Dead laptop, tried everything i can think of

C

CraiGDaniel

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Location
Essex, UK
Advent Roma 3000

Been trying to fix this laptop for about a month now!


Ok so it came to me with a charging problem. When the charger was plugged in the laptop would display the charging status as 7% but with 100 or so hours left of battery life :confused: and if i removed the charger the battery's % would slowly decrease as it should and it gave me a real time estimate.

Now, i told the girlfriend not to use this laptop as she doesnt have one and i'm fixing it for her, however she decided to watch GLEE on it while i was out, yes glee.

I get home and she says she was watching a video and the laptop just died on her, just completely shut down (probably commited suicide).

Anyway since then i have not been able to fix it!!! Things tried...

  • Tested Working Motherboard
  • Tested Working DC Jack
  • Tested Working Charger
  • Tested Working Battery
  • Disconnecting ribbon cables/devices one-by-one at motherboard level
  • reseating everything, trying just one stick of ram, laptop has two 2GB sticks, tried with both alone and same result
  • Stripped the laptop and rebuilt it all

Each and every one of my efforts has returned the exact same result. WTH?

Heres a video of that result that i am experiencing, listen carefully as you can hear a distinct electrical noise looping.. bear in mind this has had a tested motherboard in it and the same result occured.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga4kpp8OFyA
 
Last edited:
Glee? Why didn't you mention this earlier?

Your problem is that the laptop realizes that as soon as it starts working, that its going to have to sit and watch every episode of glee and probably multiple times. I bet if you put this guy on a shelf and let someone else take him home, that it will start working as new. Good luck bud.

EDIT: Just imagine if you had to sit through every episode of glee . . . . wouldn't you play dead too?
 
Last edited:
NerdDetective said:
Could there be something in the actual laptop casing that's causing a short?
Click to expand...

This is a possibility, however i'm not the most experienced in this game and i can't spot anything that could be causing an issue, i really don't know.

I'm actually considering taking it to a competitor and see if they can diagnose it, then just fix it myself.. almost certain the first thing they'll blame is the mobo and or jack though.

PCX said:
Glee? Why didn't you mention this earlier?

Your problem is that the laptop realizes that as soon as it starts working, that its going to have to sit and watch every episode of glee and probably multiple times. I bet if you put this guy on a shelf and let someone else take him home, that it will start working as new. Good luck bud.

EDIT: Just imagine if you had to sit through every episode of glee . . . . wouldn't you play dead too?
Click to expand...

I know what the poor laptops going through but he must not give up hope!! lol
 
Just throwing ideas out there, perhaps a component that has been consistently in the laptop for every part swap is the culprit.

Did you try disconnecting all drives and other non-essential (to turning on anyway) components, and then powering on with the known good motherboard, battery, etc. all installed?

Maybe try disconnecting the screen and seeing if you can get it to at least power on?

You could also try looking for any metal inside the casing that might have broken or bent and be contacting the motherboard.
 
NerdDetective said:
Just throwing ideas out there, perhaps a component that has been consistently in the laptop for every part swap is the culprit.

Did you try disconnecting all drives and other non-essential (to turning on anyway) components, and then powering on with the known good motherboard, battery, etc. all installed?

Maybe try disconnecting the screen and seeing if you can get it to at least power on?

You could also try looking for any metal inside the casing that might have broken or bent and be contacting the motherboard.
Click to expand...

I did try without the screen connected and nothing unfortunately :( and yeh i tried the removal of everything on a good known board, just no luck :(.

Jamie said:
Tried just booting the laptop board up with just the CPU in, and on the bench, ie not in the laptop chassis ?
Click to expand...

That's an idea i havn't tried yet. If i can even get the fans to spin then i know it's working so.

Off to strip it now ... will post results :)
 
Stripped the board down to bear minimum - just a cpu. No ram, cards, connectors anything. Exactly same result as always.

A large spark did fly off the DC jack when inserted the connector though. :S

Is there anywhere i can send this board with the jack to someone, maybe it can be diagnosed by a specialist. I just don't want to pay a lot.
 
CraiGDaniel said:
Stripped the board down to bear minimum - just a cpu. No ram, cards, connectors anything. Exactly same result as always.

A large spark did fly off the DC jack when inserted the connector though. :S

Is there anywhere i can send this board with the jack to someone, maybe it can be diagnosed by a specialist. I just don't want to pay a lot.
Click to expand...

Just to clarify, you changed the board for another one and does the same?
 
That's pretty strange. Once you've replaced the motherboard, jack, battery, and AC adapter with known good and then removed everything else from the equation, what physical components are even left from the original laptop?

Is there a bad cable between the motherboard and something else, maybe?
 
Perhaps i should get a used CPU for the laptop off ebay. One is currently listed for £6.90 (just under $10) on ebay buy it now. Worth ruling it out for $10 ?
 
Also if you have watched the video in the OP, could the CPU cause such a noise? Like an electrical beep/loop.? And also the CPU was migrated to the new board that experienced the same problem.
 
Last edited:
CraiGDaniel said:
Also if you have watched the video in the OP, could the CPU cause such a noise? Like an electrical beep/loop.? And also the CPU was migrated to the new board that experienced the same problem.
Click to expand...

just watched the vid, honestly dont know!

For the cost I personally would try a CPU.

That said, you are getting close to saying its a write off.

Sometimes its in the clients interest to say call it quits much as we love to try to save it. The time in it already must be much, if you could get it as a project going forward as such then yes, if client paying then I'd ask when is enough enough!

Really am curious on this but ... where does the time stop
 
DCGPX said:
just watched the vid, honestly dont know!

For the cost I personally would try a CPU.

That said, you are getting close to saying its a write off.

Sometimes its in the clients interest to say call it quits much as we love to try to save it. The time in it already must be much, if you could get it as a project going forward as such then yes, if client paying then I'd ask when is enough enough!

Really am curious on this but ... where does the time stop
Click to expand...

Thankfully this isn't a client's PC and i was given it by a relative! All expense and time has been my own.

Just severely frustrating i feel i've tried to get this working and i can't physically think what else could be causing this. Last thing to try is the CPU. if thats fails then it's going on ebay for parts i guess ?
 
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