Tech: Computer would not come on and then did

Subject: Tech: Computer would not come on and then did
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 09 May 15 - 06:38 PM

This can go below the belt if desired. I turned on my computer this morning, it flashed the dell logo and then nothing but a cursor. tried again and again. called my online support. they had me try different things and nothing. told me to reinstall OS and of course I had no disks since this was my sister's Computer has had a couple of crashes lately and got dropped on the floor and battery came out but it has worked fine. So anyway, a morning of no computer, and then it spontaneously came on..did not connect to internet so they had me do a system reboot and then it worked fine. of course i am afraid to turn it off..any ideas?

Subject: RE: Tech: Computer would not come on and then did
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 09 May 15 - 08:40 PM

I'm not really following what you are saying but what I think I'm reading as an intermittent fault is a nightmare. Never works or always does this tends to be easier than sometimes this does/doesn't happen.

Can you tell if the Operating System (I'd guess in your case Windows which I don't use but someone else may be able to pick up on from here) starts to load before the computer gets stuck?

Subject: RE: Tech: Computer would not come on and then did
From: GUEST
Date: 10 May 15 - 02:46 AM

Every computer I've ever owned has had quirks of some kind. If it doesn't happen too often, I just ignore it.

Not that this is necessarily your problem, but just to illustrate the finicky nature of the beasts: If I forget to remove a flash drive from my desktop when shutting it down, it will do exactly what you described when I try to start it up again. There'll be a moment of panic, thinking the computer has died, and then I'll remember to remove the flash drive and re-boot.

Subject: RE: Tech: Computer would not come on and then did
From: GUEST,DaveRo
Date: 10 May 15 - 04:27 AM

GUEST wrote: If I forget to remove a flash drive from my desktop when shutting it down, it will do exactly what you described...

Do you ever want to boot from a flash drive? If not go into the bios settings and change the boot order. Booting from flash drives that may have been in other people's computers is a a security risk.

Subject: RE: Tech: Computer would not come on and then did
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 10 May 15 - 04:41 AM

In other words: try unplugging all USB plugs before booting. Your computer may be OK and just waiting forever for the USB device to respond. Do not forget to replug them when the OS is up, e.g. your modem.

But then, the Dell support will have told you that.

Subject: RE: Tech: Computer would not come on and then did
From: mg
Date: 10 May 15 - 02:51 PM

Thanks all. My sister gave this to me when her family did not need it. No flash drives inserted but inoticed a little skandisk poking out. No idea what is on it but could that be a factor?

Subject: RE: Tech: Computer would not come on and then did
From: mg
Date: 10 May 15 - 02:53 PM

Are there any rock solid laptops that are very reliable? I dont do anything especially brilliant on them...

Subject: RE: Tech: Computer would not come on and then did
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 10 May 15 - 03:41 PM

1. Yes 2. No

Subject: RE: Tech: Computer would not come on and then did
From: GUEST
Date: 10 May 15 - 10:46 PM

A ScanDisk is just a flash drive that uses a different interface (though you can buy an adapter that will allow you to plug it into a USB port). Definitely could be the problem.

Computers have continually gotten more stable, so a newer one may be better in that regard. But hardware and software manufacturers are always coming up with new ways to confuse even the newest machine.

Subject: RE: Tech: Computer would not come on and then did
From: Thompson
Date: 11 May 15 - 03:09 AM

Back up your stuff.

Subject: RE: Tech: Computer would not come on and then did
From: Mr Red
Date: 11 May 15 - 03:34 AM

Without doing exhaustive tests, you may never know. Could be a LiOn battery nearly dead. There may be a dodgy solder joint, or connection.
1) remove all external devices, USB, Sandisk, eSATA, eSATAp, dongles, etc.
2) keep the battery charged if it is a laptop, especially before switching on. My Vista laptop is in that state now. The Win7 is heading that way.
3) It might benefit from strong tape to prevent the battery from wiggling, Duct Tape may be untidy but it does hold. I have used Kapton tape because I have some, it is better at being unobtrusive.
4) once it works don't move it too much.
6) while it is on and working, back up everything you value, regularly.
7) which begs the question about plugging-in USB, Sandisks again - one at a time, see if it mis-behaves.

Subject: RE: Tech: Computer would not come on and then did
From: GUEST,DaveRo
Date: 11 May 15 - 03:42 AM

skandisk? scandisk? sandisk? If this is an SD card it's unlikely to matter; most laptops cannot boot from them. And as for USB memory sticks you rarely want to boot from them either, so as I said disable the facility to boot from USB unless you know why not.

My guess is that something was lossened when it was dropped. The parts of a laptop - keyboard, display - are joined by 'ribbon connectors' which easily come loose and cause the machine to stop during the boot sequence. Some emit beeps or display codes to identify the fault. I would take it apart and rebuild it. Oh, hang on, it's a Dell not a Thinkpad! I'd throw it away.

And take Thompson's advice. Now.

Subject: RE: Tech: Computer would not come on and then did
From: GUEST,Don Day
Date: 11 May 15 - 11:34 AM

This is a perrenial problem from the Eighties. The source of the anguish is Microsoft, the biggest scourge of the computing era. Just go for a Mac. Spend some money and I can virtually guarantee you will have no major problems. The original is always the best.

Mg, the answer is a MacBook. Go-on shell out the extra cash and you will see.

Don

Subject: RE: Tech: Computer would not come on and then did
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 11 May 15 - 11:48 AM

The most important advice: never take any advice blindly, particularly from laymen like me.

(Microsoft? Guilty of many crimes, but hardly responsible for failed boot attempts from USB devices that contain no Windows.)

Well, Thompson (11 May 15 - 03:09 AM) is of course right.

Subject: RE: Tech: Computer would not come on and then did
From: GUEST,DaveRo
Date: 11 May 15 - 12:40 PM

GUEST,Don Day wrote: ... go for a Mac. ... I can virtually guarantee you will have no major problems.

Even after dropping it on the floor, like the OP? Well at least the battery won't fall out I suppose.

Subject: RE: Tech: Computer would not come on and then did
From: Stanron
Date: 11 May 15 - 01:02 PM

In response to Don Day I would say you are right about Microsoft but Macs are expensive. Get a new hard drive and install an up to date Linux. Here in the UK it's about £30 for a hard drive and Linux is free, or perhaps the cost of a blank DVD, and you can update your operating system for free any time you want.

Subject: RE: Tech: Computer would not come on and then did
From: GUEST
Date: 11 May 15 - 01:09 PM

I dropped my Lenovo Thinkpad R500 on a concrete floor at the Port Authority Bus Terminal two years ago. I was carrying it in a cloth case that had a wrap-around zipper, and I forgot to zip it all the way around, and so the computer fell out through one end of the case. I thought it was surely the end, but it didn't seem to affect the operation at all. The battery did break free, but that's all, and even that snapped right back into place. Lucky break, I guess.

Subject: RE: Tech: Computer would not come on and then did
From: GUEST,DaveRo
Date: 11 May 15 - 01:23 PM

I use Thinkpads. Some have 'airbag technology' or some such which is supposed to protect the disks if you drop them. I bought one to have on a boat.

And if you do break something they are held together with actual screws! And you can buy spare parts. Secondhand ones can be good value.

(And they run Linux well.)

Subject: RE: Tech: Computer would not come on and then did
From: olddude
Date: 11 May 15 - 03:46 PM

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Subject: RE: Tech: Computer would not come on and then did
From: EBarnacle
Date: 11 May 15 - 08:28 PM

There is one major piece of advice everyone is ignoring. Make a rescue disk. If you go to the search engine in the [usually] lower left of you screen, you will find a window that says "Search programs and files." type rescue disk or reinstall disk in there and click on the information that comes up. Follow the instructions. It may save your information even if the machine goes toes up. It will also give you a start on a resurrected hard drive if you need one.

Subject: RE: Tech: Computer would not come on and then did
From: Mr Red
Date: 12 May 15 - 04:00 AM

Macs are not the answer. All the OPer wants is a working machine, and the best machine anyone can have is the type they have been using for years. Only can we have a faster one? Linux won't solve a problem if it is mechanical in nature.
My Thinkpad has been dropped from 4 ft onto a wooden floor and survived with no apparent problems. And who knows what went on before I bought it as a 2 year-old. But I did choose one with SSD, for speed but robustness did cross my mind.
Rescue disk is a good idea, but does it have a CD writer? Can't imagine it would have a floppy drive these days and USB versions - you might a well use an external CD writer, assuming the USB ports are not causing any problem.
Going into the BIOS to look for any anomalies might help if the OPer has the confidence.
The question is - how is it performing now? Fully charged battery/on charge? If the symptoms persist then it may still be BIOS/boot sequence or mechanical problems.
Don't try and fix problems in one go - check battery life status first.