Compaq Laptop keeps blanking the screen

[letterman]

I have an older Compaq laptop. I have Win2000 installed. I have
disabled all screen savers, disabled all power savers (set them all to
none). Even in battery mode I set them to NONE. Yet, every few
minutes the damn screen goes blank. Not only when the computer is
just sitting and not being used, but even if I am watching a video, it
will go blank right in the middle of the video. Whether it's on
battery, or plugged in, it does this. This is really starting to piss
me off. There are no other settings to disable screen blanking that I
can find. I can only assume this is in the bios settings and thus far
I have never figured out how to get to them. Anyone have any ideas
how to fix this? I dont care if the batteries last half their time,
just as long as this screen blanking stops. I was sharing some videos
with a friend and every few minutes the damn screen would go blank.
Talk about irritating !!!!

LM

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

I have an older Compaq laptop. I have Win2000 installed. I have
disabled all screen savers, disabled all power savers (set them all to
none). Even in battery mode I set them to NONE. Yet, every few
minutes the damn screen goes blank. Not only when the computer is
just sitting and not being used, but even if I am watching a video, it
will go blank right in the middle of the video. Whether it's on
battery, or plugged in, it does this. This is really starting to piss
me off. There are no other settings to disable screen blanking that I
can find. I can only assume this is in the bios settings and thus far
I have never figured out how to get to them. Anyone have any ideas
how to fix this? I dont care if the batteries last half their time,
just as long as this screen blanking stops. I was sharing some videos
with a friend and every few minutes the damn screen would go blank.
Talk about irritating !!!!

LM

As you say, this is probably a BIOS issue, not a Windows issue, hence the
Compaq FAQ pages would be a better place to post this question. You might
also try the more popular keys to get into the BIOS setup program, e.g. Esc,
F2, F10, F12. If all else fails then the manual that came with your laptop
would be a good source of information, or perhaps a Google query such as
"compaq pressario bios key".

 

[letterman]

As you say, this is probably a BIOS issue, not a Windows issue, hence the
Compaq FAQ pages would be a better place to post this question. You might
also try the more popular keys to get into the BIOS setup program, e.g. Esc,
F2, F10, F12. If all else fails then the manual that came with your laptop
would be a good source of information, or perhaps a Google query such as
"compaq pressario bios key".

Thanks for the help.

I tried all these F keys, and the DEL key. I dont have a manual, but
was able to download one, and that dont say how to get into the bios.
(not very helpful). I googled "compaq prosignia bios key" (this is a
prosignia 165) and found several discussions from people having the
same problem. It looks like the only way to enter the bios is with a
special bootable floppy. I went to the Compaq website and all I can
find is this utility disk for Windows 3.x, Win95 and Win98, plus OS2
and NT3.51. (This computer originally came with Win98, I guess).

I am downloading the Win98 disk now. I guess all I can do is see if
it gets me into the bios.

(What a stupid setup).....

LM

 

[letterman]

As you say, this is probably a BIOS issue, not a Windows issue, hence the
Compaq FAQ pages would be a better place to post this question. You might
also try the more popular keys to get into the BIOS setup program, e.g. Esc,
F2, F10, F12. If all else fails then the manual that came with your laptop
would be a good source of information, or perhaps a Google query such as
"compaq pressario bios key".

Well, since my last message I downloaded and tried the boot disk. It
wants to upgrade my system ROM (firmware upgrade), does nothing to
enter the bios. I refused to allow it to upgrade the ROM because I
know those firmware upgrades can destroy a computer or modem, or
whatever, and all I would gain is 5 months. The present ROM is dated
July 99, and the upgrade is November 99. Not worth chancing it, and
it still will not get me into the bios.

Anyone on here familiar with a Compaq Prosignia 165? Anyone have a
boot disk to enter the bios? It looks like Compaq dont support it
anymore.

LM

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

Well, since my last message I downloaded and tried the boot disk. It
wants to upgrade my system ROM (firmware upgrade), does nothing to
enter the bios. I refused to allow it to upgrade the ROM because I
know those firmware upgrades can destroy a computer or modem, or
whatever, and all I would gain is 5 months. The present ROM is dated
July 99, and the upgrade is November 99. Not worth chancing it, and
it still will not get me into the bios.

Anyone on here familiar with a Compaq Prosignia 165? Anyone have a
boot disk to enter the bios? It looks like Compaq dont support it
anymore.

LM

Compaq always had a nasty habit of doing things differently from anyone
else. Everyone used philips-head screw to fasten the plug-in cards on their
desktop PCs - Compaq used their own screw heads. Everyone since the early
80s kept the BIOS setup program inside the BIOS - Compaq, it appears, keep
it on the hard disk - see here:
http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-11184-0.html?forumID=48&threadID=162890. I
suggest you repost your question in a Compaq forum - they will tell you
straight away what it is. They will probably also help you resolve the
screen blanking problem. And since you no longer appear to have the manual
for this machine, you should keep the notes relating to this incident. You
will probably need them again!

 

[letterman]

Compaq always had a nasty habit of doing things differently from anyone
else. Everyone used philips-head screw to fasten the plug-in cards on their
desktop PCs - Compaq used their own screw heads. Everyone since the early
80s kept the BIOS setup program inside the BIOS - Compaq, it appears, keep
it on the hard disk - see here:
http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-11184-0.html?forumID=48&threadID=162890. I
suggest you repost your question in a Compaq forum - they will tell you
straight away what it is. They will probably also help you resolve the
screen blanking problem. And since you no longer appear to have the manual
for this machine, you should keep the notes relating to this incident. You
will probably need them again!

I can relate. I have never been fond of any HP products. I had a HP
printer years ago and it was nothing but trouble. I bought a HP
digital camera and it was the worst dig. camera I ever owned. I
returned it several days later. This laptop seems to have a mind of
it's own. Now I found their HP website to be a complete annoyance
since everytime I bring up a topic from their discussion forums, a
damn popup covers half the page, telling me to register my product
(which is stupid for a 10 year old computer which has had at least 3
owners). Even with my popup stopper enabled, they appeared. I
finally stopped them by disabling java script.

But heck, for a $20 computer, it works. Actually I paid $40 including
the harddrive and extra ram which I bought separately. It works and
works fairly well, except for the screen blanking.

Due to these links, I was able to download a complete manual. The
manual says exactly what to do to enter the bios.
This is what it says: (copied from the manual)

---------------------------
Running Computer Setup
1. Turn on or restart the computer by clicking Start ? Shut Down ?
Restart the
computer.
2. Press F10 when the blinking cursor appears in the upper-right
corner of the screen.
NOTE: If you a setup password is enabled, it must be used to access
Computer Setup.
3. Click a language and press Enter.
4. Click Computer Setup and press Enter.
5. When you are finished, click Exit.
----------------------------

This DOES NOT WORK !!!!!
I tried it every way possible. This is the exact manual for my model,
not another one. I never see a blinking cursor in the upper-right
corner of the screen. I even booted it from a DOS floppy. I also
tried the F1 and other F keys. Nothing happens at all.

I also found a discussion about the screen blanking problem from 2004.
The guy explained the exact same problem I have, but no one ever
answered it.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...............

By the way there is only one Compaq newsgroup and there are no
messages on it.....

Hopefully someone has one of these and knows the trick!

LM

 

[Ben Myers]

I have an older Compaq laptop. I have Win2000 installed. I have
disabled all screen savers, disabled all power savers (set them all to
none). Even in battery mode I set them to NONE. Yet, every few
minutes the damn screen goes blank. Not only when the computer is
just sitting and not being used, but even if I am watching a video, it
will go blank right in the middle of the video. Whether it's on
battery, or plugged in, it does this. This is really starting to piss
me off. There are no other settings to disable screen blanking that I
can find. I can only assume this is in the bios settings and thus far
I have never figured out how to get to them. Anyone have any ideas
how to fix this? I dont care if the batteries last half their time,
just as long as this screen blanking stops. I was sharing some videos
with a friend and every few minutes the damn screen would go blank.
Talk about irritating !!!!

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...ng=8&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=PSG_I8093-22639

Ben