I have a Compaq Presario 2100. My daughter dropped it from a desk and when I pushed the on button, the keyboard lights/fan would come on for a second then then turn off. The screen never turned on. I sent it to Compaq for warranty repair, but they said that I'd voided the warranty. Now that I've got it back, the keyboard lights/fan turn on for a second. Then turn off. Then turn on. Etc...

Help!

Could be a number of issues: loose CPU, cable(s) loose, RAM not seated properly, and any number of things that can happen when a system gets dropped.

My suggestion would be to either have a local tech look at it, or if all else fails you can contact someone who can walk you through the troubleshooting steps over the phone (which may or may not be free.) Since I don't know your technical abilities, I'd recommend having someone take a look at it for you.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help :/

I took the computer apart and disconnected/reconnected the CPU and RAM. Interestingly, when I booted the computer with the CPU removed it did the same blinking. Any other ideas? I could take it to a tech, but my experience is that they just start replacing expensive components (motherboard, CPU, etc.) until it works. Everything looked find inside when I popped the case.

If it's doing the same exact thing with the CPU removed from the motherboard, that might be an indication as to where the problem lies. CPUs are delicate, and it's entirely possible that it got cracked when the system fell/landed. If you remove it from the system and look at the underside (the side with all the copper leads) and notice any cracks, the CPU is shot. If you can't find any noticeable damage, that won't always means it's not damaged - you just can't see it.

As far as the techs go, if you tell them up front that you WILL NOT spend more than $xx on the repair, any reputable shop will still swap out the components until it works, and tell you how much it would cost to keep those parts in the system. If you tell them "no way", they should replace the existing components and only charge you for an hour (or so) of labor.

Aside from that, check the motherboard itself to see if you notice any cracks, blown capacitors, or any other damage to the board. It's very difficult to explain to you what to look for, since I usually don't have to think about it when I do it (yes, I've been doing this for a very long time :)

Bios chips are very sensitive with this board. It may be that it may be a electronic component on board. Not a novice fix and parts are hard to identify as far as I know the teks do not even have access to circuit diagrams. They just replace board . 400 plus dollars and 300 for the tek service. Check that all items hard drive cd-rom are seated properly and follow hp e-mail question response procedures.

I've got the same problem with mine, except i don't remember dropping it...

same problem with my 2100...I have been trying to figure out, but no luck yet. Did you guys solve your problem?

goodluck

In my case...the problem started when the notebook was running on battery. Xp was not reporting the remaining charge at all...after about an hour the computer just died without any warnings. when i connected the AC adapter, lights started flashing (keyboard lights, floppy light etc)...and absolutely no response to switch.

I have opened up the whole system, but cant figure out how to proceed...it looks like it should be something to do with the power circuit, but then thats part of motherboard. Any clues how to proceed will be appreciated

I had this same problem with a clients 2100 laptop. It turned out that the CPU was lose.
To lock the CPU the bracket must be slid to the right.