External VGA on Smashed laptop?

Hi there,

Someones given me an HP G60 laptop thats been dropped down the stairs. The LCD is completely smashed. When I turn it on the fans spin and power lights are on but nothing comes on the screen (and there are no beeps). When I take out the RAM I get 3 beeps from POST, so it must not be completely screwed. I've taken out the Optical Disk Drive and Hard Disk drive and tested them in my PC (using diagnostic software and the SATA connections) and they are both fine. When I plug in an external display via the VGA output nothing appears on the monitor, even when I press fn+F4 (the external monitor button).

So my question is, can I just plug an external monitor in and expect the display to show on that or do I have to change some settings in the BIOS first? (which I can't do as the screens smashed). I could take an old screen out another laptop and connect it to test but I'd rather not if the laptops definitely done in!
Is this laptop completely wrecked or is there hope yet? I had a look on the HP website but I can't find anything in the manuals about the beep codes. Any idea where I could get the info? Do all HP laptops use a certain BIOS and thus I can find the beep codes that way?

Much thanks for your help,

Dan Gent

 

sorry if this is the wrong section of the forum, cant find how to delete the post!

 

I thought it would automatically show up on the external monitor.

What I learned recently is that dropped notebooks are the hardest to fix, even harder than water damage.

I assume there is no warrenty?

If so;
I would take it apart, then put it back together (basically re-seating everything).

The beeping makes me think there is a good chance of fixing it.

I have a dropped notebook, CPU died and something is wrong with the motherboard. The notebook doesn't beep.

Since yours does beep, I think the CPU might be fine.
You should still be able to get into the BIOS if the HDD and ODD are broken, so don't worry about that.

Here is a thread in which a notebook repair guy can help you:
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1223566

 

this laptops actually under warranty. well, its not now i've taken out the 2 sticks of RAM but before that it was. but i dont think there'd be any convincing HP that it was a design fault that caused this laptop to take a trip down the stairs ;^)
i've got another HP laptop here with one of those GPU defects and they having none of taking that back! (well, for free anyway)

its good you say it might be fixable. i wasnt too sure whether i was going to waste my time disassembling and reseating and etc everything on the laptop. I'll give it a go and try setting the mobo up on an anti static mat and etc.

apparently some HP laptops have their external VGA port connected by a cable so hopefully its just that thats popped out!

"You should still be able to get into the BIOS if the HDD and ODD are broken, so don't worry about that."
sorry i should have typed my post better. i thought i'd test the ODD and HDD first as they were very easy to access. if they were both broken then i would/ve asssumed the laptop had taken such a big hit it had no chance of working! (and also would have cost a lot more to get working again)

i'll check that thread out now,
thanks for the advice moralhazard

 

Removing or adding RAM to a laptop shouldn't void it's warranty. However, as you stated, physical damage is certainly not covered by the standard manufacturer's warranty...

 

Well...it did have a warranty until you dropped it. The best (and probably only) thing you can try is reseating the memory, CPU, GPU (if it is not soldered), and HDD. Not to mention the keyboard connectors and whatnot that might have been knocked loose.

 

There were stickers from HP on the RAM, sticking them to the motherboard (though with no real strength!). It doesn't invalidate the warranty then taking them off? i always just assumed it did! Something they could blame on you. Cheers for the advice Bob

I'll try those things you mentioned Greg. Do you think the monitor I plugged in should have automatically had a signal and displayed the desktop if the laptop was still booting properly? Maybe when i put the thing back together it might work then. loose keyboard cable or something maybe.

I'll post back with what happens

Thanks for the advice