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General Discussion => Technology and Development => Computer Usage and Setup Help => Topic started by: ferox on February 08, 2011, 07:45:27 am

Title: dead laptop
Post by: ferox on February 08, 2011, 07:45:27 am
just wondering.
my laptop is kinda dead. when i press the on button, you hear the fan, but thats all. no screen, no sound, nothing whatsoever, not even the lights that say it was turned on.
i think the BIOS is corrupt or so

my question:
is it possible to bring it back to life?
Title: Re: dead laptop
Post by: Ikkerens on February 08, 2011, 10:04:23 am
If it is a windows computer?
Do you hear a beep when starting up?
If not, its your boot.
Else, its something else.
Title: Re: dead laptop
Post by: ferox on February 08, 2011, 10:46:07 am
yes,OS is windows XP home edition
but i don't hear a beep...

here is the complete story:
first my laptop used to give a bsod once in a while, but i ignored it.
then at one time, as soon as it started it gave a bsod, i couldn't even format C:/
then, i tried to get out 1 RAM card, a 128mb, so i had exactly 1gb left (tip from a friend)
it seemed to work, but after 1 or 2 minutes, it gave one last bsod, and then turned into something best describeable as a soulless body :(

Title: Re: dead laptop
Post by: fb39ca4 on February 08, 2011, 03:23:31 pm
Could be the whole motherboard got fried :( Happened to me about a year ago. What model laptop do you have?

[offtopic]
@ferox: your post count is at 69 ;)/me runs
[/offtopic]
Title: Re: dead laptop
Post by: ferox on February 08, 2011, 03:26:55 pm
it's a medion MD 41300 if im right

[offtopic]
what is wrong with 69? :P
[/offtopic]
Title: Re: dead laptop
Post by: fb39ca4 on February 08, 2011, 03:29:34 pm
[offtopic]
Try googling it :P/me runs
Anyways, your post count isn't 69 anymore so youre fine.
[/offtopic]
Title: Re: dead laptop
Post by: holmes221b on February 08, 2011, 05:18:12 pm
Just curious, if your laptop is dead, how are you posting on here?

edit: Your hard drive might still be recoverable, so you should look into getting a hold of an external hard drive case for it...
Title: Re: dead laptop
Post by: souvik1997 on February 08, 2011, 07:10:06 pm
Can you enter the BIOS Setup? If so, all you need to do is reinstall Windows.
Title: Re: dead laptop
Post by: jnesselr on February 09, 2011, 12:41:24 pm
Take out ALL of the ram, and turn it on and see if it beeps at you.
Title: Re: dead laptop
Post by: holmes221b on February 09, 2011, 02:50:53 pm
Take out ALL of the ram, and turn it on and see if it beeps at you.
I don't think it'll even turn on?

Speaking of RAM, physically resetting the RAM might work.
Title: Re: dead laptop
Post by: jnesselr on February 09, 2011, 03:01:09 pm
Take out ALL of the ram, and turn it on and see if it beeps at you.
I don't think it'll even turn on?

Speaking of RAM, physically resetting the RAM might work.
It won't turn on, it should beep at you.  At least then you know it's somewhat alive.
Title: Re: dead laptop
Post by: ferox on February 09, 2011, 03:02:34 pm
Just curious, if your laptop is dead, how are you posting on here?

i have another pc, that laptop was a used one... it was free :D

Can you enter the BIOS Setup? If so, all you need to do is reinstall Windows.

nope, the screen stays black. like i said, i think the bios is corrupted.

Take out ALL of the ram, and turn it on and see if it beeps at you.

i will try that ;)

I don't think it'll even turn on?

Speaking of RAM, physically resetting the RAM might work.

like i said, all you hear is the fan making a lot of noise
and how do i physically reset it?
Title: Re: dead laptop
Post by: holmes221b on February 09, 2011, 04:04:24 pm
Easy.
Remove the RAM from the computer, then replace it back in the computer.
Title: Re: dead laptop
Post by: ferox on February 09, 2011, 04:06:46 pm
Easy.
Remove the RAM from the computer, then replace it back in the computer.
tried that..
no difference :(
Title: Re: dead laptop
Post by: jnesselr on February 09, 2011, 04:07:17 pm
Easy.
Remove the RAM from the computer, then replace it back in the computer.
tried that..
no difference :(
Did it beep at you when you completely removed the ram?
Title: Re: dead laptop
Post by: ferox on February 09, 2011, 04:08:24 pm
i'll have to find the power cable first XD
ì'll edit in a minute

edit:
with RAM removed: no beep
RAM reinserted: no beep

i also noticed that when i turn it "on" the green lights indicating it does something flash on for about 1/4 of a second
Title: Re: dead laptop
Post by: jnesselr on February 09, 2011, 04:17:20 pm
i'll have to find the power cable first XD
ì'll edit in a minute

edit:
with RAM removed: no beep
RAM reinserted: no beep

i also noticed that when i turn it "on" the green lights indicating it does something flash on for about 1/4 of a second
Yeah, it's not complaining that there's is no ram, it must be dead.
Title: Re: dead laptop
Post by: holmes221b on February 09, 2011, 04:22:12 pm
I would suggest checking the hard drive's viability still, if it's still good, then all your stuff is not lost.
Title: Re: dead laptop
Post by: ferox on February 09, 2011, 04:31:21 pm
there wasn't that much on it, only office 2007 i believe. but i have no system that can read the hard disk :(
Title: Re: dead laptop
Post by: souvik1997 on February 09, 2011, 04:37:00 pm
Have you tried a CMOS clear? There is a location on the motherboard where you can connect two pieces of metal together with a paper clip to reset the BIOS and the motherboard.
Title: Re: dead laptop
Post by: ferox on February 09, 2011, 04:40:11 pm
Have you tried a CMOS clear? There is a location on the motherboard where you can connect two pieces of metal together with a paper clip to reset the BIOS and the motherboard.

uhm, that would be really difficult, because i can't get to the motherboard without breaking anything :(
Title: Re: dead laptop
Post by: holmes221b on February 09, 2011, 05:50:33 pm
there wasn't that much on it, only office 2007 i believe. but i have no system that can read the hard disk :(
Um...you don't have another computer that has the same type of hard drive?
Title: Re: dead laptop
Post by: ferox on February 10, 2011, 11:07:19 am
there wasn't that much on it, only office 2007 i believe. but i have no system that can read the hard disk :(
Um...you don't have another computer that has the same type of hard drive?

not that i know, other laptop i have (windows 98, was also free XD, i use it sometimes) doesn't fit, and i also can't get it into my normal pc... :(
Title: Re: dead laptop
Post by: fb39ca4 on February 10, 2011, 07:07:14 pm
This laptop is fairly recent, right? (Check your user manual to make sure it has a SATA hard drive.) You can either buy an external 2.5" sata enclosure, which lets you connect the drive to another computer over USB, or when you get a new laptop, you should be able to install the old drive in the new computer, though windows won't start and you will need to use a boot cd to back up your files.
That was a long sentence.
Title: Re: dead laptop
Post by: ferox on February 11, 2011, 02:22:30 am
This laptop is fairly recent, right? (Check your user manual to make sure it has a SATA hard drive.) You can either buy an external 2.5" sata enclosure, which lets you connect the drive to another computer over USB, or when you get a new laptop, you should be able to install the old drive in the new computer, though windows won't start and you will need to use a boot cd to back up your files.
That was a long sentence.
with a short answer.
i have no manual, is there any other way to check this?
Title: Re: dead laptop
Post by: fb39ca4 on February 11, 2011, 03:29:54 pm
There's another way to check. Take out the drive. On one side, do you see a lot of pins (IDE), or three or so plastic tounges with contacts printed onto them (SATA)?
Title: Re: dead laptop
Post by: ferox on February 11, 2011, 04:38:32 pm
lots of pins, just like the hard drive of my pc, but a smaller distance between them