Laptop Powers On - Fan Turns On - HDD Spins - No Display on Screen or External Monitor

[anwix]

To sum it up, a friend of mine gave me his laptop. Having a look at this, I suspect that the motherboard may be to blame.

I've done all the basic things such as removing the battery and holding down the power button for 60 seconds. Hooking it up to an external monitor. Even checking the RAM sticks.

Nothing seems to fix the issue. The HDD will spin when you turn the computer on, there aren't any beeping noises, and the fan will spin. The capslock key or numlock keys don't send a signal to the corresponding LED lights. Just looking for a second opinion before I strip the laptop down, remove the parts and throw it in the bin.

For those wanting the model it's a Sony Vaio VGN-FW31E.

EDIT: Just noticed that the first couple of times you turn the laptop on it'll quickly turn off, but the third or fourth time it will manage to stay on - no display of course.

 

[anwix]

Yes but these 'good laptop techs' are very, very expensive 😛

When you go to crappy, cheaper, laptop techs they seem to want to replace the entire motherboard!!

Anyway. I'm going to try and reflow the gpu tomorrow with a heatgun (if I can be asked to buy one) else I'll resort to using my hair dryer. Quite a lot of people have seemed to have had good luck by reflowing the GPU.

 

[anwix]

The reflow didn't work. Still got the same problem.

Would it be worth testing out a new CPU -- or at this stage would it be logical to assume that the motherboard is dead?

 

[qazzi]

well the only way it to replace the GPU with the same one. replacing the whole mobo is not practical your better off buying a new laptop.