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Laptop problems

Hi new to this so hope I give you enough info to help:o

Bought son laptop Sept 08 - acer aspire 5520G - started having probs Oct 09 (though I think they were earlier he just didnt tell me about it!) - so out of years warranty - Tesco not interested!
  • wont start
  • starts but gets no further and then restarts continuously
  • Managed to restore a few times but makes no difference
  • no internet connection at all
  • mostly now does either 1st or 2nd things.
So any ideas what it could be? If so need layman terms to guide me to do it:rotfl:If nothing possible - what are our options? I am loathe to write off £600 without a fight!

Mega Thanks in advance:A
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Comments

  • exup
    exup Posts: 1,235 Forumite
    see if you can try to start the laptop in safe mode. usually pressing F8 on the initial startup screen will take you to the boot menu where you can select safe mode. (I take it that you are running windows)
    Don't try to teach a pig to sing - it wastes your time and annoys the pig
  • CaptL-S
    CaptL-S Posts: 11 Forumite
    Hi
    ok We tried that and it only came up with launch window repair (recommended) & start windows normally, then it went off again. tried it again but it switched straight off.:confused:
  • CaptL-S
    CaptL-S Posts: 11 Forumite
    • Uses it a fair bit on the bed not so much on his knee.
    • If it does switch on then yes it does.
    • Not sure it could be the fnan or maybe something else noisy (he says the disc drive is very noisy)?
    • Slight breeze and heat - but does say it gets very hot!
    • Yes it does get considerably hotter than the rest
    Sorry to be pedantic but I have to answer each part separately for it to make any sense to me!:o
  • Sounds more like a software error to me. From my reading of the original post, Windows won't load and gets to a certain point and then possibly blue screens and restarts.

    Or when you say it starts, do you actually get to the log in screen?
    Northern Ireland club member No 382 :j
  • CaptL-S wrote: »
    • Uses it a fair bit on the bed not so much on his knee.
    • If it does switch on then yes it does.
    • Not sure it could be the fnan or maybe something else noisy (he says the disc drive is very noisy)?
    • Slight breeze and heat - but does say it gets very hot!
    • Yes it does get considerably hotter than the rest
    Sorry to be pedantic but I have to answer each part separately for it to make any sense to me!:o

    Maybe not a software error then! Does the noise start the moment it is turned on, or does it only start after it's been on for a few minutes. (Like after the length of time it would reasonably take to heat up?)
    Northern Ireland club member No 382 :j
  • CaptL-S
    CaptL-S Posts: 11 Forumite
    Hi again

    Sorry I thought I had replied to this last night - dont know where it has gone to!!:confused:
    Anyway it is so long since he has got it going he is not sure but thinks it is both - sorry that prob doesnt help with a diagnosis?
    In the meantime we have tried just to get it to start and are not having much luck with that - just lots of clicking then everything off ..... and then start allover again without us touching a thing.
  • CaptL-S
    CaptL-S Posts: 11 Forumite
    Thank you - can I be a pain and ask what I should expect to pay for this? I have no idea what would be reasonable though appreciate length of time has got to come into it.
  • closed
    closed Posts: 10,886 Forumite
    edited 3 January 2010 at 5:30PM
    If you hit F8, and go into safemode, leave it on a flat desk, does it shutdown?

    Got a Virus scanner?

    Reinstalled Windows?

    Rule out a software problem before assuming it's hardware and spending money.

    Clicking/clunking sounds like hard disk to me.
    !!
    > . !!!! ----> .
  • CaptL-S
    CaptL-S Posts: 11 Forumite
    Hi
    • Cant get to safe mode - did a system restore a while back but didnt last long
    • Free AVG virus scanner
    • No discs I am told to reinstall windows vista.
    Hope this helps - we will have a go with our limited ability:rotfl:
  • closed
    closed Posts: 10,886 Forumite
    Windows system restore, or full system restore to factory settings?

    If you haven't got the disks, you should have a restore partition.
    !!
    > . !!!! ----> .
This discussion has been closed.
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