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This is kinda wierd.
Old Pressario 1200 with W2k. Was working fine until today. System locked up on me, so badly I couldn't even turn the computer off. So, I removed the battery to shut the darn thing off then put it back in. Now it won't turn on, even when plugged into AC. Does this mean my batter just died, or could it be something else?
If the compute froze first, and than you took out the battery, the battery might be source of the problem. You might have taken the battery out at the wrong moment, maybe doing something as preventing the fan form working or soemthing which caued it to heat up and fry he ocmuter. If anything, I would first call for tech support and than get hte battery, cause an 89 cents call is a lot cheaper than 100 bucks.
Hi Angelic~
When it "froze" was it showing a display screen of any sort?
Was it attached to the mains?
Are you getting any lights or sound out of it at the moment?
Can you test the battery with a multimeter to see if it has any charge and what voltage/current is it giving?
A bit strange, as I would have expected it to "die" rather than freeze.
Cheers
Yeah, it froze first. It was already chugging away on memory as it was and evidently just finally locked up. That's when I couldn't power down, and the only option left was removing the battery.
So now the battery's back in, it's plugged into AC, and will not do anything at all when I hit power (and I can lay on the button all day). The only light that's on is the light acknowledging that it's plugged into an AC outlet. Unfortunately, we don't have a multimeter around here, that I know of anyway.
Hi Angelic~,
Does the battery light come on? I don't know that make/model. Even with a failed battery, I would expect it to run from mains, unless there is no bypass, and the battery is pretty badly damaged.
I am beginning to suspect a RAM failure as another possibility? although I would have expected some sort of bleeps from the BIOS perhaps? unless, of course it always booted silently? (I have an old Toshiba 486/75 that does that)
The battery in it does not hold much of a charge, but the mains light and the battery light both come on when I plug it in. The battery light starts orange to indicate charging, then goes green.
I find it hard to visualise such a catastrophic battery failure when the machine is not connected to the mains.............you generally get some prior warning?
Cheers
Nope, no battery light. All I have is the light for AC power. Wouldn't a RAM failure still allow the machine to power up though, just not boot properly? I'm getting no power whatsoever. I can hit the power button all day and the screen stays dead as a doornail.
Hi Angelic~,
I take that to mean that there is a battery charging light, but it doesn't come on?
That suggests that the battery is not getting power. I would remove the battery and darefully clean the contacts with isoproyl alcohol or trichoethylene (HDD or CD cleaning fluid :) ) Also clean the internal contacts in the battery compartment, use a q-tip or cotton bud.
It is possible that there is some oxidation of the contacts as the machine is old. When you put it back the oxisised surfaces may be the problem?
After you have done that, leave it connected to the main for a while and see if the battery gets warm (as you haven't got a multimeter) if it does, then power is getting to the battery, if not, then your power supply is suspect?................err I know you get the light, but that is probably power in?
You might also like to try it without the battery? sometimes inserting or removing a battery will activate a bypass switch, but that is pretty old technology :)
Cheers
The only time something like this happened to me was when I was working on a desktop in one of the school's computer labs (it had some really bizarre issue with not booting properly and it would run the lights on the keyboard in sequence). I was doing some work to see if it was some kind of BSI or something that caused it and was swapping hard-drives with another machine. Well, when the machines went back together, one of them refused to power up for some unknown reason. I tried and tried to get it working again (because it wasn't actually approved IT work, one of the teachers just wanted me to fix it then and there). I checked the machine, everything was connected properly, everything seemed to work right, when I plugged in the PSU, the fans would spin once or twice and then stop, but when I pushed the power button, no success. The next day (without anyone touching the machine), it was working perfectly fine. Looks like it could have been overheating on that machine, and maybe that's the case with yours. Just let it sit in a cool area for a while and then try to power it on again.
Hah!
I have just checked my old Toshiba. Because you removed the battery when it was in full flight you possibly "did it's 'ed in"
Look around it for a little hole marked "reset" and stick something (preferably non-conductive) in there and give it a poke.
It might be as simple as that?
:D
No, haven't you realized reasonable answers never solve my problems? ;)
Tried pluggin it in without the batter. No change. And can't find so much as a hint of a reset button either. However, I did find the serial #, so at least I can go bug HP about it now...
Well, I stumped the Compaq tech guy too! So it looks like I'm off to one of their service centers next...
Hi Angelic,
I just had a quick look at their support site:
So it should work without the battery? As for a reset button, I did not find any diagrams. If there is one, it will be a small hole about the diameter of a cocktail stick.Quote:
The battery will not charge unless the AC adapter is connected correctly and working properly.
Check to ensure that both the A/C power adapter and battery are securely seated. The A/C adapter should be connected to a power outlet or surge protector.
Test the A/C power adapter by removing the battery from the notebook, leaving only the power cable connected. The notebook should function normally when the power adapter is connected and the battery is not inserted.
Discharge the capacitors by disconnecting the A/C power adaptor cord, removing the battery, and holding the Power button for 30 seconds. Reattach the power cord, and turn the notebook on.
You might try discharging the capacitors? as suggested.
Good luck
:)
Yep, went through that with the tech support guy. She's till refusing to wake up, darn thing.
A few additional thoughts,
Have you checked if the battery gets warm? and can you attach something like a system fan to the power supply then power up and see if it runs (with the battery removed).
Have a look at the power switch itself, is it making contact, is it clean?
Is there a jumper switch to reset the CMOS?
As it is an old machine when did you last change the CMOS battery (if it has one)
Good luck
EDIT: Even without RAM and a processor, I would still expect it to try to charge the battery?
Battey's cold, and that's after the laptop being connected to the charger several hours.
As for the rest, I can't get inside the machine to check. Spent over an hour trying to get it open, but evidently it's not designed for anyone to get into.
Hi Angelic,
I have had a very similar problem with my daughters Presario. Which isn't so old. Looking at what has been posted on other forums it would seem that this is an issue. Although Compaq will not aknowledge it as such.
The problem looks as if it is the poweer supply and how it is rectified to recharge the battery. Compaq recon to fix this takes a new mother board but i fixed my daughters by giving it a gentle drop on to a hard surface. :D
Have a look at the lid to see if it is cracking around the hinge.
The hinge being the one by which the monitor flips up, right? No cracks, but one of the hinge coverings is missing.