computer dead not hard drive

Well from experience, I know it's not my hard drive. I was using limewire and for a while it would go black in places and I could scroll over and it goes back to normal. Then it got worse, so in my research I found that the video driver may need an update (it seemed), however, the update from gateway didn't work. So them I uninstalled and put newest version, it got worse. It would, without a sound go black, as if in sleep. No noise from hard drive. I could hold down the power button and reboot for a month or two. Then one time, it would not go back on. So I just left it alone for a couple of hours and it came back on. I uninstalled limewire and used my computer as usual. I download mp3's from Amazon a lot, so right in the middle of a download, the computer goes blank, no extra sound, just as in sleep. It would not shut off from the power button, nor anything else, until I took the battery out and then of course it was off.

Since then, it will not go on. Just the initial thing where you hear the CD player noise and then just a quiet hum, that you can barely hear. You can't hear the regular boot up at all. I've tried it for the last couple of days and nothing. I know from experience that, it's not the hard drive. However, I could be wrong. I've had hard drives go bad and it seemed like there was always clues to the failing of the hard drive, like noises and such.

Well, I didn't mean to write a book about it, but I know someone will know the answer. You all are the bomb and I love this site.

Thank you, in advance
Wildflowergal rolleyes

 

Sorry for the spelling errors, I went passed the 10 minutes of edit time and the fixed part doesn't show up on my post :O) thanks for your understanding.

 

Thank you for answering my issue, it's gateway laptop bought a year and a half ago. It won't boot up at all. Black screen and no boot up noise, just a hum. I tried to put in a restore disk, but just a little noise and then nothing. I have an old laptop that didn't work so a friend gave it to me for parts, if I need any. Of course they may not be good either. I can take out the memory and the hard drives are the same as mine. It too is a gateway. It seemed to stem from a video driver problem that got worse until now, nothing. Is there a way to fix it myself? I'm pretty handy, but don't have any money to take it somewhere. Could it be the ram? If I can get it going, I can run all the virus scans or do a restore. It's worth it at this point and I won't ever use Limewire again.

Thank you so much, Deborah

 

Re: computer dead not booting up at all

I changed out the hard drive and nothing. Just wont boot up at all, just a hum and a little noise at first out of the CD player. Is there a jump-start thing I can do to spark some life out of it?

It is less than 2 yrs old gateway laptop model: MT3422 and a Seagate hard drive. I was told when I bought it that ACER had bought out Gateway and was a revamped company.

It started as what seemed to be a video driver issue, then got worse over a few weeks, until nothing. When the screen went black it seemed to go into sleep mode. I would power it off and it would always go back on. Then one day it wouldn't and now, I need help fixing it, if possible.:confused

Thank you for your help, Deborah

 

Thank you for that. So, it is more than the black screen. There is no boot up sounds at all. It's like it's in sleep mode, right from the first power on. I read somewhere that one can hook up somehow to the manufacture boot up utilities to get it started, some kind of utility download. I probably got it wrong. It defiantly is not booting up at all. Just the blue light goes on and you hear the cd rom do a little clicky thing for a second, then just a quiet hum you can barley hear. If it was the video chip, you should be able to hear the hard drive booting up, right? Or no? Thank you so much.

Deborah

 

Thank you, that sounds promising. I did do some changes to get the video driver to work, and it just got worse, till it suddenly went of, blank and so on and never would boot up again. I will try this and write back.

Thanks again, Deborah

 

Well I did the F1 and F2 tapping at power up and nothing changed. Then I did all the F buttons, just in case. And no change. Then I changed to an external monitor and nothing. Is there a special boot up utility cd? And where is the mother board on my laptop, what does it look like. Thank you

 

Black screen, won't boot up. Just power light goes on CD rom makes a brief noise then nothing, I've done the F1 - F12 tapping on start up, no dust and changed the ram around, battery in and out, press power button for 60 seconds, but nothing.

It all started when I would download music. Black parts when scrolling up or down then black screen random and a few weeks went by and it started going off on its own, to being as if in sleep. I would power off and on and it was fine, and then got worse until nothing would ever work again. Can you help with this? Could I need new ram or video card? I have been using a laptop cooler under to keep it cool also, don’t know if that matters or not.

I went to gateway and downloaded their video driver to see if that worked a few weeks ago, it seemed to even get worse after that. I really all happened from the beginning when I would be downloading music. Either from Amazon.com or Limewire.

If it was setting on the log in screen, I could hit enter and it always went on to windows. Never had a password. I did try this too. No, it’s in sleep or seems to be from the moment I hit the power button.

 

Oh, is there a reset pin hole anywhere on this? It's a MT4322 gateway laptop under 2 yrs old.

 

Ok, I took out the memory completly and powered up. No beeping at all, what does that mean? I can tell there is no communication to the hardrive, because it stays silent. Or would it be the mother board? I'm so sad, I really need my computer.

 

This post doesn't give much promise but describes your problem almost exactly. I haven't been able to find the threads the reviewer references about others with the same problem.

 

You are right, I have read other stories too. After I read your post, these computers are bad, just like the Acer computers, who I believe bought out gateway, I was told. I feel sick now. I for sure cant afford another computer nor a mother board. I guess the hard drive and memory must be good then. Thank you for all your help, to all.

Deborah

 

Ok, I think I can fix the problem on the motherboard. On youtube is the exact fix. It will be helpful for anyone having the problem, and I found out that many are. Most of the gateway laptops have this issue within 2 years and their still selling them. Here's the link to the fix, it's amazing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctHTF3oNdxI

If it works for me, I will be sure to come back and share. It's so simple and cheap. I have high hopes.

Thank you all for your help. You feed back has lead me to the answer, I'm going to fix this thing!

Deborah

 

Thanks so much, I will for sure let you know if it works. I have another old gateway from a friend that has the same symptoms. I will try it on that too. Thanks for the Geek designation, Deborah