily spread uniformly across a longer section of the cable, since you’re using a tape.