My labtop won't work!

[evolvedbullet]

The obvious question, did you charge the thing; Yes I have and is fully charged. I have a gateway tablet laptop. I try hitting the power button and it won't turn on. I left it on for about 4 hours because I need to work in-between both my computers. I'm afraid the bulb of the thing has died out but I'm not sure. I need help on how to fix this problem. Thank you.

 

[robisbell]

does it have a way to connect it to a monitor?

 

[evolvedbullet]

No it doesn't. The monitor is attached to the laptop.

 

[robisbell]

umm, if the monitor is attached to it, then it does. what exact model is this?

 

[evolvedbullet]

Microsoft Windows XP Tablet Pc Edition
Gateway
Model No.:TA1

 

[robisbell]

okay, gateways not clear as to how long they warrantied them for, have you had it over a year? what happens when you take the battery out and leave the ac plugged in?

 

[Fardringle]

When you say that it doesn't turn on, is the notebook not turning on at all (no fan noise or power lights) or is it just not displaying a picture on the LCD screen?

If the computer turns on but does not display a picture on the screen, press and hold the fn key and while holding the fn key down press and release the F4 key several times to see if the picture is restored. You may simply have the computer set to display on an external screen only. If so, this will fix it. If you have access to a standard desktop monitor (CRT or LCD) you can try connecting it to the external VGA port on the back of the notebook to see if the picture displays properly there.

If the FN-F4 combination does not work, try shining a small flashlight at an angle across the screen. If you can see a faint image of the normal Windows display on the screen, then you may very well have a failed backlight in the screen that will need to be replaced. Replacing backlight bulbs in normal LCD screens is a fairly painless process, but touch screens are, if you'll forgive the pun, touchy and I wouldn't try it unless you know what you are doing. If the computer is still under warranty, give Gateway a call and get it fixed. If not, look for a local certified tech to replace the bulb.

If the computer does not turn on at all (no power light, no fan spinning), try what Robisbell suggested and remove the battery (disconnect the AC adapter before you take the battery out), then connect just the AC adapter with no battery and see if the system will turn on. If it does turn on with the battery removed then you probably have a bad battery. If it does not, then you likely have a failed AC adapter or internal power supply. Once again, if the system is under warranty give Gateway a call. If not, I would recommend having a local repair tech take a look at the machine to verify that the AC adapter and internal power supply are functioning before spending money on a new battery.

 

[robisbell]

or it could be the charging circuit on the boards fried, if so, and it's under warranty, good, if it's not, then it's expensive to replace.

 

[Laputa]

Taking out the battery might do the trick. There's an monitor out there to the left side of the keyboard; pretty close to the tab key. If it still won't power on after trying all these tricks, should contact Gateway.