Blank screen on boot

[tpuk57]

The other day I left my laptop on a kitchen chair after I had been using it. When I came back a while later the screen had frozen and the only way I could turn it off was to remove the battery. When I tried to turn it back on I heard the fan start and the HDD spin but the screen stayed blank. There were no bleeps no post screen after a few seconds the fan stopped spinning the power light on the switch stayed on but still a blank screen. I presumed the CPU had overheated and failed so ordered a replacement. Having installed it I am still getting the same problem. Tried taking out Ram and dvd drive,
Any suggestions please - could it be a failed mobo?

Laptop is an Acer Travelmate 2450 with 1.5 gb ram Win XP pro

As always any and all help gratefully received

TP

[Teknophobia]

Have you tried plugging in an external monitor to see if its the screen thats gone? Maybe a bad connection.

TEk

[tpuk57]

HI

Yes did try, that the monitor did respond and green light came on indicating it was getting a signal but still displayed a blank screen no post etc.

Could possibly be the graphics chip but don't know a) how to test it or b) how to replace it. Having thought it was the CPU and bought a new one don't want to buy any other parts unnecessarily.

[Teknophobia]

Sorry to say this, but you could be in a world of hurt. I tracked down the specs (http://www.tecno.cl/archivos/0201ACR...a_Usuario.pdf), and can see that the graphics (as expected) is integrated; indicating that it is possibly a mobo issue. If external monitor isn't working, then the on-board graphics has to be the problem. I take you've tried the blind test - logging in blind to see if there's any HDD activity? If there is activity, that would at least show that all other hardware is still active (and therefore your data); at least then you can salvage your data.

One more thing to try before giving up would be to use another PC to download and burn a copy of Knoppix (http://www.knoppix.org/). I think this is clutching at straws but I would certainly try it.

One more thing to try is to re-install your old CPU.

Sorry, no more ideas.

TEk

[tpuk57]

Just to clarify problem started before I changed the CPU - thought it was the CPU that had gone south. HDD is working and I can attach it to another PC and read my data.
Take it there is no way to replace the graphics chip - might have to look around for a new Mobo.
Couldnt get the link to the specs page to work just opened on the home page.

Thanks for the info though.

[Teknophobia]

Strange that link doesn't work - I got the same as you. But if you copy and past the link into a browser

http://www.tecno.cl/archivos/0201ACR...ia_Usuario.pdf

, it seems to work.

TEk

[Train]

I hit problems with it also.
Server probably down right now.

Or they have cut hot linking somehow.

[Teknophobia]

Sorry, should've said: right click said link and choose 'copy link location' then paste into new browser window. Just tested this working okay (unless it's picking up from my browser history?).

TEk

[tpuk57]

Every time I either paste or click on the link it reverts to the homepage in both IE and Firefox

[Train]

That site cannot be found is what i get.
Try later.

Tech, seems you are pulling from your tif.

[Teknophobia]

I think you guys are pulling my chain!

Try this: http://tinyurl.com/5mfv3g

TEk

EDIT: just understood what tif meant (temp int folder!) - thought it was an expression!!!! I opened that link in another browser (IE) - I use FF all the time.

[Train]

No, I was not pulling your chain. This to serious for that garbage.

tiny url Link works.

Double checked and the others do know also.

Server probably was being worked on. and waiting a hour or so did it usual good trick.