Topic awaiting preservation: Dead laptop :(

I switched on the laptop the other day and........ nothing.

The little power light was on so my first suspicion that it was the internal power supply playing up was wrong.

My main suspicion is that the power (on/off) switch didn't work - it is an old laptop and so it has probably got a lot of use. The clikc when it is pressed is less 'satisfying' - not much of a technical diagnosis but it doesn't quite feel right.

However, I suspect there are numerous other things that could have gone wrong. So I thought I'd throw this open for suggestions.

There haven't been any problems before this to suggest a major component was about to fail and it just didn't start one morning.......

Thoughts?

I'm currently digging into the laptop to get at the power button which is well hidden away out of reach of fiddlers

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Emps

FAQs: Emperor

Do you mean the little power indicator light on the laptop itself is on, or the little power light that comes on the mains supply adaptor? ...usually halfway or so along the cable housed in a box of some kind? (if it has one).

Do you also want to tell us the make and model Emps please?

..and do you usually use it everyday? Does anyone else use it? When you turned it on this time and nothing happened were there no noticble sound at all?.. ( no clicks, buzzezz, staticky sounds?) Does it work with and/or without a battery? If it is truely dead.. did it make a will?



[This message has been edited by Xpirex (edited 08-03-2003).]

Xpirex: Both the power light on the laptop and the power light on the cable are working.

Make and model? I have no idea - it was bought by my Dad from Time years ago. I can dig out the manual but I doubt it would be any use.

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Emps

FAQs: Emperor

Well if you don't want to g provide the details asked then it's gonna be difficult to be of any assistance. Oh well, no worry.

OK its a Time Cybernote 953E.

The thing is I don't need specific help I just want to know what else could cause that kind of problem? I'm sure there are quite a few things but it just went from being OK to being dead. I have taken out the PCMCIA card and removed what I can and the power switch just seems like a strip of plastic and it doesn't seem to be much help in tracking down the problem.

The laptop is ancient and I suspect I'd be better off building a new PC or something but if anyone has any good ideas I'm open to them.

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Emps

FAQs: Emperor

Could it be something as simple as the battery?

I'm doing a little research now.

..but if you need any spare parts ie. new power supply/battery or want someone to take a look at it then these people specialise in vintage laptops and hard to find parts and accessories. In the event that yuu decide not to bother with it how will you get your data off?

http://www.recycledgoods.com/productslist.aspx?SubCategoryID=71&CategoryID=1


Determine the problem:


1) Do a physical look at the laptop and determine if there is a problem caused by major mechanical failure. Fix these first.


2) Apply Power. Does the laptop show that power is applied? If yes, then go to Step 3. Else:


A) If the AC adaptor has a light - is it lit? If there is a light and it is not on, does it come on when the AC adaptor is removed from the laptop's power plug?


If not - determine if the AC adaptor functions. A volt meter should be used to test the AC adaptor output, but do not use any test equipment if you do not know how to use it. Determine the output voltage matches the adaptor voltage as listed on the adaptor. Most adaptors are not regulated and the voltage may vary by a few volts from the rated voltage and should read higher that rated when there is not load applied. Low voltage may be a problem if more than 20% lower than rated voltage. If okay go to step 3, else replace the AC adaptor with a correct replacement.


B) If the AC adaptor does not have a light, does the laptop show that power is applied when the AC adaptor is plugged in? If not, test the AC adaptor as in step 2.A above. If good go to Step 3, else replace the AC adaptor with a correct replacement.


3) Is the laptop smoking or signs of fire? If so, remove power and extinguish fire. (Yes, this happens!) Determine if the laptop is worth sending to a laptop repair center. End of troubleshooting. But if there's no smoke or fire then go to Step 4.


4) Does the laptop display the POST screen after power is turned on. POST = Power On Self-Test or sometimes called the BIOS screen. If NO, then go to Step 7. If YES, go to Step 5.


5) Remove AC power and determine if the battery will power the laptop. If Yes, then go to Step 12. Else go to Step 6.


6) Apply AC power again. Does the battery charge? Charge and repeat Step 5. If the battery is not charging or will not charge the replace the battery. End of troubleshooting.


7) Does the laptop show any changes after the power button is pressed or moved. Sounds of the floppy drive or hard drive spinning or head resetting? CPU fan running? Status lights or status LCD icons change? Main LCD backlighting comes on? If no signs of life then please go to Step 8. Else go to Step 9.


8) Double check that the laptop is receiving power. Then if this is a Chicony Socket 7 (ARa, MP968, MP975, MP978, MP983) laptop then remove AC and battery power and check that the CPU socket is completely locked. (Details for checking will be found on each model's main page or links from that page. Other brands or models may also suffer from a CPU socket problem, but may not be common. If the socket was open then close completely and retest the laptop. If the socket is closed then go to Step 10.


9) Determine if the laptop LCD has failed to turn on, the laptop may appear to be dead.

10) There are no more steps...




[This message has been edited by Xpirex (edited 08-04-2003).]

NJ: Its running from the power supply - the green light is on on that and on the laptop itself.

Xpirex: Good find. If it isn't something simple then I think I'd better off shelving my dreams of sitting in the back garden with the laptop (for now)

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Emps

FAQs: Emperor

Laptops are strange things... is there a possibility it could be stuck in suspend mode? Hold the power button down for about 6 or so seconds to make sure it is really switched off. Then try to power up again.

I'm running out of ideas.. ..and yes Iv'e been sitting on the balcony in the sun all day...



[This message has been edited by Xpirex (edited 08-04-2003).]

Laptops get real finicky in their old age.

Here at work we have about 3 old laptops and each one has a special startup procedures.

The IBM thinkpad is the cpr laptop. You have to press down really hard right below the keyboard to the left of the mouse buttons when turning it on. This has a 70% chance of getting the laptop to power on.

The Dell is Nintendo track and field laptop. You have to push the power button as rapidly as you can. If you push it fast enough, the laptop will power on. Chances of success: about 80%.

The other IBM is the "don't ever, under any circumstances turn it off" laptop. Using a combination of the above techniques and a few others I've developed over the years it is possible to turn it on. Once on, it runs for as long as it has power, either battery or AC. Chances of success: less than 5%.

Even a complete overhaul of all the system components turns up no defects whatsoever, and tech support for both manufacturers is stumped as to why the symptoms occur.

Oh, and good luck getting that one open. Each laptop is a challenge in itself when trying to get to the guts of the thing. And unless you meticulously label every screw, plan on having a few left over when you're done putting it back together again.

Xpirex: Can't really blame you

silence: Thanks for the overview - it does tend to reinforce my suspicion that giving it a thump couldn't hurt

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Emps

FAQs: Emperor

Sure thing, Emps. Hell, if it doesn't work at least you'll feel better.

On older laptops (relatively speaking, more than 2 years old), my theory is that the chips/transistors/capacitors just get worn out. Usually, the power grade spikes a bit during power-on for any complicated electrical device for the simple fact that all the circuits have to be moved from their neutral/rest state to an operating state.

Hope it works out for ya' emps.

OK on a supplmentary question the laptop has a TFT screen (big news back then) and I was wondering if there was a way to cannibalise it somehow to use as a second screen. I doubt this is possible but worth looking into.

I have had a quick look around Google but couldn't ind anything much on this kind of thing.

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Emps

FAQs: Emperor

Emps: Sorry I wasn't clear. I meant the computer battery..the little sucker inside.

I'm just now in the process putting together a cheap network (null modem) using my main box and a trashed laptop. Screen on the laptop is trashed to I ripped if off... hooked up a spare monitor and it's working fine for what it is.... P1 I think with 48 meg of ram... but it will do for running tutorials..a cheap dual monitor set up. =)

[This message has been edited by NoJive (edited 08-05-2003).]

Yeh Emps you could use the casing as a doorstop.. and I hear that the old TFT sctreens make great frisbies..



[This message has been edited by Xpirex (edited 08-05-2003).]

Emps-

In my experience the type of problem you are describing typically turns out to be caused by one of these tings:

1. The laptop is stuck in sleep mode and the only way to bring it out is to find the reset button and reset the laptop or remove the laptop battery, open the laptop up and remove the CMOS battery for about 30 seconds. Some laptop batteries are soldered onto the board so do not force it off, sometimes the batteries that are soldered on can be shorted out against a piece of the metal chassis of the laptop.

2. The laptop battery is dead and the power adapter is no longer supplying enough juice to recharge the battery or power the laptop. If you have a multimeter then check and see if this is the case.

3. Someone dumped a glass of liquid into the laptop.

4. The LCD screen is dead, try hooking up to an external monitor (not likely since you get no hard drive activity right?)

5. Hardware failure, in this case probably the main board.


Good luck, hope its just stuck in sleep mode