Trying to restore Acer laptop left it dead as a dodo

mrochester · 28 Dec 2009 at 17:30

Hi all

I've just been given an Acer laptop to fix as it was broken by the very first person to turn it on (battery died whilst in the middle of setting up Windows for the first time as they hadn't connected the power lead, so it now ends up in a constant reboot cycle). Anyway, I noticed that it had a hidden partition, which I assume contains the restore data as there was no DVD supplied to reinstall Vista. I had to Google what key to press to invoke the restore from this hidden partition, and having done so, I simply got a completely black screen. Now the laptop is completely unbootable - it switches on, the fan spins up, but the screen remains completely switched off, and the whole thing just sits like that forever and a day. My immediate temptation, if this had been a desktop PC, would be to reset the CMOS, but clearly this is impossible with a laptop.

Do you reckon this thing is as dead as a dodo, or is there any way to recover it from its current vegetative state?

Thanks

Michael.

CooK1E · 28 Dec 2009 at 17:59

The Acer laptops that I've touched tended to have two methods of recovery (presumably for if the HD fails) You can do a simple 'recover from HD' or if Acer (or you) have replaced the drive then a full one using the DVD's. They don't tend to ship the DVD, you have to create them the first time that you login.

From what I remember the shortcut key was something like Alt+f10 (or possibly F11) which brought up the recovery menu. However the last Acer that I did, which was displaying the same problems as your's was totally dead. Replaced everything I could on it it and never got any further than a black screen.

Might be worth taking the battery out and holding the power button in for 5 mins to clear the remaining power from the board. Sometimes this has been known to reset the laptop and allow it to come on correctly.

mrochester · 28 Dec 2009 at 18:33

Thanks for your reply. I've left the laptop running on battery till it goes flat and see if that resets it at all.

postmanfw · 28 Dec 2009 at 18:47

A cmos reset isn't impossible. Depends on the model.

Had to do it on a Toshiba once to clear a forgotten bios password. Involved finding 2 hidden contacts under ram slots and shorting them out with a screwdriver.

Might need a bit of dismantling depending on model

What model is it?

coupe69 · 28 Dec 2009 at 19:14

mrochester said:
Thanks for your reply. I've left the laptop running on battery till it goes flat and see if that resets it at all.

That won't reset the BIOS, a laptop mainboard is the same as a desktop mainboard, in that they all have CMOS batteries to retain the BIOS settings.

When you turn it on do you get any activity from the hdd LED?

Can you get into the BIOS at all, by tapping DEL or F2 as soon as you turn it on?

mrochester · 28 Dec 2009 at 19:50

coupe69 said:
That won't reset the BIOS, a laptop mainboard is the same as a desktop mainboard, in that they all have CMOS batteries to retain the BIOS settings.

When you turn it on do you get any activity from the hdd LED?

Can you get into the BIOS at all, by tapping DEL or F2 as soon as you turn it on?

I know, but it's really the only thing left to do before advising the person it belongs to to take it back for a refund. No HDD activity, just nothing but fan spinning, blank screen etc.

coupe69 · 28 Dec 2009 at 19:53

Hmm, sounds like a dead board tbh, have you tried reseating the memory?

mrochester · 28 Dec 2009 at 20:05

coupe69 said:
Hmm, sounds like a dead board tbh, have you tried reseating the memory?

I'd be amazed if it was a dead board since the damn thing had been working OK just the minute before (even though it wouldn't start Windows). I'm really not going to go as far as that as I think it should just be refunded and them get something else.

coupe69 · 28 Dec 2009 at 20:35

I'm also amazed when I go out to change mainboards in brand new laptops on a daily basis. Stuff fails such is life, unless there is something you've not told me then there is not a lot else it could be. You're not getting any hdd activity so it's obviously not posting, the only things it could be is

A: Memory has been dislodged which you could easily check on any laptop usually a case of removing one screw and the plastic protective cover.

B: CPU, highly unlikely though in fact I can't remember the last time I've had to replace a cpu in either a laptop or desktop, they're pretty solid nowadays.

C: The hdd could be totally knackered and stopping the laptop from posting, again you can easily take this out and check.

D: And most likely from the symptoms your describing the mainboards gone **** up. This is what I replace most of out in the field, usually at least one a day believe it or not.

E: Could be the battery have you tried running it just off the AC adaptor with the battery removed?

EDIT: Just realised it's under warranty, just get a refund or replacement then.

mrochester · 28 Dec 2009 at 22:20

coupe69 said:
I'm also amazed when I go out to change mainboards in brand new laptops on a daily basis. Stuff fails such is life, unless there is something you've not told me then there is not a lot else it could be. You're not getting any hdd activity so it's obviously not posting, the only things it could be is

A: Memory has been dislodged which you could easily check on any laptop usually a case of removing one screw and the plastic protective cover.

B: CPU, highly unlikely though in fact I can't remember the last time I've had to replace a cpu in either a laptop or desktop, they're pretty solid nowadays.

C: The hdd could be totally knackered and stopping the laptop from posting, again you can easily take this out and check.

D: And most likely from the symptoms your describing the mainboards gone **** up. This is what I replace most of out in the field, usually at least one a day believe it or not.

E: Could be the battery have you tried running it just off the AC adaptor with the battery removed?

EDIT: Just realised it's under warranty, just get a refund or replacement then.

Laptop finally started working again after the battery ran flat. I set about a new installation of Windows, but it gave me a BSOD at that point, and was back to the same not posting with completely blank screen. As it is a brand new laptop, bought as a Christmas present, I'm going to recommend they take it back for a refund (it was a special, one off purchase so no replacement possible) rather than me start faffing on with the RAM or hard drive.