Question Samsung RF511 appears half-dead (but only half!)

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matthewmontagupollock

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Jul 27, 2017
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I have a Samsung RF511 bought on Ebay which arrived gleaming, in its original box, and served me well for a year.
Then it developed weird cursor problems and I took it to Samsung's usual repairman. He put in the touchpad unit and an SSD from my previous RF511 and everything worked fine.

Till yesterday - when it developed exactly the same symptoms as before:

Starts up fine, password input fine, but...
Weird cursor movements.
Programs do not start
ALT+CTRL+DEL non-functioning
After shutdown, F4 non-functioning (F2 for BIOS works, one can navigate in BIOS easily)
Click to expand...

There is a very occasional blink-blink from the light which indicates hard drive activity,...

Thoughts?
 
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lga1156_ftw

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Feb 25, 2020
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plug off power cable and use only with battery, issue solved until you plug in power cable?

If that doesnt work take off internal battery, plug off power cable and press power button continuously for 30seconds. After that plugin only power cable and use without battery? Solved?
 
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matthewmontagupollock

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Jul 27, 2017
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lga1156_ftw said:
plug off power cable and use only with battery, issue solved until you plug in power cable?

If that doesnt work take off internal battery, plug off power cable and press power button continuously for 30seconds. After that plugin only power cable and use without battery? Solved?
Click to expand...
I tried both of these potential solutions, but unfortunately neither worked.
I am puzzled by F4 not working when I re-start, and at the same time F2 allowing me to access the bios.
Who knows? Tiny Take by MangoApps seems to be trying to install itself, so that immediately makes me suspect software issues. Since access is to poor, it is hard to debug.
 
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lga1156_ftw

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Feb 25, 2020
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Did the repair guy clean install windows on the new ssd? Does keys work fine in Safe mode (google how to get safe mode)
If you are able , download temperature monitoring software like hwinfo or hwmonitor and check cpu core and graphics card temperatures.
 
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matthewmontagupollock

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Jul 27, 2017
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I googled how to get safe mode, but got distracted by the possibility of reinstalling Windows, which I did. Now I am 'Wecome to Windows' but am unable to move forward, since the cursor does not work. Clicking on things doesn't work, ditto Task Manager. So I am going back to try to get to safe mode..... to see if the keys work there.
 
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matthewmontagupollock

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Jul 27, 2017
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Last time this happened, swapping over the touchpad from another identical laptop worked (along with swapping over the SSD).

There's been no previous indication that the touchpad is faulty, I can move the cursor, a lot of keys work, just tapping on the touchpad doesn't work. Tapping on Enter sometimes works, depending on what is on screen, but what's on screen is sort of crazy. Of course this reinstall has removed all my familiar programs like Word and Firefox, which isn't helping the diagnosis!
 
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matthewmontagupollock

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Jul 27, 2017
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I shall just have to go out on the second-hand market and get myself another Samsung RF511. The world will be running out of working stocks soon! This is a 9 year old laptop model, even though it is an i5. But the benchmark tests are only just under 1/2 the speed of today's i5s, so for the sort of applications I use (Word 2003-2007 and Firefox primarily) it is just as good. It is the comfort of the machine, its gentle rounded edges, that I like.
 
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lga1156_ftw

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Feb 25, 2020
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You should try few things first like:

1. Try to update the bios, close all applications and download firmware version v1.0.0.2 from here :
You can see "?" mark on the firmware , press it to learn more how to update bios, after its done updating and rebooted automatically press f2 to enter bios and load default settings. Then f10 to save.
https://www.samsung.com/us/support/owners/product/np-rf511
Before contining with the upgrade close all apps you can, disable firewall until next restart.


2. clean install windows with usb https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/9585/how-to-setup-a-usb-flash-drive-to-install-windows-7/ Just take your product key with a program like "produkey" if you dont have it on your laptops back cover (so you can activate it after clean install)

If you tried to use your laptop both ways, without battery (only power cable) and with battery (no power cable) with same issue happening?
 
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matthewmontagupollock

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Jul 27, 2017
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Repairing is I believe unrealistic. On line I find this one comment: "There are You Tube videos that will demonstrate how to fix the [touchpad] issue assuming the problem is strictly mechanical in nature (which mine and many others were). The bottom half of the touchpad is held in place with tabs underneath the keyboard area cover; the top half is glued in place with double stick tape. Underneath the touchpad lies a beautiful battery which naturally heats up with use/charging; something that affects the glue over time. The glue eventually travlels impeding the touchpad from its normal operation. The fix is to remove the back part of the laptop followed by the battery and then the touchpad. The touch pad and surrounding area must then be carefully cleaned and the self-adhesive tape eventually replaced. Sounds like a major feat but there's really not much to it. You will need a set phillips bits as part of a jeweler's screwdriver set. My touchpad works fine now. Good luck "

Hmmmm. When my repairman did the job last time he quoted low because he thought the job was going to be easy, but discovered to his dismay how hard it is on this model. It isn't simply popping things out, this machine has irritating plastic rivet-style clips all over the place which have to be popped up and then placed back. Then when and if you get there, it is not (to me) obvious how one would do what he says.
 
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lga1156_ftw

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Feb 25, 2020
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You obviously need to download the right windows file to fit your product key. It might either automatically activate it or not, probably no cause your laptop is older. Thats why you need to copy the product key with "produkey64" before continuing with that, if you dont have it on sticker behind laptop.
 
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matthewmontagupollock

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Jul 27, 2017
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Sorry we overlapped.
On battery, yes, tried both ways

On Windows install, can one still get Windows 7 online? Unfortunately the product key on the back has faded. But since I can't access the laptop in Safe Mode, aren't I unlikely to be able to use a product key utility to recover the key?
 
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lga1156_ftw

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Feb 25, 2020
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You cant do bios upgrade in safe mode, thats what im slightly worried about. If your able to get into normal windows and close all programs and anticheat, then do it. Its possible to flash it in msdos (no operating system dependant) but that would be too hard to explain. I would try first windows 7 fresh install.

About the product key if your 100% sure you can read it then you can continue with the clean install. Just google "windows 7 iso" and click on microsoft link, that asks you for product key and there is a guide how to do it. It will ask also for the right version like windows 7 pro or home premium. You need to choose right one , same as your original product key came with. Then when your usb is ready you need to boot from it, go to bios and select boot order to USB first.
 
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matthewmontagupollock

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But the more you look, the more confident you get. Os are different, they have a funny line through them, but then there is the zero and oh ambiguity to deal with which I can't even start on!
 
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matthewmontagupollock

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Jul 27, 2017
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ERROR The product key you have entered appears to be for software which was pre-installed by the device manufacturer. Please contact the device manufacturer for software recovery options.

Bastards.
 
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