Motherboard
A motherboard failure on a laptop that is out of warranty would usually mean that… it’s time for a new laptop. The price of a new motherboard is usually higher than the current value of the laptop.
Symptoms:
Plug in the power adaptor and try to start the laptop.
- Nothing happens.
- The “ON” light comes on, the fan spins, but nothing on the screen (black) and you can’t hear the HD working after 10-15 sec.
- The “ON” light comes on, the fan spins, but after a few seconds the light goes off.
- After pressing the “ON” button the screen stays black and you can hear a quiet high-pitched sound coming from the laptop.
Troubleshooting:
Look for the “lid closed” switch and try pushing it a few times. It’s usually a small switch near the hinges that is pressed when the lid(the screen) is closed. Sometimes these switches get stuck in the “lid closed” position that results in black screen(no backlight) or non-starting laptop. Also some laptops have a magnetic switch (newer Dell’s and most Apple’s), that doesn’t get stuck.
Test the laptop with another power adaptor. Although not common, the adaptor can fail and not supply the needed voltage even if it has a green “power on” light that lights up when you plug it in. Even if you measure the output voltage and it’s OK, the adaptor may have failed and wouldn’t supply that voltage under load (typically 3.5A to 6A). You can use an universal adaptor or go to an independent repair shop and ask them to check it (some shops will try to charge you for “estimate” for doing just that, so ask in advance).
Reset the RAM. See the article on RAM failures for instructions.
Remove the hard drive and the CD/DVD if it’s easily removable.
Finally try to start the laptop again with only the power adaptor plugged in and with the RAM reset and all removable components and the battery out. If there’s still nothing on the screen, you will need to bring it to a repair shop.
Hi. I have an Alienware Area-51m 7700 laptop which has worked fine for the last four years. It started having the following problem which seems to be getting worse and is intermittent. Sometimes can take 30 attempts and some shaking (not sure if it jiggles something about) but seems random whatever I do.
When I switch the power on I get HDD spinning up and power lights on but nothing on the display. Switch off then on again .. same happens. It can power up the CD-drive without being switched on to play music and this works fine. On the same LCD display I should get the time once the power is turned on .. .this doesn’t show. When I eventually get the time to display it is when the laptop finally works. In short … things seem to work but nothing on screen … then finally works and time shows on LCD. The laptop works fine after this until the next time it is switched on. Air cleaned it all out with spray duster, renewed thermal grease on CPU and graphics chips. No effect.
Any ideas? I think motherboard but hope not as I spent £2500 on this and would hate to just throw it away!.
Any help or advice welcome. Thanks.
HEllo! ! ! 1 your guide really helped me in my laptop, now i powered it up already and its working now! ! ! thank you very much
Hello all, I have a Fujitsu Laptop which is out of warranty, and recently it started giving problems.
It goes down within 10 mins aftr coming up. Windows loads perfectly, but shuts down after 5 – 10 mins.
I have taken it to a repair shop, and they say its the problem with the mother board.
Could it be really ? as if that is the case, will it come up ?
Please suggest .
Murali
I found alot of asus eee pc motherboards here – http://www.laptopmotherboard.org/shop/asusmotherboard.php
I need a new motherboard for an Asus eee PC 1005ha (one of the netbooks), but I can’t find one available anywhere online. Any leads?
just put a new mother broad in my gateway solo1450 i turn it on every things is fine but my screen is blank nothing on it at all its just blank and black can any one help me ,if so my email is jerma***@comcast.net
For comments #28, #29 and #30 – they all sound like motherboard problems caused by heat damage or getting to hot and melting part of the systemboard which wouldn’t stand out or look broken by eye. Alot of times the CPU’s get so hot and after awhile the little thermal grease that was provided, is gone and so is your computer. If you have the option, try to put a good coating of thermal grease between all the processors and heat sink and see if anything changes. Let me know if anyone decides to replace the laptop motherboard fully as I get wholesale pricing on all boards for any model/brand. Good look to everyone.
i have a mecer 775s14 laptop @ startup the fan turns an after a few seconds it switches off . a blank screen at start up… what can be the problem .
I have an acer laptop 4720Z. it wont power up. the adaptor was able to charge and the LED turned green, but on pressing the “ON” button, the “ON” LED doesnot come on, neither does the LEd on the CD drive.
I have opened it up, nothing seems bad. Does anyone have an idea on whether i need a new laptop or not.
Dear all,
I have Toshiba satellite U305 laptop, and I have problem that I can’t install any OS and I already change the hard desk and the memory.
Also I have image of old OS, I can installing the image but when the system start up is hung with windows bar.
Also I have bootable CD with some tools.
When the laptop start with bootable CD I can browse the CD.
Please help me if my laptop motherboard damage