Dell laptop won't boot up Need HELP

Kinvara said:

I have a Dell latitude laptop. It has worked great however this morning would not boot up I get a light but only a grey screen..... HELP.... all my work is on it and it can't die. It is less than a year old.

Please give step by step help if you can as although I use a computer regularly I have never trouble shot one.

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What model of latitude is it???

try a diagnostics first
To launch the PSA diagnostics, perform the following steps:

Press and hold the <Fn> key, and then press the power button to power the system on.
Release both buttons.
The PSA diagnostics sequence begins. After approximately 30 seconds, the computer emits a number of alert tones. After the alert tones, the computer emits a series of low beeps.
Record the sequence of beeps in the log.
Check for no video while the system emits beep codes.
Web site for explanation of PSA beep codes: http://bioscentral.com/postcodes/dellbios.htm
As the latitude d600 is the most common try these steps below
Is the AC adapter has a solid green LED when it is connected to the system
Press the power button and check the power LED activity on the Dell™ portable system.

To check the power LED activity, perform the following steps to rule out a display problem

Press and hold the power button for 1-2 seconds.
Note the behavior of the power LED when the power button is pressed.
If The power LED comes on and stays on,
Check for a "no video" situation with Caps Lock key.

Turn the system on and wait three minutes.
Listen for hard drive activity.
When the hard drive activity stops, press the <CAPS Lock> and <NUM Lock> keys.
If the Caps Lock and Num Lock LEDs turn on and off the system is posting but the video isnt functional.
get an external monitor Press the <Fn> and <F8> keys to toggle the display mode between the video modes (LCD Only, Monitor Only, and Both).
If you have a display on the external monitor
Note any change in symptoms or an increased frequency of occurence of the symptom when doing the following:

Swivel the LCD back and forth.
Lightly tap the LCD back plastics (top plastics).
Gently apply pressure on the bezel surrounding the screen.
Gently apply pressure above the keyboard near the LEDs and power button.
If the lcd screen is affested by movement then you need to reseat the lcd cable.

If that fails try these steps: this will check to see if the suspend switch is jammed. this switch is located along the top of the plastics beside the power button

Remove the hinge cover and check the position of the suspend switch.
To remove the hinge cover, perform the following steps:
Remove any external monitors from the system.
Locate the suspend switch
To remove the plastics you will see a small grove to the top right of the keyboard. using a screw driver ease the plastic up all the way across
Press down on the suspend switch and confirm that it is not in the down position.
Reinstall the hinge cover.
Press the power button and check for POST.

Try these steps and get back if you still have a problem.

I have tried this but It wont boot the psa advanced diagnostics.
I have a dell latitude C640.
I followed your Instructions above reading to boot the psa diagnostics.
I press the fn key and then the power button it boots windws everytime.
I have also tried pushing both power button and fn key at the same time holding it down.
It still boots in windows.
I'm tring to run advanced diagnostics on my mother board to check the circuits.
I'm having a charging issue, no yellow, orange, green light on my battery led indicator.
I have a replacement non genuine dell battery which charges 1% every 7-10 hours.
windows power state shows online, and in bios idle.
I purchased 2 genuine dell batteries new 1 came with one test light on the battery itself.
Showing 0% it didn't last 2 mins before the computer died.
the other arrived at the same time which was dead.
neither genuine dell battery will not charge.
thanks in advance.

Re: Dell laptop won't charge up Need HELP

Yes my laptop will boot and run on ac fine.
but doesn't show charging and no blinking lights.
a non genuine dell battery will slowly charge 1% every 7-10 hours.
I ran it all the way down completly dead and got it to start slowly charge
back up to 0.4% while the 2 dell batteries that 1 arrived completly dead
and the other with very little charge in it, i ran it all the way down.
the current voltage on batterymon said 13.11 volts after 2 days it says 14.92 volts yet 0% and 0/66000 mWh.
The main issue was the replacement battery was charging too slow
so I decided to purchase a genuine dell battery to try to get it to charge correctly or faster
The replacement battery fits tight as well as rubbing as it inserted and ejected having to firmly press it in the laptop.
My ac adapter is tested with the correct volts as well. (pa9 90 watts).
Thank you