troubleshooting a laptop...

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

grant.linscott@gmail.com wrote:
> 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)

You obviously have a cooling problem with the laptop, based on it testing
okay in your desktop. This is very common with standard processors being
forced into a laptop case. Either see if there is an 'always on' fan
setting in your BIOS; check that the cooling ports of the laptop are
unobstructed; buy an auxiliary cooler or all of the above.

If there is a mobile version of the processor you are using--and economics
aren't an issue--get one.

jak

>
> Thanks
> Grant
>
> And yes of course August was just outside the warranty...

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

grant.linscott@gmail.com wrote:
: Jak

: Thanks for the post. Are you suggesting that an 'always on' fan which
: was in some way not functioning - blocked/damaged..would stop the
: startup completely...as a failsafe...?
: I can't check any BIOS as the laptop won't power up...

So the laptop won't power up even when it is completely cold? Then it
is probably not a heat problem (my first guess too). Sounds more like
a defective component or a bad connection. Obviously you could try
removing and re-installing the CPU one more time and if it powers up,
I'd say you have a bad connection somewhere in the laptop. Had you
had it apart before the first problems?

Andrew
--
----> Portland, Oregon, USA <----
*******************************************************************
----> http://www.bizave.com <---- Photo Albums and Portland Info
----> To Email me remove "MYSHOES" from email address
*******************************************************************

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

On 6 Jan 2005 12:32:49 -0800, grant.linscott@gmail.com wrote:

>Yep..exactly that... it won't power up when cold...though when I waited
>from August 2004 till now it seemed to rectify itself...for a while at
>least..


What if u wait overnight?

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

grant.linscott@gmail.com wrote:
> Jak
>
> Thanks for the post. Are you suggesting that an 'always on' fan which
> was in some way not functioning - blocked/damaged..would stop the
> startup completely...as a failsafe...?
> I can't check any BIOS as the laptop won't power up...
>
> Grant

Sorry, you gave the impression ('some minutes later') that it would boot.
All of the laptops I've had powered the fan immediately on power up. Some
desktop mb's I've owned immediately powered down the processor if the fan
stopped...that sounds like it would be an even better idea in a notebook.
Did you use new heat sink grease when you put it all back together? If the
fan functional? Is the sink firmly and properly attached?

Like I said, laptop cases are a pretty serious cooling challenge for a
desktop processor; but your problem could be altogether different....

jak