Laptop troubleshooting: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me
- 11/13/09 2:53 PM
Rogue laptop
by pitzberg1 - 10/30/09 8:58 PM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I believe your problem is the Mobo.
Most likely when it dropped, you caused some damage to the Mobo, which is most likely intermittent. I had a desktop that would not fire up on occasion, and I replaced power supply, HD, processor, and after all that it still would fault on ocasion when starting up.
I replaced the Mobo and no problem.
Good luck
Rogue Keys....
by PaulTercier - 10/30/09 9:45 PM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
First off... Don't drop the laptop... they don't bounce well.
From the symptoms you have described I would guess that something has been partially disconnected at best or broken and failing and must be replaced at worst.
BACKUP UP YOUR DATA NOW -- YOU RUN THE RISK OF DATA LOSS IF YOUR COMPUTER FAILS AND TAKES OUT THE DRIVE.
WARNING -- TECHNICAL EXPERTISE IS REQUIRED FOR SERVICE AND REPAIR OF LAPTOPS!!!!
The fact that the system powers up and runs is a good sign. That being said it is most likely that the keyboard has been damaged in the fall. Perhaps you can get away with removing the keyboard and re-seating all the cable connections.
Unfortunately there is also the possibility that the damage has occurred on the motherboard itself. This will involve replacement of expensive components, if replacement is possible. One other potential problem might arise from the damage having caused an intermittent short in the system, if this is the case continued use will eventually short out the component and cause substantially more damage.
I would suggest that finding a technician or repair service to look at your system might be advisable. You will also want to price out the cost of repairs vs the replacement of the computer system, since laptop components are outrageously expensive and sometimes very difficult to obtain.
Sadly, this may not be what you want to hear, but laptops are pretty fragile items... that they last as long as they do is somewhat surprising to me, and I've been repairing them for just about 10 years.
COMPAQ 6400 PROB
by Bak2DFuture - 10/30/09 9:55 PM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I would start by going back to a saved snapshot of the system before the incident.ie : restore.................
Rogue computer
by DougSK - 10/30/09 10:28 PM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Can't say for certain, but I'd bet the drop is the culprit. Many connections inside a PC or laptop are fragile. Odds are good you have created a partial break or intermittent fault. Heating and cooling can complicate the problem further (expansion and contraction can make or break iffy connections). With a PC, the recommended fix would be to open it up and reseat all the connectors. Laptops are more challenging. I'd take it to an authorized service depot, myself.
In any event, my experience suggests a hardware fault rather than a software issue, virus or hacking. If you want to be certain, reinstall the OS.. if the problem persists, it's clearly hardware.
Sticky Keys
by websitespider - 10/30/09 11:13 PM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have experienced a similar problem with my desktop PC where every so often when I press a key it either won't work or it will take several hits on the key to make it work. Then I might get a repeated character and several other weird behaviuors on my keyboard. In this instance I traced it down to having a USB memory stick in place. As soon as I remove the memory stick everything went back to working normally. Unfortunately there is no ryhme nor reason as to when this will happen or not.
Shotgun keyboarding...
by jgrtmp - 10/30/09 11:42 PM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Just because the behvior seems to be with the keyboadoesn't mean it is the problem. All sorts of erractic behavior can be due yo software + Hijack sources. Since you mentioned AVG I assume you've scanned for virus related ills. Try a HijackThis report & look at whats hooked in to Internet Explorer. I believe it is a microtrend freeware program.
BE VERY CAREFUL!
by darrenforster99 - 10/31/09 1:01 AM In reply to: Shotgun keyboarding... by jgrtmpHiJack This is a Trend Micro application and can be downloaded from here
http://download.cnet.com/Trend-Micro-HijackThis/3000-8022_4-10227353.html
BUT USE IT WITH EXTREME CAUTION!
It is a very, very powerful tool but only use it if you are 100% certain you know what you are doing. It shows all things on your computer, regardless of whether they are a virus/spyware or not. If you don't know what you are doing and what not to touch you can stop other things from working, like IE Search, Toolbars, Flash players, Acrobat readers, etc.
It does warn you about this in the information file of the program.
two quick things to try on your laptop going rogue
by argetm - 10/31/09 12:19 AM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
First try booting a bootable linux live disk like Pclinuxos. If this works then you have a hard drive or win os problem. if this fails, second try a memory test using a program like memtest86 which will require burning a cd.
WOOPS!
by micjackz - 10/31/09 12:47 AM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Dropping your laptop onto a hardwood floor means : DEATH!
Good Luck, Do The Math and Happy Halloween!
Bust keyboard or loose keyboard cable...
by darrenforster99 - 10/31/09 12:53 AM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
The impact with the floor has probably broken the keyboard or knocked the cable that connects the keyboard to the motherboard.
I had a Sam Coupé (ZX Spectrum clone) years ago and I turned that upside down once and the keyboard fell out of that (it was a strange computer as the keyboard was only glued in place with sticky pads), after that the keyboard on that constantly did exactly the same, random keys being pressed, having to press other keys to stop it from doing other things, etc...
You are lucky though, as it's a major brand like Compaq it shouldn't cost too much to have the keyboard replaced, and you could even replace it yourself it isn't really too hard to do, possibly the hardest bit is removing the ribbon cable and re-inserting the cable in exactly the right way.
There are instructions here
http://www.insidemylaptop.com/remove-keyboard-replace-memory-hp-compaq-nc6400/
and new keyboards can be found here
US
http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&q=keyboard+nc6400&scoring=p
UK
http://www.google.co.uk/products?hl=en&q=keyboard+nc6400&scoring=p
Starting from only $14 or £10.
If you really want to check that without a doubt it is the keyboard and not Windows acting up you can try this...
Download Puppy Linux from here (CD image)...
http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/distributions/puppylinux/puppy-4.3.1/pup-431.iso
Burn it to a CD/DVD with your favourite CD/DVD software (nb if using Nero it's recommended to use a CD rather than DVD as Nero can be funny burning a CD image to a DVD).
Restart the computer with the CD in the drive, as long as your BIOS is setup to automatically boot off CD first (most laptops are) it should start booting.
Answer the questions it asks you about your keyboard/video card and after that you should be in Linux.
Play around for a while in Linux, opening up text editors and things, and see if you can get the keyboard to start printing random things on screen as it's been doing up to now.
If it does it's certainly a hardware fault, and not a software fault (Puppy Linux is totally independent from any Windows or anything else you have on your computer, so it is quite handy if you want to find out whether the fault is in the hardware or software).
After this turn the computer off (Answer No if Puppy asks do you want to save it's files/configuration to the hard drive (you could say Yes but as you're probably only going to be using Puppy this once to check for the problem there is no point in storing the configuration files).
Remember to remove the CD from the drive when restarting or else it will keep booting up Puppy Linux.
Dropped laptop
by melvynlaycock - 10/31/09 2:01 AM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
If I were you I would open the back of the machine and check all the connections, especially the ribbon cable that connects the keyboard. It sounds to me as if you have dislodged this connection when you dropped it.
M.A. Laycock
dropped laptop
by gordon162 - 10/31/09 5:33 AM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
computers are a precise machine mostly plastic.a wire connection could have come loose,everything needs to be perfect or your machine will act up.it does not sound like a virus you would have had this problem before the drop.I suggest you bring it to a reputable tech center.I know this does not fix the problem,but i hope it helps.
Good luck!!!
RE: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me
by trevor_welfare - 10/31/09 5:42 AM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi my Freind, ihad a similar problem with my laptop. It turned out to be a loose conection between the keyboard and the motherboard. To sort this problem out you need to unscrew the speaker grill at the back on the hinges of the screen, then CAREFULLY lift the speaker grill away from the keyboard, you will need to look for 3 or 4 places on the speaker grill to prise it away from the keyboard. then you will see 3 or 3 small cross head screws, these keep the keyboard down.
Undo these screws and keep in a safe place, GENTLY pull the keyboard towards you. you will then be able to see a small flexible flat cable coming from the keyboard to the motherboard, VERY CAREFULLY push the cable into the socket on the motherboard more fully. PLEASE CARE OUT ALL THE ABOVE WITH NO POWER CONNECTED AND ENSURE THE BATTERY IS DISCONNECTED AS WELL. Start up the laptop without screwing anything back to check it boots up ok, if it does shut down the laptop disconnect the power supply and battery and the reassemble the laptop back together again. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN the screws as you could strip the thread on them. reconnect battery try to boot up again, if alls well then it's job done. good luck.
AVG Sucks....
by mrdood_99205 - 10/31/09 5:55 AM In reply to: Please help, my computer goes rogue on me by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
If you are using AVG, then that is probably your problem. The "Free" version of AVG is ineffective against Malware and Viruses. My guess is your computer is probably loaded with stuff you've picked up. If you can afford a Security Suite get one. I would suggest Trend-Micro, or Kaspersky for $$$ paid security suites. For good "Free" protection get Avast "Home User". I've been doing Home Computer repair for 15 years, and I find that people are often infected by a number of ways and for a number of different reasons. And quite often it's because their Security allowed malicious software to be installed.
If your computer has developed, "a mind of it's own", then it is because you either 1. Have far too many programs installed, and need to remove any unused programs. OR 2. Have been taken over by malware of some sort.
My sugestions are;
1. Remove AVG, and install Avast.(Run a boot sector scan.){A boot sector scan will take a while(1-2 hours) since it scans the computer before it boots into Windows.}
2. Install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, do a Thorough System Scan. (This will also take alot of time(1-2 hours), but will be well worth it.) Remove any Malware if found.
3. Remove any unnecessary Programs that are no longer being used, or have never been used.
4. Run MSCONFIG. Remove auto-updating software services from the boot."They will run anyway whenever you use the program(s)."
5. Run your Disk Clean-up utility.
6. DEFRAG your HD.
7. Reboot
8. Be sure to have your "File Sharing" Turned OFF, while connected to Wi-Fi, since it is unlikely you will know anyone at any HOT SPOTS.
9. Have a nice day.
I'm sorry for not reading the entire post....Please read
by mrdood_99205 - 10/31/09 6:04 AM In reply to: AVG Sucks.... by mrdood_99205Back up your data now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Check the connections. If none are loose, then go puchase another hard drive. If that does not resolve the problem. Buy another laptop.
And from now on remember this Mantra....
DO NOT DROP LAPTOPS !!!!!!
DO NOT DROP LAPTOPS !!!!!!
DO NOT DROP LAPTOPS !!!!!!
DO NOT DROP LAPTOPS !!!!!!
DO NOT DROP LAPTOPS !!!!!!
DO NOT DROP LAPTOPS !!!!!!
REAPEAT *.*
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