troubleshooting a laptop ...help!!!

[Grant]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

I am currently trying to troubleshoot a laptop that has some issues!?!

Some background: In August 2004 the laptop I was using (a good spec
2.2Ghz- though a desktop processor) was running quite hot (this may be
coincident) just quit in a flash - as if someone had pulled the power.
I restarted, which it did..and then some minutes later it quit again.
Then on pressing the power button the HDD light would illuminate and
you can hear the disk spinnning up, also the fans on the bottom of the
laptop would turn briefly then stop. There was no 'beep' and the screen
remained black. I took it to a pretty useless computer technician who
tested the HDD (it is ok..I've used it in another machine) and reported
that the processor must be bad. I put the laptop on the shelf..

Ok...fast forward to yesterday..I finally get around to looking at it.
I figure I can pull the processor and test it in my desktop machine..I
do this and it works fine! So I put it back into the laptop and whoa
the thing starts up no problem! I proceeded to setup a network with
the destop machine and the thing is definitely running ok. Then after
say 5-6 restarts of the machine (each time no problems) I leave it on
and the screen goes into powersave mode..and seems to lockout - no
amount of button pressing or mouse moving changes anything. In the end
I let the battery go flat and the laptop goes off -still with screen
remaining black..

When I try to restart I have the same symptoms I had in August...

This has got me a bit baffled...I know a little about computers though
not too much about the CMOS and BIOS setup..I was thinking the CMOS
battery may have died (another small amount of info - when the laptop
ran again yesterday for the first time windows advised me the date and
time was incorrect)

Would this give these symptoms? Or has anybody any other ideas? Problem
with BIOS? I get no POST screen at all...

I will really welcome any suggestions!! (both for what is the
problem..and the solution)

Thanks
Grant

And yes of course August was just outside the warranty...

 

[Grant]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

Thanks for the feedback Ace, though maybe I didn't explain it clear
enough..the laptop will not power up now even when cold..This was what
it was doing last August, then when I tried it yesterday it was
ok...for a while...then now same symptoms as Aug..no power...
Hence I can't currently check BIOS.

Any other ideas??
Thanks
Grant

 

[Ace]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

Go into the BIOS see if it has a hardware setting and look to see if the
computer is set to shutdown when the CPU reaches a certain temperature.

Also, check the voltage of your CMOS battery, normally around 3v.

Look at the power saving settings in the BIOS and see what the computer is
set to do in the various scenarios listed. Make a note of the seettings and
then switch off power saving.

Check teh obvious, the power supply cables, connections and socket on the
laptop for damage or loose connections.

Regards
Ace

Ps. I once had a problem with a gateway laptop with tv out connections.
Thelaptop would give a blank screen or the os would not install. Tracked it
down to a TV out setting in BIOS, which had LCD&CRT, LCD, CRT.... set this
to just LCD and all was well again.
Computers were made for tearing your hair out !!!!!
Then came microsoft for tearing out everything else !


"grant" <grant.linscott@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1105034453.707772.287460@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> I am currently trying to troubleshoot a laptop that has some issues!?!
>
> Some background: In August 2004 the laptop I was using (a good spec
> 2.2Ghz- though a desktop processor) was running quite hot (this may be
> coincident) just quit in a flash - as if someone had pulled the power.
> I restarted, which it did..and then some minutes later it quit again.
> Then on pressing the power button the HDD light would illuminate and
> you can hear the disk spinnning up, also the fans on the bottom of the
> laptop would turn briefly then stop. There was no 'beep' and the screen
> remained black. I took it to a pretty useless computer technician who
> tested the HDD (it is ok..I've used it in another machine) and reported
> that the processor must be bad. I put the laptop on the shelf..
>
> Ok...fast forward to yesterday..I finally get around to looking at it.
> I figure I can pull the processor and test it in my desktop machine..I
> do this and it works fine! So I put it back into the laptop and whoa
> the thing starts up no problem! I proceeded to setup a network with
> the destop machine and the thing is definitely running ok. Then after
> say 5-6 restarts of the machine (each time no problems) I leave it on
> and the screen goes into powersave mode..and seems to lockout - no
> amount of button pressing or mouse moving changes anything. In the end
> I let the battery go flat and the laptop goes off -still with screen
> remaining black..
>
> When I try to restart I have the same symptoms I had in August...
>
> This has got me a bit baffled...I know a little about computers though
> not too much about the CMOS and BIOS setup..I was thinking the CMOS
> battery may have died (another small amount of info - when the laptop
> ran again yesterday for the first time windows advised me the date and
> time was incorrect)
>
> Would this give these symptoms? Or has anybody any other ideas? Problem
> with BIOS? I get no POST screen at all...
>
> I will really welcome any suggestions!! (both for what is the
> problem..and the solution)
>
> Thanks
> Grant
>
> And yes of course August was just outside the warranty...
>

 

[Glenn]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

"grant" <grant.linscott@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1105046732.517499.49520@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> Thanks for the feedback Ace, though maybe I didn't explain it clear
> enough..the laptop will not power up now even when cold..This was what
> it was doing last August, then when I tried it yesterday it was
> ok...for a while...then now same symptoms as Aug..no power...
> Hence I can't currently check BIOS.
>
> Any other ideas??
> Thanks
> Grant
>

Remove batteries and try to see if it boots up on mains power, some Armada
laptops I work with fail to power up with the main battery fitted.

Also once you get it to boot again take a look in the event log to see if
anything is logged there.

Glenn

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

There is a comp.sys.laptop newsgroup which may be more useful

Q: What make is the laptop?

o Some Sony have a temperature issue
---- a SMT capacitor near the CPU cooler is under-spec on temp

o Laptops with skived copper heatsinks (many) can clog easily
---- does not take much c/sectional area of dust to create a mat
---- that can reduce airflow very considerably, causing overheating

o Some laptops have temperature reporting capability
---- check the Net for utilities
---- also check your Event Log for any info there

o Your laptop maker may provide diagnostic capability
---- in the form of an application that can be run

First thing first - get any important data off it quickly.
--
Dorothy Bradbury
www.dorothybradbury.co.uk for quiet Panaflo fans

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

"grant" <grant.linscott@gmail.com> wrote in
news:1105034453.707772.287460@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

>
> This has got me a bit baffled...I know a little about computers though
> not too much about the CMOS and BIOS setup..I was thinking the CMOS
> battery may have died (another small amount of info - when the laptop
> ran again yesterday for the first time windows advised me the date and
> time was incorrect)
>
1. If the date and time were off by a few days or maybe even a week or so,
that's likely normal drift, even with a good BIOS battery (although weeks is
pushing it for one that recent). If the date and time were way off, I'd try
replacing the little battery. I don't normally recommend shotgunning a
problem, but that's an exceptionally cheap attempt compared to most swaps.
However, if the date and time corresponded to the date the BIOS was made, and
not just randomly off, there's a much increased chance it's the BIOS itself
that has somehow been misconfigured, i.e. maybe someone tried to flash
upgrade it. BIOS's typically display the Date of manufacture briefly on the
first boot up screen, but even if you can't get to that, the date may be
stickered on the BIOS itself if you're lucky.
2. If more than 1 memory slot is filled, try booting with just memory in the
first slot, and try swapping sticks to find a bad one. One common install
error, by the way, is for a tech to put memory in the high numbered slot
first and leave the lowest empty. This really screws with some boards. Just
looking at the memory, see if it's several different brands or (especially)
speeds, and if it is, become increasingly suspicious of this area. If you
ever get it booting again, look at the amount of memory shown at POST and see
if it adds up right with what's physically there, and if you can find a board
manual, see what the maximum size stick it supports is. If any of this helps,
I also recommend you reset the BIOS to run the full multiple pass Power On
Self Test for the next week or two if possible.