Laptop dead!! help! :-0

[radio1_mike]

Hey. I have a question. I've got a Dell Latitude C800 here @ work interfaced w/ an RT-PCR machine and a spectrafluorometer.

Anyways, on Monday, I was surfing around (for actual work-related reasons-- a first, practically!)-- when the video froze. I rebooted and then the laptop decides not to!!

I am in contact w/Dell through email, but their helpful hints aren't exactly helpful.

Here's a list of notables:

1) AC PS appears to fxn.
2) Battery is fully charged.
3) Laptop usually runs w/AC on and battery installed.
3a) Switching from AC to DC alone does not help.
4) Using reset button does not work.
5) Uninstalling AC, DC, CRUs and everything else does not help.
6) No particular item will stop a boot, it just doesn't.

What happens is:
a) I turn computer on.
b) Power light and drive light go on.
c) Then at the pt the system screen comes on, it doesn't.
d) It promptly shuts off.
e) The CPU/system fans never turn on.

What gives. Is the video dead? Would not at least something happen? Could it be some weird 'hibernate' mode?

help.
mummy.

[dunbar]

Sometimes there is a mechanical issue at work..... the thin ribbon-like cables coming from the main PC board, up through the hinge area and into the LCD area can get severed, or (more likely) they slip out of the socket. All that means a service trip, unless you have a properly certified repair person standing nearby.

But, after I re-read your post, I suspect something else has failed (memory, possibly graphics memory), or else laptops have different issues than I know about. Do you get any text at all on the screen? BIOS splash screen?

I would think if it were video related, you would get a beep code of some sort.

Sounds to me like it's down to the system board (mobo).

I think it's just chance you happend to be doing what you were doing when it happend. You could have just had it sitting there idle and it do the same thing.

[RAR]

We've had some Latitude CPi's that did the same thing. I just took the battery out and used only the ac plugged in. It worked for me, but I think this was a case of a dead battery that was stopping it from booting for some reason.

[radio1_mike]

Yah- that's the strange thing... No beep codes... Just <boop> and it's off.

It's just really strange.

It's dead but it's not.. It's like, "Hi. You turned me on, I am gonna turn myself off. Thank you very much..."

[Xeroid]

Could it be some weird 'hibernate' mode?

I used to have a Compaq from work that did that when hibernation ran amuck. I used to turn it off and pull the battery to revive it.

Mike

[radio1_mike]

Yah, I wish that was what would happen!

[cadetstimp]

Try removing the battery and use AC power only...

sometimes when a battery reaches the end of its life.. it can cause funny things to happen.

[Richard Cranium]

3) Laptop usually runs w/AC on and battery installed

This unit obviously requires the battery to be installed before it will run on AC power, I've seen this before.

What has happened is the battery has done one of two things;

1. Built a Memory
2. Died

If #1 is the case, do this.

I'm assuming the battery voltage is between 6-12v
Get a single filament 12v lamp, any type will do.
The maximum wattage I'd use is 57w [brake light bulb on car]
Solder a couple of wires to the bulb, perhaps 8" or so each.

Check battery voltage, make note.

Place the battery contacts in touch with the bare ends to light up the bulb.
Wait till bulb dims.
Cool battery in bottom of fridge 20min+
Recharge, note voltage*.
Cool battery if warm, note voltage*.

Discharge with lamp again.
Cool battery, note voltage*
Charge & note voltage*

I've revived camcorder batteries like this.

You may have to cycle through this a dozen times to get the amperage back up in the battery.

Noting the voltage will give ya an idea of when the charger cuts off and minimum voltages the battery cycles through.

*Note*
Do not "totally" discharge the battery, by watching the lamp till it gets very dim or just goes off, will leave some voltage in the battery.

Some chargers have a "conditioner" this wil discharge the battery for you.

This procedure only works with Nickle Cadmium.

Nickle Metal Hydride or Lithium Ion do Not need to be discharged.

[radio1_mike]

Originally posted by Richard Cranium


This unit obviously requires the battery to be installed before it will run on AC power, I've seen this before.

What has happened is the battery has done one of two things;

1. Built a Memory
2. Died

If #1 is the case, do this.

I'm assuming the battery voltage is between 6-12v
Get a single filament 12v lamp, any type will do.
The maximum wattage I'd use is 57w [brake light bulb on car]
Solder a couple of wires to the bulb, perhaps 8" or so each.

Check battery voltage, make note.

Place the battery contacts in touch with the bare ends to light up the bulb.
Wait till bulb dims.
Cool battery in bottom of fridge 20min+
Recharge, note voltage*.
Cool battery if warm, note voltage*.

Discharge with lamp again.
Cool battery, note voltage*
Charge & note voltage*

I've revived camcorder batteries like this.

You may have to cycle through this a dozen times to get the amperage back up in the battery.

Noting the voltage will give ya an idea of when the charger cuts off and minimum voltages the battery cycles through.

*Note*
Do not "totally" discharge the battery, by watching the lamp till it gets very dim or just goes off, will leave some voltage in the battery.

Some chargers have a "conditioner" this wil discharge the battery for you.

This procedure only works with Nickle Cadmium.

Nickle Metal Hydride or Lithium Ion do Not need to be discharged.

Thanks RC!

But it is a Lithium battery. The laptop can run alone on AC. And shuts off the exact same way if AC-powered or DC-powered.