My laptop blew up - anyone got a cheapo one?

[guydewdney]

sort of classifieds - but also IT support...

dell Latitude thingy.

bluescreend on me several times...

Re-installed windows XP home (yuk)

worked Ok for a few days - started getting bluescreens (IO error)

now wont boot - gets to bios load screen, then (as i was trying to ree load xp prof with a full format) - gets to 'press button to load from CD' - do so - nothing. blinking cursor (for an hour)

hmmm - trying (as I type on another pooter) the old drive-in-the-freezer trick...

if it doesnt work

a) anyone got any better ideas?

b) anyone got a cheap basic laptop up for grabs (must have 15 mins of battery ability). Used purely for surfing and MB EPC cheeep - like the budgie

c) anyone want a dell latitude for spares - good battery (3/4 hour at a guess), good unscratched screen. etc...

Guy

 

[drifting]

I assume you have tried another Hard disk?

If it is a right off, I know someone who will buy it for spares. Out of curiosity, what processor does it have?

Paul.

 

[Ian B Walker]

I am not having a dig, more of a giggle really but whenever someone here says that they are having grief with this or that someone always wants to buy the carcase. I am the same, so that makes me a vulture too. Please, please dont take offence as non is intended. Just smile and agree / dissagree.

Enter Glojo, he is bound to have something to say, usually does

 

[Tan]

sort of classifieds - but also IT support...

dell Latitude thingy.

bluescreend on me several times...

Re-installed windows XP home (yuk)

worked Ok for a few days - started getting bluescreens (IO error)

now wont boot - gets to bios load screen, then (as i was trying to ree load xp prof with a full format) - gets to 'press button to load from CD' - do so - nothing. blinking cursor (for an hour)

hmmm - trying (as I type on another pooter) the old drive-in-the-freezer trick...


Guy

Have you run a windows update on it recently?

We had a similar situation with a laptop in the office the other day, it went wrong after the windows update. I will ask around tmr as to what the fix was.

 

[fuzzer]

reset the bios? or reseat the cd rom drive if its removable?

 

[guydewdney]

it fires up the CD ok - reads it fine.. just nothing when you click 'install windows'

literally - just the blinking cursor in the top left. not HDD noises..

Tried re-seating the memory.

Have a replacement temp HDD 'on order' off a couple of mates - when they find somthing to try (I dont want to buy one in case its the whole m/c thats dead..

Its a delll latitude C540/C640, model number PP01L

um - has 512 ram...

possibly a 1.7Ghz?

DVD drive..

TBH - i didnt really care - all i used it for was writing rubbish on here... I take no offence at the vultures, if it keeps someone elses lappy working, then its done well - im all for re-cycling...

 

[grober]

Sounds like a hard disc problem or bios backup battery problem?? http://www.cellpacksolutions.com can make you a replacement battery for about £20 if its that have you tried http://www.clonesuk.com/ for parts/repair.

 

[Sp!ke]

Thats a good laptop Guy... Its a P4 1.7Ghz... Its still worth money as its still faster than most Pentium Ms out there. A bit heavy but £1000+ in its day.

PM me your address and Ill send you the Dell diagnostic CD which should pinpoint the fault.

However, the most common thing to go wrong on these is HDD's. These 2.5" drives rarely last much more than 12 -18 months so I suggest its worth spending the money on a replacement one. (Not much money actually) If it turns out not to be the drive then you can always stick it in a USB HDD caddy and use it for other things.

Check the Tag number on Dell's Web site... It may still be under warranty as D640's are only 2 years old and often came with three years warranty - in which case Dell will send you a new HDD next day FOC.

 

[Wully]

The things you mention are not too bad, Latitudes are solid laptops had several over the years.

This may sound silly but is the XP disc your using bootable and is the bios set to boot from cd?

 

[Tan]

The master boot record was corrupted on the machine in our office that showed similar symtoms.

 

[guydewdney]

Thats a good laptop Guy... Its a P4 1.7Ghz... Its still worth money as its still faster than most Pentium Ms out there. A bit heavy but £1000+ in its day.

Check the Tag number on Dell's Web site... It may still be under warranty as D640's are only 2 years old and often came with three years warranty - in which case Dell will send you a new HDD next day FOC.

um - turns out its a 2 gig P4!

And its still undr warranty! yeah!

'your call is important to us, please stay on the line....'zzzzzzzzzz

 

[Sp!ke]

um - turns out its a 2 gig P4!

And its still undr warranty! yeah!

'your call is important to us, please stay on the line....'zzzzzzzzzz

They'll prolly want you to run the Diagnostics CD before sending out a HDD.

Don't forget that it could also be the old Dell I+O+P key issue synonymous with the C series latitude.

 

[Shude]

A colleague of mine had a laptop that was out of warranty and developed a screen fault - claimed on household insurance and ended up with a brand new Toshiba, no extra costs at all. Worth thinking about!

 

[guydewdney]

eventually got through to a bored chap, possibly on the other end of the world, in a warmer country with possibly a penchant for curry....

anyway - turns out the 60gb western digital HDD isnt the original - and thus isnt covered..

Back to borrowing somthing to see if its the hdd or the lappy itself.

Thanks for all the help so far!

 

[Sp!ke]

I so happen to have a pile of old dead drives from C640 latitudes. Tell me what size your original one was and I'll pop it in the post to you

 

[rees_A]

If you get stuck or need help, I can take a look at it for you. From what you are saying, it sounds like a faulty HDD. These can be purchased quite cheaply from ebay.

As I said, if you need help pm me ..

Alan