Strange Problem - Acer Inspire 3100 - Very Puzzling!

[Mustapha01]

Hello everyone,

I'm a fairly experienced (desktop) computer tinkerer and am trying to help a younglady from a local university, with her new laptop dilemma.

In a nutshell, here's the issue:

The laptop will start-up just fine and will go as far as the Windows Xp login screen.

There is however, NO keyboard or touchpad response whatsoever! It is as though they're both disconnected; but, not quiet...

I've induced the laptop to go in "stand-by" mode, from the Windows Xp login window, by togling the tiny display switch, directly under the lcd screen. The unit will wake-up/come out of the stand-by mode, if any key is depressed on the keyboard. This tells me that the keyboard is connected (the fact that bios allows Windows Xp login screen to post also shows me that there is no keyboard error to cause a bios-halt.)

I've of course tried the Fn key approach (though I'm open to more suggestions) and I've tried plugging in a usb mouse etc. (utilizing a number of such devices that I know to be in good working order) and the result is always the same, no response.

This may indeed be a fairly simple issue yet, I have very little experience with laptop repairs and I can't say that I've had such an issue with a desktop unit.

Of course, due to non-responsive touchpad/keyboard problem, I am not able to access the bios itself.

Possibly someone out there has had a similar problem and I would very much appreciate any input, at this stage. Finals are approaching and I'd like to, if possible, get her computer back to her, relatively quickly. For the record, this repair is a freebee.

Thank you very much, in advance.

Mustapha
Cape Girardeau, MO

P.s., the manual of course is of no use and contains very little trouble-shooting info.

[mechbas]

I suppose the correct query is how much use has the machine had.
kbd errors can occur due to dirt and other debris in/or around the keys w/out bothering the BIOS support.

[lasher511]

If its a new laptop then i suggest either calling Acer and seeing what they have to say about the problem or sending it away for repairs. obiously the later may not be the best option especially with her finals coming up however if it is unable to be fixed easily then sending it away might be the only option especially if the repair involves tinkering inside the laptop which may void any sort of warunty that it may have.

[Mustapha01]

Hello,

Thank you both for your replies.

In answer to the first question, it is a fairly new laptop with very little useage. It is basically in great condition.

In answer to the second question, I'm also thinking that she'll have to turn to Acer for answers and unfortunately for her, finals will be in about four weeks.

Apparently she purchased the computer from New Egg and I think she'll just have to deal with Acer, directly.

I Tinkered with the laptop a bit more today and nothing doing. It is a strange situation and I can't even find anyone who've had a similar problem.

Thank you both.

Mustapha

[lasher511]

Sounds like it might just be a defect and it probably would be a good idea to turn to Acer at this point. Depending on how long ago it was that she acctually purchased the laptop she may be able to simply get a replacment from new egg and then they can deal with Acer.

I do know what it feels like to have these sort of things come up just before finals and its never fun so do wish her luck for me. I think that the sooner you start dealing with Acer the sooner you are likly to get a replacement.

[Mustapha01]

Thank you very much. :)

I've already sent-off an e-mail to Acer but, if the "nightmare" stories I've been hearing 'bout Acer co., is correct, it should be fairly "interesting..."

Thanks again.

Mustapha

[mechbas]

if possible, remove the drive and copy the necessary user created/project files for use on another machine at least while her new one is being serviced.

[Mustapha01]

Hello Mechbas,

Thank you for the hard-drive suggestion.

She stated that there was nothing important on the drive (she just needs the computer to be functional for her upcoming finals, as well as for her remaining term-papers - but, looks like she'll be spending lots of time @ the university computer labs...)

There's also concern about voiding the warranty by physically accessing (read: opening panels, etc.) the drive.

Mustapha

[ColonialWench]

I am having a similar problem but wiht a desiktop. I turn it on -- I get the "Dell" logo then bam -- just a blinking cursor. My hard drive is about 18 months. The PC is 4 years. I am out of warranty. Is it possible to open in safe mode just to get data off of harqd drive??? I appreiate any help any of you can offer!

[mechbas]

I DID NOT mean to open the drive just to remove the drive from the unit. there's nothing repairable in the drive itself.
ColonialWench: if all that you get is a blinking cursor then the OS is NOT booting at all. can't go any further unless you can describe WHAT kind of blinking cursor U have. for the immediate you apparently have some sort of drive error of which you've given insufficient data for.

[lasher511]

I would not mind hearing how you go with this we have had all our acer desktop machines NICs go recently and i may have to deal with them.

[mechbas]

lasher511: pardon, but I'm not following your query. go with what?

[ColonialWench]

Thank you. Truly all that is on the screen is a flashing cursor -- nothing else. Black blank screen -- flashing cursor. Do you think the hard drive will be ok? If I can just get it in safe mode, I will save my hard drive and buy anything but a Dell!!! I have had LOTS of problems! I really appreciate anything you guys can help me with!

[Mustapha01]

Hi Lasher 511,

Will do - I intend to follow-up here, with solutions (if any) gotten from Acer. Thus far, I've yet to hear from them but, it is still a bit early, I'll give them about a week or two and see what happens.

By the way, I would be interested to know if the NIC failures (if I'm correct in my assumption, your O/S is stating that there is no connection to the network) occured after a security patch was applied, to the individual machines on the network? To me, it seems like, this might be a software based issue. I've had this problem and often just had to install another NIC in place of the old (but perfectly working) card. Sometimes switching the position of the NIC, to a different slot also works (though not always.)

By the way, I'm assuming that, the Acer desktops in question all have NIC cards? If not and if NIC is on-board, the installation of a NIC card might also resolve the issue (I'm looking at such a machine right now, in my network.) Some may find this approach to be totally unnecessary and may prefer to work-through the problem via bios and various other software based approaches.

I'd be interested to hear from you, on this issue, as you work through it. Is it possible, if NIC is on mobo, that some-how it was disabled at bios-level? Unfortunately, this is not the case, with the particular computer, in my network and though it is possible that the onboard NIC would come-back to life, with a re-install of the O/S, for now, the addition of the network card has resolved the issue. (Device Manager, in this case, indicates no problems...)

Mechbas - Of course I did not mean that I would open-up the hard-drive itself (among the fastest way to ruin a perfectly good drive is to open it up!) I meant removing access panels, which may void the warranty. Some laptops have external seals and some have internal seals that break, if such panels are removed. If the manufacturer specifies that your device will be considered out-of-warranty, if opened; well, it is a good idea, not to open it. :) Besides, there is really nothing to indicate that there are any issues with the drive, it posts just fine, past bios, up to the Windows log-in screen, and only halts there because the issues with keyboard/touchpad preclude any input, on part of the user. (In other words, no keyboard/touchpad means one can not enter a password, for the account.) Thank you though for your suggestions, I very much appreciate them. I'll follow-up with the end-result, even if the end-result proves to be Acer recalling the unit for depot-servicing, etc. (Seems likely, this is what will happen, unless there's some sort of a ridiculously simple solution, that I've not thought of... which also is very possible.)

ColonialWench, I have a post, half-way edited, that I hope will help you with your computer woes. There're few things that we can try to resolve your dilemma. Unfortunately, I have to leave in a few minutes and will not be back until very, very late. I'll try to post as soon as possible. Hang in there! :)

Mustapha