Topic: laptop died?

[Jaminxz]

Firstly I havent posted in ages so hi guys, hope all is well!

on a sadder note I think my laptop has died.

It was fine until I tried to load it the other day and nothing happened.

So When I turn it on power seems ok (the power light is on). Then the hard disk light flashes once for a second, and sounds like it is trying to boot but nothing happens, the screen stays totally black - i dont seen any logos, not even the BIOS Screen - nothing.

At first I thought it was the hard disk, but if this was the case at least the bios screen would load right?

can anyone help me out please?

thanks in advance.

[Rik]

Hi. It does sound a bit like a terminal illness, but try removing the battery and disconnecting everything including the mains, then press and hold the power button for 15 seconds. Sometimes the BIOS gets scrambled, this will cure it on most machines. Good luck.

[Simon]

Is it on Vista, by any chance?  I had the same thing happen a few weeks ago, and it turned out to be a bad graphics driver update, from Windows Update.  I got into safe mode, and used System Restore to go back to before the last Windows Update, and it was fine after that.

[Jaminxz]

Thanks rik. I tried the power thing but nothing happened.

Yes simon it is on vista. Not sure if I can get into safe mode as nothing is booting. Can you advise?


Thanks guys

[Simon]

Try repeatedly pressing F8 while booting - or possibly F2.  Do you not even get the pre-boot screen?  If not, try interrupting the boot sequence by holding the power button down until it powers off, while it sounds like it's booting.  Hopefully, then, next time you start it, you'll get the options to start in Normal Mode, Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking, etc.  Choose Safe Mode, then see if you can access System Restore.  If you can't even get into safe mode, then it sounds pretty terminal.  Have you got a Windows CD you could boot from?  Alternatively, you could try a Linux Live CD, which might have some success.  Sam would be the best one to advise on that.

[Jaminxz]

Thanks simon.

No I don't get the pre boot screen, I don't get anything. Tried safe mode but as I suspected nothing.

I do have a windows cd I could dig out somewhere, not sure this would work if I can't see the pre boot screen?

2 things I have noticed:

1) Just after it sounds like its tried to load and failed, there are 2 short beeps from inside

2) I opened up the laptop and near the cpu there are what looks like 3 loose wires not connected to anything. One looks like a power lead - it has a small, rectangular white piece of plastic at the end. The other 2 are very similar, except one is black and one is gray. Both have a circular bronze/gold end that look like they should fit together, but don't quite. Not sure if these are supposed to be like this? 

Thanks

[Simon]

Sorry, I've never seen the inside of a laptop, so I can't help with that.  This may help with the beeps - these are coded, so you'll need to know which BIOS you have, then go from there.

http://www.technick.net/public/code/cp_dpage.php?aiocp_dp=guide_beep_codes

Just a thought, but while you've got the laptop open, have you checked to see if the RAM and graphics card are seated securely?

[sam]

Thanks simon.

No I don't get the pre boot screen, I don't get anything. Tried safe mode but as I suspected nothing.

I do have a windows cd I could dig out somewhere, not sure this would work if I can't see the pre boot screen?

2 things I have noticed:

1) Just after it sounds like its tried to load and failed, there are 2 short beeps from inside

2) I opened up the laptop and near the cpu there are what looks like 3 loose wires not connected to anything. One looks like a power lead - it has a small, rectangular white piece of plastic at the end. The other 2 are very similar, except one is black and one is gray. Both have a circular bronze/gold end that look like they should fit together, but don't quite. Not sure if these are supposed to be like this? 

Thanks

does the system think you have power? I.e. do any lights come on? It could be that a cable has snapped - hard to tell what cable you are looking at there though - can you take a picture?