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Dell Laptop PROBLEMS!

Last answer on Jul 27, 2009 10:25:09 pm BST jlanthon, on Aug 26, 2008 9:13:55 pm BST 
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Hello,
I have a Dell Inspiron 600m laptop that wont turn on or anything! When you try to power it up there is a green light with what looks like a padlock and a letter A inside it that will blink 9 times and then the light turns off. But meanwhile the fan nor the screen will turn on. Any ideas?!?

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1

Andrew, on Aug 27, 2008 2:49:19 am BST

Gotta start at the beginning.

Is the laptop plugged in and the battery fully charged?
Does anything appear on the screen when you hit the power button, even for just a second?
Do you hear any fan/disk/disc drive noises after you hit the power button, or is it completely silent?

-Andrew

   
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2

jlanthon, on Aug 27, 2008 5:17:20 am BST

Thanks for replying-
Yes the laptop is plugged in and we checked the battery and its fully charged.
Nothing comes up on the screen at all when I hit the power button, not ever for a second.
And the fan/disc doesn't make any noises at all it is completely silent.
Any ideas on what could be wrong?

   
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3

Andrew, on Aug 27, 2008 11:45:36 am BST

Early indications point to something wrong with either the motherboard or another related board. Try pressing F7 and F8 at the same time or just after pressing the power button. If you feel up to it, remove the panel covering the RAM and reseat the modules. Might help.
If the laptop is under warranty still, call Dell. They might replace parts for free. If you are out of warranty, I'd say this laptop is totalled, mainly because new laptops are so cheap these days.
It's unlikely that your data is lost, so extracting the hard drive is possible
Good luck!

-Andrew

   
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4

jlanthon, on Aug 27, 2008 7:21:21 pm BST
  • +1

Thanks so much for the help! Do you know how I can get the stuff off the hard drive? That is what I am most concerned about having.

   
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5

Andrew, on Aug 27, 2008 7:42:32 pm BST

With a small screwdriver and a bit of tech-savvy, you can extract your hard drive from the dead laptop and put it into an external enclosure.
Hard drive removal instructions for your 600m:
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins600m/en/sm/­hdd.htm#1123687

External HD enclosure:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817816­002

That will make your hard drive accessable via USB to another computer. You'll need to know where your files are kept to extract everything. Once you feel comfortable your files are safe, you now have a nice external drive! Larger than a thumbdrive, but larger and still portable.

I'd eBay your laptop. Lots of people can make use of the parts that still work (screen, battery, memory) and it could net you a few hundred dollars as well. Just make sure to explain that it doesn't work in the description.

-Andrew

   
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6

jlanthon, on Aug 28, 2008 8:17:09 pm BST

Andrew-
Thank you once again for all your advice and for taking the time to answer back! I appreciate all the help.

   
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7

ozzie010, on Feb 5, 2009 10:00:45 am GMT
  • +2

I had the same. I opened the compartment where the memory modues are located (power the PC off of course)
Remove the RAM modules (1 by one if there are two) and then the PC worked again. It was the memory module that was faulty.

After power up the pc agan the BIOS asked me whether the amount of system memory had changed. Reply YEs, and continue with F1. Problem solved.

   
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9

me, on Feb 21, 2009 9:42:35 pm GMT
  • +4

Thank you Ozzie010!!!! I searched google for this issue and found this thread. It worked for my father-in-laws Inspiron 9300. He will be very pleased that I fixed it. And I'm just a girl! :o) Thanks again.

   
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11

 SamTech, on Jul 27, 2009 10:25:09 pm BST

This is unfortunately a common problem with the Memory compartment on certain Dell, HP and Lenovo model laptops. This problem is caused by how you handle your laptop over the years. If you hold your laptop with 2 hands (when closed on left and right hand sides) or when open (sam way) this problem will not emerge.
If you do (as I did) by handling it like a regular school notebook (you grab it on one end 1 handed, etc) after time, the pressure you're putting on the area harms the internal components of the laptop.
Motherboard is screwed to the outer plastic, so any bending (no matter how small) is also slightly bending the motherboard inside.
The RAM could be faulty, but also the socket (on the motherboard side) can also be faulty. I changed my RAM after 2 yrs, then after another 1 1/2 yrs, I got the same problem as all of you.
Handle your laptops with 2 hands and it will help prevent further issues down the road. :)

   
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10

Dinu, on Mar 7, 2009 9:31:23 am GMT

Same problem with Dell Latitude D530.

1. I removed DIMM i.e memory module, ( back side , one screw, oen it you will find dimm module of memory ) inserted. Started notebook ,No t solved.
2. I removed aga DIMM memory module now started Notebook without memory. Again switchd off . inserted memory module / dimm , restrted pc, working ok now.

This resetting memory module for bad data. OK now.

   
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