Vista doesn't boot, no BIOS screen

[SHANE]

Last night I downloaded the files needed to run Microsoft Visual Web
Developer Express edition. There were a bunch of files, here is the link to
where I downloaded them. Everything downloaded fine and the installation
started fine. It seemed the installation was going to take awhile so I went
to bed.

When I woke up this morning my laptop won't load Vista. It turns on with a
black screen and nothing else, no BIOS, no loading bars, no cursor, nothing.
The computer doesn't even sound like it is trying to do anything and the
orange light that shows that that the computer is doing something won't even
give me one blink. Restarts don't change anything.

I downloaded a recovery disk and burned it. Put it in the laptop and still
nothing, except that the DVD/CD drive did start running. That only lasted 20
seconds until the computer returned to just sitting there w/ a black screen.

Checked to make sure I burned the disk correctly and saw the files were on
there, so I don't think that is my problem.

The only thing I did before I downloaded the files was install a preparation
tool to make sure I hadn't changed any settings in already installed programs
or applied any wrong updates. After running this program it said it didn't
find any of the files to correct or remove. (I wasn't surprised since I
didn't think I had any of the files installed, it was just a precaution).

Running Window Vista Home Premium (no Vista disk came w/ the computer)
Sony Vaio VGN-NR240E

Also saw a post about if you put the computer to sleep and wake it back up,
you should see something. Well, I can't even put the computer to sleep,
nothing works except the power button.

Sorry for the long post but I wanted to give the most information as
possible. I thank any of you for your help.

Shane


One more thing, after turning the computer on, I did try hitting F8 multiple
times thinking that maybe I could get something but it didn't work. Tried
with F12 and alt+F12.

 

[SHANE]

Sorry, my links didn't copy over.
The files I installed are found here:
http://www.microsoft.com/express/download/#webInstall

The preparation tool is here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...E0-EB07-4FF1-A21C-A4663E456D9D&displaylang=en

 

[Malke]

Last night I downloaded the files needed to run Microsoft Visual Web
Developer Express edition. There were a bunch of files, here is the link
to where I downloaded them. Everything downloaded fine and the
installation started fine. It seemed the installation was going to take
awhile so I went to bed.

When I woke up this morning my laptop won't load Vista. It turns on with a
black screen and nothing else, no BIOS, no loading bars, no cursor,
nothing. The computer doesn't even sound like it is trying to do anything
and the orange light that shows that that the computer is doing something
won't even give me one blink. Restarts don't change anything.

I downloaded a recovery disk and burned it. Put it in the laptop and still
nothing, except that the DVD/CD drive did start running. That only lasted
20 seconds until the computer returned to just sitting there w/ a black
screen.

Checked to make sure I burned the disk correctly and saw the files were on
there, so I don't think that is my problem.

The only thing I did before I downloaded the files was install a
preparation tool to make sure I hadn't changed any settings in already
installed programs or applied any wrong updates. After running this
program it said it didn't find any of the files to correct or remove. (I
wasn't surprised since I didn't think I had any of the files installed, it
was just a precaution).

Running Window Vista Home Premium (no Vista disk came w/ the computer)
Sony Vaio VGN-NR240E

Also saw a post about if you put the computer to sleep and wake it back
up, you should see something. Well, I can't even put the computer to
sleep, nothing works except the power button.

Sorry for the long post but I wanted to give the most information as
possible. I thank any of you for your help.

One more thing, after turning the computer on, I did try hitting F8
multiple times thinking that maybe I could get something but it didn't
work. Tried with F12 and alt+F12.

Hi, Shane - If you are getting nothing at all when you turn on the computer,
you have hardware failure and the software you downloaded/installed was
coincidental to that failure. From your description (and thanks for being
so thorough), it sounds like the hard drive has died but of course other
components could be bad, too. Nothing you did in Windows would cause
physical hardware failure. If you want to test the hard drive and/or try to
retrieve data, pull it and put it in an external USB drive enclosure.
Attach to a working computer and see what you shall see.

Contact Sony tech support for repair/replacement.

Malke

 

[SHANE]

If you want to test the hard drive and/or try to

retrieve data, pull it and put it in an external USB drive enclosure.
Attach to a working computer and see what you shall see.

Are there different size enclosures for Laptop & Desktop hard drives?

 

[MichaelHensley]

Yes, but you might be better off with a USB-to-IDE/SATA cable. Search
Amazon.com (or Google) for "USB-2110" or "Coolmax 15438" (to list two
examples).

Good luck!

 

[the wharf rat]

When I woke up this morning my laptop won't load Vista. It turns on with a
black screen and nothing else, no BIOS, no loading bars, no cursor, nothing.
The computer doesn't even sound like it is trying to do anything and the
orange light that shows that that the computer is doing something won't even
give me one blink. Restarts don't change anything.

Unplug it, remove the battery, go do something for 15 minutes,
put the battery in, and turn it on. I've seen more than one laptop
get in some totally wierd state from trying to hardware suspend while
things were running.

 

[SHANE]

Unplug it, remove the battery, go do something for 15 minutes,
put the battery in, and turn it on. I've seen more than one laptop
get in some totally weird state from trying to hardware suspend while
things were running.

I have tried that, even letting it sit for over an hour without the battery.
Have tried holding down the power button for 30 seconds.

The only thing I will try before contacting Sony or ordering one of the 2
products mentioned above is to replace the RAM that I installed about 2
months ago. Sony's site had a topic with my exact problem and they listed 8
steps to go through before contacting them. The RAM is the only thing on the
list that applies to me.

 

[+Bob+]

I have tried that, even letting it sit for over an hour without the battery.
Have tried holding down the power button for 30 seconds.

The only thing I will try before contacting Sony or ordering one of the 2
products mentioned above is to replace the RAM that I installed about 2
months ago. Sony's site had a topic with my exact problem and they listed 8
steps to go through before contacting them. The RAM is the only thing on the
list that applies to me.

Sounds like something fried - the only impact the install had on it
was that it caused it to run for an extended period of time, stressing
some marginal component.

Condolences... likely time for the service man.

 

[SHANE]

Thank you all for you help, I had no idea where to start and now at least I
have a direction to go. Sadly, the answers are leaning toward me being
without my computer for an extended period of time while Sony works on it.
Depending on if I will cancel my warranty by opening up my computer or not, I
would like to see about getting my data off my HD before sending it off.
Thanks for the posts telling me how to do that.

 

[the wharf rat]

Shane, if as you indicated, you are not getting even a BIOS screen at
boot, then you either have a corrupted BIOS or a hardware problem.

or a short in the battery, or a battery that's so drained the
charging circuits can't charge it AND start the thing up.

Fixing it could be as simple as removing the battery to reset
it and leaving it plugged in for a couple of hours.

Or starting it without the battery installed.

 

[DDW]

Hi, Shane - If you are getting nothing at all when you turn on the computer,
you have hardware failure and the software you downloaded/installed was
coincidental to that failure. From your description (and thanks for being
so thorough), it sounds like the hard drive has died but of course other
components could be bad, too.

Even with a dead drive, SOMETHING should appear when power is applied!

I'd guess that it's not the drive, but that it IS hardware...

Nothing you did in Windows would cause
physical hardware failure. If you want to test the hard drive and/or try to
retrieve data, pull it and put it in an external USB drive enclosure.
Attach to a working computer and see what you shall see.

Contact Sony tech support for repair/replacement.

Malke

DDW

 

[Richard in AZ]

Thank you all for you help, I had no idea where to start and now at least I
have a direction to go. Sadly, the answers are leaning toward me being
without my computer for an extended period of time while Sony works on it.
Depending on if I will cancel my warranty by opening up my computer or not, I
would like to see about getting my data off my HD before sending it off.
Thanks for the posts telling me how to do that.

Opening most laptops to get the hard drive out should be straight forward (couple of screws).
Then if the drive is good and you get the data off, you can put it back in the computer and send it off for repair.
The supplier should not even know that you had the hard drive out.

 

[Peter Foldes]

Shane

Same advice as Malke. Get a USB hard drive enclosure ASAP and get your Data and call
Sony. Hard Drive is gone south

 

[Richard Urban]

The fact that you began having problems after you downloaded and installed
files is purely coincidental to the problem and has no bearing on what has
occurred with your laptop. Nothing you do while in the operating system is
going to effect your hardware except by using some desktop over clocking or
fan control utility.

Is your power adapter working correctly, powering the laptop and charging
the batteries?

If so, your laptop has just failed. This could be due to many reasons re:
hardware faults. But one that I see constantly is that people insist on
using the laptop in bed on top of the covers. The damn computer can't breath
and overheats in a matter of minutes. This can cause any number of hardware
failures, from the power supply to CPU to RAM to video etc. You name it and
heat will destroy it.

The chance may be that the hard drive is still good. You will not know
unless you remove it from the laptop and connect it up to another computer.
An external USB case will cost about $20-50. This will be needed in order to
connect and check the drive.

 

[Telstar]

Why did you IGNORE the advice you were already given?

Remove the battery for 15 minutes and try again.

The machine could simply be locked-up in some illogical state

and simply removing the battery is one thing that at least will not harm
anything
or void your warranty!

You are an idiot:

Unplug it, remove the battery, go do something for 15 minutes,
put the battery in, and turn it on. I've seen more than one laptop
get in some totally weird state from trying to hardware suspend while
things were running.

I have tried that, even letting it sit for over an hour without the battery.
Have tried holding down the power button for 30 seconds.

 

[the wharf rat]

I have tried that, even letting it sit for over an hour without the battery.

Have you tried powering on without the battery? A battery
with a short will give the symptoms you're reporting.

 

[SHANE]

Why did you IGNORE the advice you were already given?

Remove the battery for 15 minutes and try again.

The machine could simply be locked-up in some illogical state

and simply removing the battery is one thing that at least will not harm
anything
or void your warranty!

I don't think I have ignored any advice given to me. On a reply I gave
yesterday at 5:18 I told you that I had removed the battery, and had even
gone beyond that by leaving the battery out for over an hour.

I am looking into the USB to SATA cables. Anybody here own one that they
can suggest? I have seen them from 10-40 dollars and seen a mix of reviews.
Do I need a better quality one if there is a chance the HD is going bad?

 

[Richard Urban]

At this point in the discussion there is no solid evidence that the hard
drive has failed!

 

[NotEvenMe]

the hdd enclosure should be for either a 2.5" OR a 3.5" disk drive.
a laptop has a 2.5" and a desktop has a 3.5"
some enclosures will accomodate either.

 

[NotEvenMe]

I fixed a desktop last week that wouldn't POST with the HDD plugged in.
Unplugged it and POST worked normally.
It usually doesn't work that way, but it can.
On a laptop there can be many causes, including the battery.