Help, Laptop won't start!!

[Deleted User]

Hi,

can you do a system restore in safe mode?

Sea_Shell

CoastingHatbox said:

Do you have access to another computer?
Or a friend who is computer savy who could deliver a USB stick?

Does the black background have a movable mouse cursor on it?

Those beeps are probably communicating an error condition. I'll see if I can find a tech manual for your laptop and work out what they mean.

I wouldn't panic about buying a new laptop just yet. This situation, with a little help, is probably recoverable.

We have other devices (mobile and tablets), so the situation isn't critical...yet!

We have usb sticks, which some files are backed up onto, but they are the "large" USB rather than "small" like what the phones use.

It's mainly the access to my excel spreadsheets that I'm angsty about.

CoastingHatbox

Another Windows 10 machine is needed in order to create a Windows 10 install USB. Worst case scenario, I could look at creating one and posting it to you for the cost of USB stick and postage?

But first, we need to work out what is wrong with the laptop. Those beep codes you hear when you boot it up could be indicative of a hardware problem - and we need to work out what they mean. It could be hard disk or memory module gone bad - which (most likely) can be fixed.

Do you get those beep codes on every boot? Do you think you might be able to get a recording of them?

It would be useful to have the exact model number - this should be on a sticker on the underside of the laptop.

Thanks

grumpycrab

Sea_Shell said:

I tried Ctrl alt del, and the Acer symbol flashed up with a press F2 option, which I did, but that takes me to a strange menu. 
InsydeH20 setup utility rev 3.5.

Disk might be knackered (or corrupt).  The first Insyde (BIOS!) screen should have a line that lists the disk drive. If you can see that line, then the disk is at least recognised by the computer. If you start and stop the laptop 3 times, Windows10 will start in recovery mode (if it can!) and give you some recovery options...

J_B

Sea_Shell said:

How do you do a clean reinstall of W10 if the laptop isn't doing anything.   I haven't got any disks or anything, it was a downloaded upgrade.

If, as someone has suggested, the HDD may be failing, then you could easily fit a replacement disk, but get an SSD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkRr1pVISj4

and then reinstall W10 onto it, but you would need another machine with USB to do download the initial W10 iso onto, to use.

Plenty of folks on here can advise/assist

Sea_Shell

Thanks for all your help, but this is getting a bit (alot) above my pay grade.

I was hoping it would be an easy DIY fix.

I've found a local repairer who seem to have good reviews and have been in town years, so will give them a ring tomorrow.

J_B

Sea_Shell said:

Thanks for all your help, but this is getting a bit (alot) above my pay grade.

Understood

Sea_Shell said:

I was hoping it would be an easy DIY fix.

Well, I think it is, but I've done it before!

Sea_Shell said:

I've found a local repairer who seem to have good reviews and have been in town years, so will give them a ring tomorrow.

Maybe the simplest option if you're not confident, but please do come back and report!

a

Sea_Shell said:

Thanks for all your help, but this is getting a bit (alot) above my pay grade.

I was hoping it would be an easy DIY fix.

I've found a local repairer who seem to have good reviews and have been in town years, so will give them a ring tomorrow.

Ask your repairer if he has ever removed a bios, reprogramed it and resoldered it back in, because it sounds like a corrupt bios. If he does not have a soldering iron, and hot air run away

He (or you?) may get really lucky with disconnecting it from the mains, removing the battery, removing the watch battery, short out the watch battery terminals on the circuit board then try to turn the laptop on by pressing the power button for 30 seconds,  then put both batteries back and put the mains cord in.

If you want a repair rather than a fix, google 'micro soldering' and the name of your town. Some only do phones, but most do both circa £160+ for inner london to about £45 for some other parts of the uk

HereToday

a said:

Sea_Shell said:

Thanks for all your help, but this is getting a bit (alot) above my pay grade.

I was hoping it would be an easy DIY fix.

I've found a local repairer who seem to have good reviews and have been in town years, so will give them a ring tomorrow.

Ask your repairer if he has ever removed a bios, reprogramed it and resoldered it back in, because it sounds like a corrupt bios. If he does not have a soldering iron, and hot air run away

He (or you?) may get really lucky with disconnecting it from the mains, removing the battery, removing the watch battery, short out the watch battery terminals then try to turn the laptop on by pressing the power button for 30 seconds,  then put both batteries back and put the mains cord in.

If you want a repair rather than a fix, google 'micro soldering' and the name of your town. Some only do phones, but most do both circa £160+ for inner london to about £45 for some other parts of the uk

Seriously? Removing or replacing BIOS chip?
No. There would never be a need for such a procedure, other than to recover from a bad flash.
In this case you would simply run a BIOS recovery if it turns out to be a corrupt BIOS set up.

I actually thought I already posted here on what to do. Must have neglected to press the Post Comment button. Won't bother to do it again. I can imagine the repair shop will take the path of least resistance. Not many know how to do a BIOS recovery.
Has the RAM been removed, cleaned and tested one by one?

Sea_Shell

Well I rang them, and I'm hopefully going to drop it into them today.

They've been in business in town for over 15 years, so I'm pretty sure they know what they're doing.  Lots of positive reviews, praising them by name.

If it can't be fixed, then we'll probably go for a refurbished replacement.