Gateway Laptop won't start

[f1oored]

One of my friends (yes I have friends) is having some problems with their Gateway laptop. When I turn it on the fan comes on and the monitor turns on but remains completely black. The power light comes on and the "reading from modular device" indicator light comes on and stays on.

It is a Gateway 450SX4
Windows XP Home

I've starting it without the CD drive in and still the modular light stays on. Has anyone run into this before? Any ideas as to what might be wrong?

[PoonDoggy]

Try hooking up an external monitor to weed out video.

[f1oored]

Did that. Still no start up. I don't think it is booting at all.