Need some help from those that are computer literate - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

j0n · 09-23-2007, 10:42 PM

My computer is a piece of ****. It's a toshiba satellite laptop, and used to work great. Now, after all the porn i guess, the damn thing almost never starts. If i push the button to turn it on i get a really loud sequence of beeps, and nothing comes on the screen. Then, if i wait for the fans to come on and push/hold the on/off button till it turns off, then pull the power cord out of the computer and push the on/off button the computer will start up. Any ideas?

12secondv6 · 09-23-2007, 10:46 PM

Yup.

I have many years with a computer background.

I have turned on/off many computers.... and had many error messages pop up... and things break/ go wrong..... and I have always fixed those problems.

Simple hammer or kick it repeatedly will solve all problems....

Tru2Chevy · 09-23-2007, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j0n

My computer is a piece of ****. It's a toshiba satellite laptop, and used to work great. Now, after all the porn i guess, the damn thing almost never starts. If i push the button to turn it on i get a really loud sequence of beeps, and nothing comes on the screen. Then, if i wait for the fans to come on and push/hold the on/off button till it turns off, then pull the power cord out of the computer and push the on/off button the computer will start up. Any ideas?

How many?

- Justin

j0n · 09-23-2007, 10:51 PM

now that i have it started im afraid to turn it off for fear that it wont turn back on. I want to say....beep (pause) beep beep beep (pause) beep beep. But im not entirely sure. After I turn the comp off tonight ill try and get it to **** up and count the beeps and try and turn it on afterward and post. otherwise ill post up the number of beeps tomorrow from a school computer

WildBillyT · 09-23-2007, 11:15 PM

j0n, older computers have beep codes that signify what's wrong. It was an early way to troubleshoot components inside the compy. Thankfully a lot of modern motherboards have gone to LEDs and such.

Sometimes the code is proprietary, so you have to look up what the code means for your particular motherboard.

bobb1589 · 09-24-2007, 01:21 AM

how far does it get into the boot sequence? does anything come up on the screen? couple possibilities... either something wrong with the motherboard... or your memory could be bad

j0n · 09-24-2007, 01:22 AM

when it does the beeps nothing comes up on the screen. nothing at all.

j0n · 09-24-2007, 03:04 PM

the beeping is as follows: "beep (pause) beep beep beep (pause) beep beep beep (pause) beep"

JW · 09-24-2007, 03:25 PM

8 Beeps

(AMI) Video card or video memory problem

And the fact that you said nothing comes up on the screen points to the video card also.

JW

j0n · 09-24-2007, 03:49 PM

ok so whaduigottado? buy a new video card? is it easy to install?

Tru2Chevy · 09-24-2007, 04:27 PM

well, the problem is that on about 98% of laptops, it's pretty much impossible to swap video "cards" because they usually consist of just the video chips soldered to the mainboard.

- Justin

j0n · 09-24-2007, 04:30 PM

so i should get a new laptop?

GP99GT · 09-24-2007, 05:48 PM

you may be able to swap it out, sometimes theyre not soldered on, rather the socket is soldered onto the board and you can unplug it. i wouldnt suggest taking it apart if you dont feel confident you can put it back together....its really not that hard to take a computer apart though.

jims69camaro · 09-24-2007, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GP99GT

it's really not that hard to take a computer apart though.

no, the difficulty usually lies in putting it back together. a totally new computer is not necessary. you could upgrade your motherboard and processor, and thereby your video "card" all at the same time. that is, if you feel confident you can get it back together correctly. no, there is no such thing as "extra spare parts" like there sometimes is with cars...

Tru2Chevy · 09-25-2007, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jims69camaro

no, the difficulty usually lies in putting it back together. a totally new computer is not necessary. you could upgrade your motherboard and processor, and thereby your video "card" all at the same time. that is, if you feel confident you can get it back together correctly. no, there is no such thing as "extra spare parts" like there sometimes is with cars...

More difficult here Jim, this is a laptop we're talking about.

- Justin

jims69camaro · 09-25-2007, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tru2Chevy

More difficult here Jim, this is a laptop we're talking about.

- Justin

i unnerstan dat.

the MB should come out as one piece, and then give him access to the processor, vid "card", memory, and whatever else he wants to change. that is, of course, if he feels confident in putting it back together.

it's a different world in a laptop, that much is for sure. space constraints have made the engineers do some strange things to get everything to fit... kind of like the people who put the engines in the 4th gen f-bodies - you know, to change the plugs you have to disassemble the dashboard...

j0n · 09-25-2007, 09:27 PM

Anyone want the laptop? I've decided to buy a new one.

BonzoHansen · 09-25-2007, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j0n

Anyone want the laptop? I've decided to buy a new one.

If you're just throwing it out the window, I'll take it.

j0n · 09-25-2007, 09:37 PM

heh...funny guy. I'll throw it on ebay before I throw it out the window