Laptop Crash Update - how long can it take?

by Jason Haley 5. September 2004 02:54

If you've ever had problems building a computer, check this out...

Started out Sat morning reformatting harddrive - no problem. Installed Windows XP - no problem. Installed Windows XP SP2 - no problem. Downloaded latest drivers from Dell site. Installed drivers - no problem. Downloaded Bios update which I had been meaning to run for awhile now. Run Bios update - seemingly no problem ... reboot and nothing. That is nothing other than a flashing caps lock light. No boot screen, no windows, nothing. 4.7lb paper weight....

If you want to see the current diagnosis you can check out my thread on Dell support Bios board. Right now the thing is still a nice paperweight with a blinking green light.

So I am looking at new laptops, I'm looking at Inspiron 9100 or XPS in order to get the big chip ("go big or go home" - right?) Which means the thing is going to wiegh in at around 9 lbs. I have never had an Inspiron, so I need to do a little looking at reviews. Anyone out there have an Inspiron 9100 or XPS? Might be enough machine to run Longhorn on.

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Comments

Sahil Malik

September 6. 2004 05:07

Don't feel so bad, my WD 200 GB HDD crashed, and I've been running my PC in dos mode for the past 1 week retreiving data sector by sector in a program that I wrote. At the current count, the program will continue to run for another 2-3 months, but atleast I'll get my data back !!

For new laptops, I like the new 17" widescreens. But that's just personal.

shashi

April 11. 2005 00:43

I did the same thing what ever you did, but on a hp pavilion 5385, now my laptop is just a paerweight, plz somebody help me, I cant do anything without it, plz help me.

Anonymous

February 15. 2006 19:37

I have the same problem, I don't know how to FIX it, but we can treat it (like a STD). Anyway, simply tilt your laptop to the right position and it should stop blinking the caps lock and return to normal. Remember the position or leave it there, cause it may not work in any other position. I think mine is a hardware problem. I just have no time to drop it off for a couple days cause I need i for everything. Hope this helps.

Aaron

October 2. 2006 07:47

I had the same problem with a Dell XPS laptop, would not boot, nothgin on the screen, only a flashing caps lock light...turned out that the problem was a bad memory stick.

capagotks

November 22. 2006 05:42

mine crashed last night. it was an inspiron 5150. i was just browsing the web and it froze, i thought it just overheated again. so it turned it off by holding the power button then nothing. but i did see a white underscore flashing in the top left hand corner, but it went away

Skinny

December 2. 2006 14:39

Same problem, pulled all of the ram, played musical slots and still no go. Put in another known good stick from another laptop and it booted right up.

After seeing tons of threads on this.. this is a MEMORY PROBLEM. Caps lock flashing on power up has to be a memory bad code of some kind... although I never tracked it down on the dell site. Maybe it's a dell secret.

Skinny

December 2. 2006 14:41

Oh yeh, the thing that sucks is the "bad" ram are two 512MB sticks.

P.S. this whole thing started with intermittant errors like "Memory Size has changed" and Blue Screens left and right. I put the laptop up for a few months and ran into this boot issue.

Hope this info helps someone down the line.

Steve

February 2. 2007 00:27

Definately a RAM error from what I have read. Mine was solved by removing the RAM, booting the laptop with no RAM in it (notice you stop getting the CAPS light dealeo), then putting the RAM back in.

Nate

February 16. 2007 11:34

yeah i have a 9100 and i get all three lights light up for 2-3 sec. then shut off no boot no fans nothin, anyone got this problem? email me if u do PinkFloydEffect@aol.com

don

June 13. 2007 04:28

HELLO I FOUND OUT ON MY DELL LATIUDE D600 THAT WHEN THE CAPS LOCK FLASHES 10 TIMES THERE IS A PROBLEM. ON THE BOTTOM OF THE LAPTOP THERE IS A COVER THAT SAYS C BY IT TAKE THIS COVER OFF AND MAKE SURE THE WIRES ARE CONNECTED TO THE BOARD. ( THEY JUST PULL OFF AND PUSH ON WHITE CONNECTS TO MAIN AND BLACK CONNECTS TO THE OTHER ONE) THEN PUT THE COVER BACK ON OPEN THE MEMORY COVER (THE ONE THAT SAYS M BY THE COVER TAKE THE MEMORY OUT AND PUT IT BACK IN THEN PUT THE COVER BACK ON AND BOOT WITHOUT THE BATTERY IF IT BOOTS SHUTDOWN PUT BATTERY IN AND BOOT AGAIN AND THERE YOUR PROBLEM SHOULD BE FIXED!!!!

September 24. 2007 17:37

Please check the link below. All you need is a piece of rubber.
www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/topic/50498/?o=40" rel="nofollow">www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/topic/50498/?o=40">www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/topic/50498/?o=40" rel="nofollow">www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/topic/50498/?o=40

rhino

March 21. 2008 14:41

Whoever it was that posted the remedy about using a piece of rubber to press on the memory stick that got warped from the extreme heat is an absolute genius!
I was at my wit's end about getting my work xps to boot when I happened upon that link/solution.
Bravo.
(btw - my Dell XPS wouldn't do much of anything - just the caps lock light flashing and that's it)
I pulled one of the rubber feet off the bottom of the unit and placed on one of the memory sticks, screwed the cover back into place and was very delighted when I saw the laptop POST, and then boot.
Very very grateful for the solution.
thanks

happyinsacramento

April 26. 2008 01:19

After dropping my computer on the harddrive end of the unit (and smashing my wifi card, hah), I was getting the same flashing error- thought I had killed my harddrive, but the way it was POSTing (or rather, wasnt) didnt make sense- I had alread checked to see if the RAM was seated, but it hadnt fixed the problem the first time...

Anyway, your collective advice saved me money and headaches. Thank you very much.

Frihet (website link)

June 29. 2008 11:51

Here is a possable fix you might try. I had the same problems being described here.

Starting Off:
I took the computer (A fully loaded Dell XPS laptop built in 04') down completely to clean it. Screen off, video card out, mem cards out, opened it up and I mean all the way down. Anyways, once I put it all together and powered it up, this is what I got.

Plugged it in and Bat LED begins to blink

1) Num Lock LED - ON
2) Cap Lock LED - ON
3) ??? ???? LED - ON < not sure what this light is for

2 seconds later, all lights go out and Cap Lock begins to blink 3 times then goes out.

Bat LED begins to blink again.

The Fix:

Unplug it, and pull the battery. Swapt the mem cards around and plugged it back in (leaving the battery out). Reboot, problem solved. Reinstalled the Battery later and computer continued to run just fine.

This may or may not work for you, byt hey, it's an option

Fred

July 13. 2008 04:27

Had same blinking caps lock light after replacing DC Jack on back. Swapping the two 512MB memory cards did the trick -- Dell Inspiron 5160.

MovingOnwards

August 18. 2008 20:02

1) Thank you to everyone who has put comments on to this blog...
2) This blog shows that if you ask a question someone in this wide world will have an answer...
I had the Dell flashing caps light – fortunately I had another laptop to find this blog – I was under pressure as I had a presentation to deliver - so in 2 minutes I opened up the panels underneath – re-seated the memory cards and got through my presentation..
Finally I like Dells (such things as having access to drivers when you rebuild the laptop) but they don’t do themselves any favours – so if you work for Dell and your reading this... please get a grip of your support system – it needs to be slicker and better!

Missy

October 5. 2008 02:29

i have a dell laptop and i was using it and it fell off my bed it worked for a month after that then one day it stopped working when i plug it in the lights just flash and thats it im not sure what to do!!! any advice????

maryse haig (website link)

October 23. 2008 03:37

After only 3 months of service for private business, my laptop crash down
the Dell technician told me that the laptop was not registered in my name.
It was a gift from my sister. They told me I either add a new program or software
which is not the case. Now they said I have to wait till 7 days, to get a new
hardware. I immediately registered it on my name. And I didnot get any info
so far.
Thanks,
Maryse

Vinaybs

October 31. 2008 17:29

Yes!! its a RAM problem, even if one ram is bad you get caps light flashing. DELL needs good working RAM on SLOT 0 or DIMM 0

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Jason Haley

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