SadGirlie

I'm not sure if anyone can help me, but I'm pretty desperate.

I have a Compaq Presario v2000 laptop that runs on a windows XP home platform. I went to school this morning (for a job interview - I didn't get it - ya, my day sucks) and when I came home the screen was black. Thinking that it was on a powersaving scheme I moved the mouse to get it out of it. Nothing happened.

I pressed the space bar...nothing. I held the power button down until it tuned off fully.

I tried to turn it back on, it beeped twice, really loudly and that was it. As I type this screen is STILL black, the power light is on and that's it. Nothing else is on. The fan isn't on, neither is the wireless lights etc.

I don't know what else to do. I'm pretty broke, but I really need this computer...

Help!

P.S. I am willing to try and do it on my own. I tried re-seating the RAM...nothing changed. Please say it's something I can fix myself...

Thanks

TriggerFinger

Try this:

1. Power OFF the computer
2. Remove the battery
3. Unplug AC
4. Remove all RAM sticks
5. Press and hold Power ON button for 30 secs. at least
6. Install the RAM sticks
7. Put back the battery
8. Plug back AC
9. Power ON as normal

Post back what happens.

SadGirlie

Hi Trigger Finger,

Thanks so much for your response. I did all that you suggested. When I turned it back on I saw the DVD drive light flash as well as the "lighting bolt" light on the front of the unit. The power light is on. Nothing else. Not the fan, and I don't hear the hard drive - you know the typical whirling sound.

The unit also did 2 really loud beeps. That's it.

What does this all mean?

Thanks again.

TriggerFinger

Try a different RAM stick (remove the old ones just for testing).

Madcatz

are the lights staying on when its plugged into the AC adapter? also your last post said the lightning bolt light flashed, how many times did it flash? on some HP/Compaqs the flashing is really the PC giving you an error code.

SadGirlie

Hi everyone,

Thanks again for all your replies.

-->TriggerFinger...I guess that means I have to buy a RAM stick then. Does it matter what kind? Can I just go into Future shop and pick up one? What do I ask for?

--> Madcatz, I just turned it back on to see how often the lighting bolt flashed. This time it didn't. The unit just beeped twice.

Is that more bad news?

Thanks again.

ETA: more info

Madcatz

HP uses two different ways of error codes, one is the lightning bolt flashing, the other is beep codes. Two beep codes usually means a corrupted BIOS, fixing that requires a hard reset, which TriggerFinger already had you do.

Try what TriggerFinger said though, using another stick of RAM, it does matter what kind you get, the memory that was in the laptop should have a sticker on it, on it is normally a number like PC-2100, PC-2700, PC2-4200, something like that, or it may have a mhz speed rating, like 266, 333, 400, 533, 667, you would need to get the same kind.

other option, you can post what the full model number is V2000 is the base model, full model is on the sticker on the bottom of the laptop and I can look it up and tell you what memory to get, or I can use the part number of the laptop, that will like like a CR453US.