Dead Inspiron Laptop, blank screen, urgent

[abboud]

I have a Dell Inspiron 6400 laptop, 1.5 years old. I have been having some VGA problems since 6 months: laptop hanging due to infinite loop caused by the VGA process (ati2dvag). But it was gone since 3 weeks.

Now the Laptop isn't booting, yesterday it gave the same symptoms but after waiting for 10 seconds i saw the Post screen and it booted normally. But now it doesn't, I get this after hitting the power button:

Power light turns on. All fans run normally. Nothing on monitor, absolutely black. HDD led lights initially at startup for about 1 second and doesn't light up again no matter how long I leave the Laptop. HDD spins like normal. DVD writer led's come on, checks for media present and spins up when it is like normal. No POST beeps at all.
... and that's the state it just stays at, fans running, HDD whirring faintly, no HDD light, power light on, blank screen until I press the power button to turn it off.

Basically, I think it is the VGA but how to check this to be sure? The laptop is out of warranty, so I don't mind disassembling the Laptop. If you have any ideas please let me know. DO you think that removing the CMOS battery might help?

Many thanks to any help

[DenisOxon]

Hi,

Have you plugged in an external monitor ? Then switched to it with correct function key ?

Have you tried contrast and bightness keys ? (Sometimes they are on side of screen)

Denis

[abboud]

Hi Denis,

Actually I can't even use the function key, so i cant switch to external display or change the brightness.
Because the bios is not booting, nothing works, Actually, nothing I press does anything.

I think its a hardware problem, It is not POSTING so it is either the CPU the VGA or the motherboard, but how to really know.

PS. I have a Laptop

Thank you for your help

Abboud

[cguan_77]

try removing the memory card then power it on, in this way it will reset the CMOS, put back your memory card check if it will help....

[abboud]

Updated info:

I managed to reset the CMOS by removing the battery for about 20 mins or so. Then i was able to see the POST screen for some time and then nothing happened, after some on/off routines, it booted normally :-). It is up since 2 hours now, I will keep my fingers crossed. However, my D: partition is inaccessible. I have been battling with recovery software to try and restore it.

Does anyone know how to restore a partition after a system crash. All the files are there (I can see them using R-Studio recovery), but windows isn't able to access the partition.

Thanks

[DenisOxon]

Updated info:

However, my D: partition is inaccessible. I have been battling with recovery software to try and restore it.

Does anyone know how to restore a partition after a system crash. All the files are there (I can see them using R-Studio recovery), but windows isn't able to access the partition.

Thanks

Glad to hear you have progessed. To get best answers I suggest you start a new post for this part. People who have already read your original question will not return, and therefore miss new question.

Denis

[abboud]

Hi all,

After my Laptop functioned normally for 2 days. Today it refused to boot again. Showing the same symptoms as before, (blank screen no posting). After some On/Off routines, it worked.

But this is becoming really frustrating, I am not able to figure out what exactly is the problem.
Currently I am writing my Masters thesis, and I really need to solve this problem to be able to sleep well at night.

Thanks to any suggestion
Abboud

[cguan_77]

hi abboud, try to replace your CMOS batt with a new one it will cost only a few pennies..regarding your bad partition try to remove your hdd and use a usb external hard drive plug it to another pc, check if you got luck to retrieve your data.. Good luck

................
Fail to use alternatives..means loosing all chances

[abboud]

Hi cguan_77,

Thanks for the reply. I will change the CMOS battery, hopefully it is the cause.

As for the bad partition, I was able to retrieve it using TestDisk. Thanks for the suggestion however.

Abboud

[drek_67045]

my laptop is doing the same thing except i have had no luck getting it past that point and according to HP it doesn't have a battery for it
i have a ze4365us they keep telling me its my motherboard i don't think it is it
anyone have any ideas since mine is doing the same thing as his?

[Lewis1337]

Thanks x10000000. I tought my laptop was dead when I saw the never ending black screen. I removed ram and put it back and it worked.

Thanks again.