Unresponsive BIOS on an Optimus II - Need some assistance

[PlainSnailing]

I've had my laptop for fourteen months and counting now, but it recently encountered a hardware failure following the instalation of the wrong drivers. I couldn't log on without windows explorer crashing and sending a report every ten seconds, so I was forced to reinstall windows. I would have rolled-back to an earlier save state, but when I tried to do just that via safe mode I found the system recovery function had been disabled and none of my save states had been stored.

Following a nine hour reinstall, which bugged the heck out of me seeing as the first time set-up took less than one hour, the system crashed during the restart. I have no idea how much of the damage from an incomplete installation of an OS does to the hardware, but I'm hoping it can be fixed. I asked around (friends, some tech support related sub-reddits) and they all suggested I replace the battery on the motherboard, which would explain why the BIOS is unresponsive.

One replaced lithium cell later, and I'm still getting nothing from the screen beyond the logo and the "press [relevant f key] to view boot options". After leaving it for a day I tried again by hammering on f2 for a solid two minutes and I finally got through, so I know the SATA port between the motherboard and the keyboard still works, but as much as I try, I can't get the disc drive to function so I can try another reinstall.

When I slide the disc onto the tray it rotates, but it has no effect on the computer itself. Its like the computer is a vegetable and I can't get through. I need help. I haven't got the money for a full repair, and I've long since forgotten my log-in details to my customer account, in addition to me no longer using the email address it was bound to, so a home-spun repair is all I've got. Anyone know something that can help?

For the machine itself, its an Optimus II with a quadcore i7, 8gb RAM, a Nvidia GT555M and a WD Scorpio Black 750gb HDD.

Thanks in advance.

 

[PlainSnailing]

So nobody has any idea how to help? Well thanks a lot. Even just a "no, sorry I can't help" would be reassuring.

 

[ubuysa]

Hi PlainSailing, PCS are doing a major upgrade this weekend which is probably why nobody has responded to you yet. That, and it's hard to understand the exact nature of your problem.

You've tried a reinstall of Windows and "it crashed during the restart". Is that right? If so, that sounds like a hardware problem to me, possibly with the hard disk. You also mention that "as much as I try, I can't get the disc drive to function so I can try another reinstall" so it looks like you probably have a failed hard disk drive.

I think your best option is to call PCS, but you can't do that until Tuesday because of the upgrade they're doing this weekend (which extends into Monday).

I'm sorry I can't be of more help.

 

[PlainSnailing]

Thats reassuring at least, so thanks for taking the time to let me know. I was afraid it was a lost cause. My hardrive used to rattle ever since it came out the box, but it was only recently it failed - if it was the hardrive that failed - but it might have been a sign that I just ignored and got used to.

I'll call on tuesday, for what good it will do, but thanks again.

 

[ubuysa]

Thats reassuring at least, so thanks for taking the time to let me know. I was afraid it was a lost cause. My hardrive used to rattle ever since it came out the box, but it was only recently it failed - if it was the hardrive that failed - but it might have been a sign that I just ignored and got used to.

I'll call on tuesday, for what good it will do, but thanks again.

PCS can certainly supply you with a new hard drive. Tell them about the rattle, it sounds like it may have been faulty from day one. Worth asking anyway.

 

[PlainSnailing]

Will do, but I'm still a little confused as to how the hardrive alone can bring the whole laptop to its knees. Shortly before it broke, I fell asleep with it on my lap and it fell to the floor from a height of only about a foot up, yet it continued to work for me fine for hours afterwards.

Surely I should still get a responce when hammering f8 to try and get the optical drive running so I could try a reinstall, even if it only tells me the hardrive isn't responding. Even so that could explain why the first reinstall took over nine hours. I could boot windows onto an Acorn Achimedes faster than that.

Still, fingers are crossed for tomorrow.

 

[ubuysa]

Will do, but I'm still a little confused as to how the hardrive alone can bring the whole laptop to its knees. Shortly before it broke, I fell asleep with it on my lap and it fell to the floor from a height of only about a foot up, yet it continued to work for me fine for hours afterwards.

Surely I should still get a responce when hammering f8 to try and get the optical drive running so I could try a reinstall, even if it only tells me the hardrive isn't responding. Even so that could explain why the first reinstall took over nine hours. I could boot windows onto an Acorn Achimedes faster than that.

Still, fingers are crossed for tomorrow.

When you boot any PC or laptop the BIOS does a Power On Self Test (POST) where it checks the installed hardware, errors in POST are reported to the user as a series of beeps. If there is a hardware problem that fails POST it's quite likely that you won't be able to get past it. From the history you described in the first post i looks like the card disk may have been failing for a long time but only now has it failed completely.

PCS will fix it, their after sales service is very good, I've used it myself.

 

[PlainSnailing]

Okay scratch that. I tried a second time today and I'm having my laptop collected tomorrow. It took a while to get there, and complications are complications, but everything should work out fine.