Completely dead laptop problem.

chunter

I've been given a laptop which is not switching on.
Not at all. Not with mains supply. Not with the battery.
No lights at all.
Except a green light in the mains transformer unit.

When I uncouple the battery and re-slot it, an orangle light flashes once on the front of the machine. Then nothing.

Is it the transformer/pc lead, or is it a deceased motherboard?

It's a couple of years old (Xp key on it) Dell Inspiron 2200.

Suggestions welcome.

intel

Clean the connectors where the battery sits and the battery ones itself.
Try a dry Cotton woolbud.

chunter

Cheers Intel. Did that, no luck.

albertross_2

Follow this thread as well, similar problem..

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=122901

chunter

Cheers albatross, but at least they're getting a blank screen, and some kind of attempted boot
This one's doing absolutely nothing.

albertross_2

It sounds fatal. All I can suggest is to take everything out that is removeable out, and try again.

I have seen a transformer issue on some Dells, where it goes into a sort of "standby mode" and removing the kettle lead resets it, it's a very strange problem. Duff batteries can also stop it switching on, so try it without battery first. If it still doesn't boot, try reseating all the chips, put pressure on the keyboard with the palm of your hand.

If still no joy, then my guess is that it's either the transformer or motherboard.. Transformer is fixable, but a motherboard is going to cost.. Did it have a 3 yr warranty?

Do you get any beeps?

chunter

Thanks albatross,
I removed the battery. no change.
Took hard disk out (why not). No change.
No warranty.
No beeps.

No removable RAM in the thing, oddly..
Only one clip available too.

This is a Inspiron 1000, anyone know if this has on-board memory?

Browntoa

sounds like the first ram is locked in ?

see here

http://www.mikeshardware.com/reviews/dellinspiron1000/

Dell Inspiron 1000 sports DDR 266MHz PC2700 memory. you can add only 1 more chip giving you a total of 512mb

sounds like dead motherboard.....in which case cheaper to bin it and buy a new one, plug the hard disk into another pc to get any data you need

albertross_2

Running out of ideas now..it is beginning to sound motherboardy..

Just to clarify, it does it when you power up from the mains without the battery installed..?

If you take the KB off, then you could check the processor is seated properly?

or google "inspiron dead"

http://episteme.arstechnica.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/579009962631/m/863005416731/r/858007516731

Check the Dell forums, e.g.

http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=insp_general&message.id=176751

chunter

Cheers everyone, most helpful.
I'll borrow a Dell power lead & try that.

If not, it's a motherboard quest..