I find this topic humorous, only because it is a specific issue that describes a much larger problem.

We are a throw away society, aren't we? It could be that the transformer and any other electronics have been potted, that is, encased in an epoxy so that no one can do as you are trying to now. I've had that problem with other circuits I've wanted to troubleshoot, and it is deviously frustrating.

Topics like this make me wonder: Where exactly did all those 286/386/486 pc's end up? I know some were "recycled" to schools and such, but at this point, they would likely be fairly useless even there. Consumer electronics are a real bane on our society. The illusion is they are making our life better. The reality is every 2 or 3 months I have to learn how to operate yet another "entertainment media" remote control, PDA, GPS, or Windows OS.

So my answer is my time is worth more than the value of repairing such items, so it is cheaper just to toss it when it breaks and go pick up the latest new and improved version. Rather than burning up the better part of a day sitting at my bench troubleshooting the thing, then running to the store to pick up the replacement part (or more likely getting on the internet and ordering the part, then waiting two weeks for the part to be delivered, meanwhile the device remains unusable), then carefully installing the part and testing the device for further failures, I will just spend an hour or two working up a schedule at the office at $100 per hour and have more than enough to get a whole new and improved model.