Laptop won't turn on.

[tim.rose2]

Hi.
I have a laptop I purchased from you a few years ago. The model no. on the back is N141CU. It's worked perfectly until today. Unfortunately it now won't turn on. Pressing the power button (whilst plugged in) results in the green start up button coming on for a second, the keyboard lights flashing and then nothing happens (I.e. it appears to terminate the start up sequence and switch off). The flashing repeats every few seconds as if it keeps trying to start until stopped by pressing and holding the power switch to turn off. Without the power cable in you just a single flash and then it turns off and stays off. Hope that makes sense? The only thing I've noticed of late it that it sometimes doesn't charge when plugged in. Removing and refitting the power cable has always started it recharging so not really caused a problem. Any ideas? Sorry I'm not brilliant with computers so will need guidance. Hopefully nothing too serious. Otherwise I guess I'll be taking it to a repair shop.
Thanks
Tim

 

[SpyderTracks]

Hi.
I have a laptop I purchased from you a few years ago. The model no. on the back is N141CU. It's worked perfectly until today. Unfortunately it now won't turn on. Pressing the power button (whilst plugged in) results in the green start up button coming on for a second, the keyboard lights flashing and then nothing happens (I.e. it appears to terminate the start up sequence and switch off). The flashing repeats every few seconds as if it keeps trying to start until stopped by pressing and holding the power switch to turn off. Without the power cable in you just a single flash and then it turns off and stays off. Hope that makes sense? The only thing I've noticed of late it that it sometimes doesn't charge when plugged in. Removing and refitting the power cable has always started it recharging so not really caused a problem. Any ideas? Sorry I'm not brilliant with computers so will need guidance. Hopefully nothing too serious. Otherwise I guess I'll be taking it to a repair shop.
Thanks
Tim

With modern laptops they require a working battery to power on even when plugged into the mains.

The fact that the light comes on briefly then immediately shuts off when on battery, whereas on mains it continually goes through those symptoms could simply point to the battery having died.

The other thing it could be is the charger, perhaps that's no longer working so the device hasn't been receiving a proper charge.

The default warranty is 3 years labour covered. You do have the option of setting an RMA through your online account and returning it to PCS for them to diagnose the issue, that shouldn't incur any charge other than shipping to them.

That way you can get a conclusive diagnosis, and if it does turn out to be something simple like battery or charger, those are simple things to replace.

If it turns out to be something more serious like requiring a new motherboard (very worst case, but a possibility if the charging port has become damaged), then at least you can get a quotation without having to commit to anything, so you know where you stand.

 

[Martinr36]

Warranty on battery is only 6 months, just so you know

7.7	Laptop Batteries come with a maximum 6 month warranty, regardless of which warranty option is purchased.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Warranty on battery is only 6 months, just so you know

7.7	Laptop Batteries come with a maximum 6 month warranty, regardless of which warranty option is purchased.

Parts warranty has likely expired completely unfortunately, unless they chose Gold which so few do.

 

[tim.rose2]

Laptop is 4 years old so definitely out of warranty. It's life, things break and I know it'll cost me a few quid to fix.

I think the charger and battery are fine other than the minor issue mentioned earlier where it sometimes doesn't start charging.

 

[tim.rose2]

I've never tried to open this laptop but if memory serves correctly there is a button battery on the motherboard. I'm wondering if it could be that? Can't remember it's exact purpose other than that being knackered in an old computer of mine resulted in it loosing the date and time every time I shut it down.

 

[SpyderTracks]

I've never tried to open this laptop but if memory serves correctly there is a button battery on the motherboard. I'm wondering if it could be that? Can't remember it's exact purpose other than that being knackered in an old computer of mine resulted in it loosing the date and time every time I shut it down.

If you’ve never opened it, that may well be why it’s failed. They require servicing abiut once a year which means taken the fans and heatsinks off and cleaning them and repastring the cpu and gpu.

If that hasn’t been done it will have been heavily thermal throttling for an extended period of time which generally means cpu/gpu/mother board failure

 

[tim.rose2]

Could well be. Mind you, the last laptop I had worked perfectly for 8 years with no servicing and I'm fairly confident it'll work again when I try to fire it up. Have a feeling I did have to do a fan clean and repaste once in its life. I'll open it up over the weekend and have a play.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Could well be. Mind you, the last laptop I had worked perfectly for 8 years with no servicing and I'm fairly confident it'll work again when I try to fire it up. Have a feeling I did have to do a fan clean and repaste once in its life. I'll open it up over the weekend and have a play.

Was it a performance laptop though? Custom laptops are very different to others in the components and management.

Does your other one have a dGPU?

 

[tim.rose2]

Neither were performance. Just standard pc specialist laptops for general stuff. No separate graphics in either.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Neither were performance. Just standard pc specialist laptops for general stuff. No separate graphics in either.

Apologies, I looked up the model and saw it was a clevo, I had no idea clevo did ultrabooks, so assumed it had a dGPU in there.

You're right, that's a very different kettle of fish then, the servicing is less of an importance in this case.