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I don't even know where to put this...laptop/monitor/XP SP3 issues

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Last response: in Systems
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Dell Inspiron 8600
XP SP2
An issue of spilled milk lead to no monitor
No connection with new N router (SP2 not being compatible with this new variety of encryption or something)

Computer is hooked up to our television for web surfing and netflix and so forth.

Tried to update to XP SP3 through windows update.
Halfway through the update it told me it could not copy a file. Clicked retry a dozen times, fail each time. Decided to cancel and start over. Machine froze.

Reboot the machine to find nothing. I don't think windows is starting up. External video is not working. Will not let me cycle video to external feed. I don't hear a lot of activity from the laptop.

Where do I start?

More about : put laptop monitor sp3 issues

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I removed the hard drive and fired it up to see if something was happening between boot and OS...I get nothing. After a moment the computer beeps twice, and nothing. No response at all.
Monitor Expert

Your manual will give you the BEEP CODES for your PC. The two beeps means something, the BIOS is telling you what is wrong.

This reference says two beeps is a memory problem (http://www.podnutz.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=640) however you should check in your manual -- typically in a 'troubleshooting' section.

If the beeps mean memory, and you have two memory DIMMs in the PC then you can try taking one out, see if it posts. (It will run fine with only one memory dimm) If not, put that one back in and take out the other. Sometimes just reseating the memory can make it work.

Any chance "An issue of spilled milk lead to no monitor " milk got on the MB? If so there may be stuff in the dimm socket you need to clean out.

The milk thing was years ago. This was originally the missus' computer...he bawling over accidentally spilling cereal on the machine was a great way to wake up one morning haha. Fried MoBo and we think the video card. Replaced the Mobo and I've tried a new video card, monitor, the little circuit board for the monitor, and the cabling...nothing makes the monitor come up. We've been using it with an external monitor for years.

I know that the two beeps mean memory, but I assumed it was due to the hard drive being removed. I'll try it again and see if anything changes with the RAM moved.
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