7811fx won't boot (not even to bios screen)

I was using my laptop, went and did some yard work (stupid me) and when I came back, the laptop was off (in hibernate mode). I pushed the power button and it came back on BUT there was no response from the keyboard or trackpad (the external usb mouse still worked). I waited a few minutes, still nothing so I pressed and held the power button to shut the laptop off. Now when I try to turn on the laptop, the quick keys (DVD, mute, volume, etc.) light up as well as the wireless leds, but the laptop does not boot. It does not even display the bios screen so there is no way to even get into the bios or to get it to boot from cd. I tried just using power from the battery, removing and resetting the battery, but nothing. Any ideas?

 

cable to your screen is loose.

 

Is this cable connection in the display part (top) or bottom part of the laptop?

 

Yes, if your access lights are on and you hear your fans going off and your hard drive working, then it must be your screen. if not, turn it off, take out the battery, leave it for 5 minutes, put it back in and then see what happens. otherwise u will have to disassemble your laptop and try to check the cabling. the worst thing that could be causing this is that your lcd died.

 

before all that, connect it to an external display pres fn+f4 to see if you get anything at all.

 

Great idea, I didn't even think of that.

I tried it (external display) and nothing. In addition, the only light (besides the quick play ones) that comes on is the power light and the battery charge light, The hd light comes on for a sec but then goes off. Pressing the caps lock does not turn on the cap lock light. This also makes my thing that the fn+f4 make not be having any effect.

Does this still sound like a lcd cable problem which I'd be willing to take apart and fix or does this sound like something I should send back to bb/gateway? Fwiw, no bb in my area show any 7811fx being available so the option of an exchange is probably not possible. I do have the bb extended warranty, but if I can fix the lcd cable myself, I'd rather do that since outside of this problem, I have a "good" 7811 (screen wise, no crashes, etc.)

Thanks to all so far for the suggestions.

 

doesnt sound like an lcd problem to me. did you try the battery out for few minutes thing ? you can try attaching a usb keyboard and the external lcd, but let me just say i doubt it will help, seems like you should call gateway about a shipping box.

 

Yeah, had it out and no power to the laptop for about 2 hours. I'll give the external kb a try and see what happens.

 

Mate did you ever get a resolution for this issue?? Im having the exact same problem.

 

like i said in annann's thread, this could mean the power directing chips on the power board at the back of the notebook are blown. its sending the laptop into a continuous loop because it cannot measure how much power is coming in and it shuts itself down.

about a $100 fix

 

Just an update on the laptop. I sent it out for repair via bestbuy and according to the repair report, the motherboard was replaced. It took about 11 days from the time I dropped it off until I picked it up today.

 

how much did it cost? as long as i remember the warranty that came with the laptop was from gateway not bestbuy

 

My best buy says they will honor manufacturers waranty...

 

The repair didn't cost me anything and the returned repair invoice showed no prices for any of the repair (labor/parts). I bought the 7811fx with the extended warranty and bb handled the repair (well I bought it in to them and they shipped it out).

 

Hmm, motherboard? I really thought it must have had to have been the graphics card. Well keep us posted mate if it comes back.
Oh, also how long did it take you for the issue to happen in the first place? Mine happened only about a day into having the laptop.

 

Well after less than 16 hours use, the same problem is back I turned it off last night and went to turn it on this morning and it would not turn on (just the quick play lights). So back it goes. I was going to have to take it in anyway since the wireless on/off switch was stuck in the off position (I assume it got that way when it was "repaired" the first time). Odd thing is that even with it in the off position, the wireless was still on. Also, oddly enough, I'm posting this from a 4+ yr old gateway laptop that just keeps on going. I am starting to get concerned with the overall reliability of the 7811fx (I use it for business related tasks).....and I don't even move it around all that often.

 

I had the laptop working fine for about a month before the problem appeared. Now less than a day later, the problem is back (see previous post).