laptop dead, very frustrating attempt to fix! anyone got a spare CPU i can test with?

[hsncool]

hi, im usually very good with computers, hardware wise, and can easily fix anything. (wen i say fix, i mean figure out which, and then replace the component thats causing the issue.

my girlfriends laptop has died, and i need to fix it...

the problem was, on powering, the led's would light up on powerlight, hotkeys and webcam, and u can hear hdd/dvd...etc initializing, but no display.. after about 5 seconds, the cpufan audiobly[realword?:s] speeds up further, but still no display or hdd activity, and then 5 seconds later, it restarts. this process loops forever until u power it off yourself.

atfirst, i thought it will jus be the motherboard, serves me right for buying an advent! its out of the years guarantee, so i lukd on ebay, new mobo's are around £100, but found a used, but tested and working one from a member who mainly sells motherboards for a large range of laptops, new and used (micro-mart???). it was £60. i have literally no money at all right now, in a lot of debt temporarily untill 2/3 months time, so i purchased this.

after painstakingly replacing the motherboard, i find the computer still not working. it doesnt even do as much as previous motherboard, it just gets to the initial 5 seconds as stated above, and then powers off itself.

contacted the ebayer, he said it has been tested and should be fine. i said i would test a different cpu/ram and see if it worked, if not, i would be returning it, and he is fine with that.

tried the ram in my computer, as suspected, its fine, even tried my ram in the laptop, no joy.

havn't got a cpu to test the motherboard, so wondering if any1 near derby at all could loan me 1, its a p7350, fsb clocks at 1066 me thinks, but any cpu of same socket should be fine, to which i will find out what is....

but i wanted to know, are the results im getting upon booting normal for dead cpu's or is this more of a bad motherboard problem? i cant understand whats wrong with it.

also, i recently bought a compatable powersupply for it as original broke. it was a cheap 1 off ebay, could this be what killed the laptop if it was the motherboard? has this possibly killed the new1 too? ive tested the adaptor, it is givving out the correct voltage and current.

anyone who can guide me at all, would be appreciated.

laptop is an advent 5511, spec sheet here... http://www.uktsupport.co.uk/advent/laptop/5511.htm

thanx hexusions!

[killie99]

I'm confused about this bit:

"tried the ram in my computer, as suspected, its fine, even tried my ram in the laptop"

Laptop memory will not work (won't actually fit) in a desktop pc (unless you have some mini ITX type unit).

You sure you've put it all back together properly as it's very easy to get something wrong putting it back together. You seated the heatsink/fan assembly properly? Have you tried connecting an external monitor to the laptop? What happens if you leave the ram out completely - do you get any beep codes? Leave the hard drive and cdrom disconnected, what happens?

[hsncool]

sorry, i just have a habbit of saying "my computer"
my computer is also a laptop, t8100cpu runnin at only 800mhz fsb, but they both have ddr2 ram, its the same memory. the broken laptop's ram works in mine fine, and if i put my ram into the broken laptop it still doesnt work.

yeah, im sure ive put it back together properly, i even dissassembled and reassembled, and i was grounded too! lol
ive tried without hdd n optical, as i thought they may be the problem and it should still boot without them, still no joy.
tried a monitor before i changed the motherboard, still no display, havnt tried with new 1 as it turns off itself within 5 seconds so don't see the point. i dont suspect the screen bein at fault anyway as i replaced it myself only a month or so ago after she dropped the laptop and cracked the screen.

ill try without ram, see how it reacts, but is it meant to beep? mine doesnt even beep wen no ram. also, as ive stated, ive tested the ram so it cant be the ram :s

[Kumagoro]

It is very unlikely to be the CPU I think. What you describe sounds more like a GPU failure and
needs a reflow. Its the same prob as the RROD for Xbox and YLOD for PS3.

[hsncool]

so my new motherboard has the same problem as the last? sounds very unlikely?? :s

[Kumagoro]

Its even more unlikely to be the CPU but you never know. GPU's needing a reflow is
quite common, just look up HP DV9000 series, those ones are notorious.

If you can get hold of a hot air gun it might be worth giving it a try, personally I would
send it to some online repair company who do reflows using machines like a jovy. That
costs about £100 inc del and return and a lot of them charge only a minimal fee like £25
if they cant fix it.

[hsncool]

in which case, surely its more cost effective to just return and exchange the motherboard for a new 1?