Help: Trying to fix a laptop ...

[Kazuki]

My dad gave me a laptop that doesn't work. He wants me to see if I can fix it so my grandparents can bring it with them when they travel back to Europe at the end of the month and in turn give it to my aunt so we can chat through Skype.

Let me go into some detail with this because I'm hoping some of you may be able to help me. When I first booted it up, BIOS told me that the media check had failed, at which point I guessed that the laptop lacked a hard drive. I turned it off. Several minutes later, I attempted to boot it up again and go into the BIOS menu to check if it detected a hard drive or not, but the screen didn't function, although the lights on the side of the laptop claimed that it had power and was currently on.

I took the laptop apart, leaving the monitor plugged into the motherboard. Currently, the CD-ROM and keyboard are unplugged; everything else is connected. Turns out the laptop is also missing a wireless card, but that doesn't matter for now. I found out that when I turn the laptop on, the fan doesn't run. I'm not sure if it should or not, and I would guess that if it is supposed to run, this would indicate that there is a disruption of power flow somewhere in the motherboard.

So that's my situation. The monitor isn't running and I'm not sure why. I'm wondering if it's a motherboard issue or an issue involving the monitor itself. I was thinking about plugging in my PC monitor to help determine if the laptop screen is faulty or not, but I'm pretty sure the PC monitor wouldn't work anyway since I assume plug-and-play is part of Windows rather than part of BIOS.

jrgp and Flies, I'm looking at you guys. <3

[jrgp]

Have you tried connecting it to an external monitor to see if you can try stuff out? Did you find a hard drive inside of it? If I remember right, plug and play is a BIOS option, not something that comes with modern versions of Windows.

It is quite possible that the LCD screen on the laptop is damaged. Ff this is the case, the laptop might still be usable with an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse as a normal computer. I know that isn't really suitable for using it as a portable skype tool, but if the screen is really broken at least it's still partially useful.

Also, what are the specs on the laptop (if you can find them)?

[FliesLikeABrick]

I first booted it up, BIOS told me that the media check had failed, at which point I guessed that the laptop lacked a hard drive.

If the screen isn't working, how'd you see that?  Did the screen work once but then not again?

[Kazuki]

I did not find a hard drive in the laptop, but I don't think that should affect the screen, because the first time I booted it up, the screen worked fine (I got a black screen with a "media check failed"  error on it).

I haven't tried plugging in an external monitor because, as I mentioned above, I assumed that plug-and-play was not included in the BIOS. When I get home, I'll try it.

Also, I know that if the screen is faulty, it's still usable with an external monitor, but my aunt and uncle in Bulgaria don't have any computers or components of computers, nor can they really afford any, which is why my dad wants to send them this laptop.

I haven't looked for the specs on the thing. In fact, I only started screwing with it this morning. Thanks for the response, though. I'll look into these things when I get home in about 4 hours.

I first booted it up, BIOS told me that the media check had failed, at which point I guessed that the laptop lacked a hard drive.

If the screen isn't working, how'd you see that?  Did the screen work once but then not again?

That's exactly right. Worked fine the first time, then suddenly stopped functioning.

[jrgp]

I did not find a hard drive in the laptop, but I don't think that should affect the screen, because the first time I booted it up, the screen worked fine (I got a black screen with a "media check failed"  error on it).

I haven't tried plugging in an external monitor because, as I mentioned above, I assumed that plug-and-play was not included in the BIOS. When I get home, I'll try it.

Laptops have pretty much always supported the use of an external monitor, usually just for changing the display to be shown on it or the laptop's screen, typically using one of the function keys on the keyboard. It most likely wouldn't require plug n play as it's more of a hardware thing in this case than a software thing.

[FliesLikeABrick]

When you say the screen "stopped working," what happens?  Does the backlight not come on at all?  Does it illuminate but not display anything (e.g. it is black but a lighter black, like you can see it in the dark) ?

[Kazuki]

Nope. If you look at the screen, you would think that the computer is turned off completely. There is no illumination.

[FliesLikeABrick]

What brand and model of laptop is it?

[Kazuki]

It's a Toshiba Satellite Pro 6000. I'm eating at the moment, but afterward I'll hook it up to an external monitor and see how it fares.

Alright, so this is weird. I hooked up my external monitor to the motherboard (CD-ROM, HDD, WLAN card, and monitor all excluded). To my surprise, it actually worked. Then I decided to attach the laptop monitor to the monitor for the 5th time and try it out once more. To further surprise me, it also worked. However, shortly thereafter, at the slightest tap, the monitor displayed something along the lines of a TV test pattern, but more scrambled. Either way, it was my cue to say "what the fuck?"

I turned the laptop off and then turned it back on. Once again, the screen wouldn't work. I hooked it up to the external monitor and it still wouldn't work. I detached the laptop monitor once again and unhooked everything. Then I plugged the charger back in, left the external monitor unplugged, and attached the screen once more. Turned on the laptop and it worked fine (except for the fact that, you know, it has no hard drive). I was able to replicate this two more times, and I'm not sure why it happens. Ever since, I've continued to try to replicate it so I can locate the problem, but to no avail. I'm willing to bet that it will happen again sometime soon, which worries me because I don't want to send my relatives a faulty laptop which they can't possibly fix on their own.

I'm about to order a hard drive from Newegg. Is it possible that not laptop hard drive will work for this laptop?

[FliesLikeABrick]

That laptop is fucked up beyond repair it sounds like.  If you're seeing inconsistent behavior, then there's more wrong than just the lack of hard drive.

Don't waste your money on a hard drive for it, you'll just run into the rest of the problems after solving that one.

Just go find a computer recycling center or put it on ebay as "broken/for parts"  There's almost no way you'll get it working.

[Mangled*]

Guys I just found an old rusted car with 1 wheel, a missing axle, a broken engine and no windows. The headlights work most of the time. Thoughts?

Kazuki, I'm a big fan but it sounds like it'll take more than it's worth to get that laptop working. You'll just have to bring the heartbreaking news to them that they can't take the laptop. I am so sorry.