[theted]

hi i have a acer espire 1690 notbook that has just started giving me some trouble..when i bootup i can hear the windows vista jingle but i cant get a picture,i tried hooking it up to another monitor and i got the windows logo but then i got a message saying checking file system on c:..then i get another message saying dumping memory..after that it just goes into the same loop...sounds expensive to me...hope someone can shed some light on this problem ..running win vista..kind regards john.

[Madxgraphics]

HAve you added any new software or made any changes to the notebook recently..? HAve you tried starting the notebook in Safe Mode ? Doe it start in safe Mode..?

[theted]

hi no theres nothing been added,i cant get into safe mode...kind regards john

[peahouse05]

Hi theted
It depends on how happy you are with unscrewing cover plates on the bottom of the laptop. The best result is a RAM failure - if there are two strips of RAM installed, try one in each position and see what happens - it is unlikely that both would be faulty.
If there is only one strip fitted it is still worth buying a new one and if this does not solve the problem you can always sell it on.
Then it depends on how much vital data you have on the hard disk and do you have the Vista installation disk to do a clean install of Vista.
If all fails and you have to replace the hard drive - this is still not expensive but you still need a legal copy of Vista to install on the new hard drive.
All the servicing data is available from the manufacturer's website.
You may not feel confident to do any of the above but beware that a very large and important company wanted to replace a motherboard on a customer's laptop at a cost of £235 when the fault had been set up with loose strip of RAM - Daily Mail this week!
Cheers
peahouse05

[theted]

hi peahouse,i swaped the memory strips over but its still the same{black screen}..i think ill take it to a repair shop for a estimate...and keep the fingers crossed its not anything expensive thats needing done..kind regards john...

[Abarbarian]

Try running a Linux Live CD. If you can get a desktop then your problems are not GFX related and you have narrowed down possible causes.

[peahouse05]

Hi theted
You need to try each RAM strip on its own in the first RAM socket - try each socket in turn if it's not clear socket is which.
Cheers
peahouse05

[theted]

hi,i just got a phone call from the repair shop,He told me that i need a new motherboard and it will cost £150 fitted..is that a reasonable price for doing that type of job?

[Madxgraphics]

Originally Posted by theted

hi,i just got a phone call from the repair shop,He told me that i need a new motherboard and it will cost £150 fitted..is that a reasonable price for doing that type of job?

If that is the price he quoted for the motherboard and labour, then yes that is a bl**dy brilliant price to be quoted.

[peahouse05]

Hi theted
Before you go ahead, get the laptop back and try it with one RAM stick in turn. Also try Abarbarian's idea of installing a Linux installation CD (costs only a few pounds).
If none of this works get two more quotes for the repair. But it is essential to get in writing what you are paying for. Your current copy of Vista on the hard disk will not boot onto a new motherboard so a new legal copy of Vista would be needed - rescue disks, as provided with most laptops, will not work. You will lose all your files after a clean install but there is software available to get over this, but it all costs.
See my previous post regarding local shops wanting to replace motherboards when the fault was a loose stick of RAM and one really large company - I can sing the jingle but cannot remember the name!
If you decide to go ahead with a motherboard replacement remove as many coverplates as you can from the bottom of the laptop and mark the motherboard - just a couple of scratches will do.
If you think this is extreme, read the Daily Mail article where repairers were copying holiday snaps from customer's hard drives onto data sticks for fun and replacing perfectly good motherboards for £235.
Cheers
peahouse 05