# Presario CQ50 Screen Goes Black At Boot



## Michale32086 (Oct 30, 2009)

I have a weird problem that is difficult to describe. At least, it's difficult to describe for a GOOGLE Search... :grin:

I have a Presario CQ50 running VISTA. When booting up, the console/text part of the boot up process is displayed. I can go into BIOS settings and everything is fine. 

What happens is, once the console/text part of the boot up is done, the screen blanks out and nothing gets it back. I have also tried booting with Install CDs. It shows the text, "Your Computer will now be inspected...." or whatever that says at the beginning and then the monitor goes blank again.

I have also tried booting with utility disks (Hirems).. The menus display fine, but one a software program is chosen (in this case NORTON GHOST), once again the monitor blanks out..

I have even tried booting with some LINUX disks I have. It shows the startup menu, but then when it starts booting up into the "meat" of the OS, the screen blanks out.

The keyboard looks like it has been thru some rough use. Kinda warped, so I thought it might be a stuck key or something. So I pull the keyboard, but it still produces the same problem..

It's almost as if the display can handle a DOS type environment, but when it tries to go past that, the LCD craps out..

Anyone have a clue??

Thanx


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Hi and welcome to TSF if you have service packs installed you need to run the repair this way http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88236-repair-install-vista.html have you tested the ram with memtest 86+ http://www.google.co.uk/url?q=http:...=section_link&resnum=1&ct=legacy&ved=0CAoQygQ download and burn to disc and boot from it use imgburn http://www.google.co.uk/url?q=http:...0gIoAA&usg=AFQjCNF2EpV4lT4cyhUrpgs1KPrUQVwb4g to burn,also try the hdd diagnostic tool from hdd makers support site then burn to disc and boot from it to test


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## Michale32086 (Oct 30, 2009)

joeten said:


> Hi and welcome to TSF if you have service packs installed you need to run the repair this way http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88236-repair-install-vista.html have you tested the ram with memtest 86+ http://www.google.co.uk/url?q=http:...=section_link&resnum=1&ct=legacy&ved=0CAoQygQ download and burn to disc and boot from it use imgburn http://www.google.co.uk/url?q=http:...0gIoAA&usg=AFQjCNF2EpV4lT4cyhUrpgs1KPrUQVwb4g to burn,also try the hdd diagnostic tool from hdd makers support site then burn to disc and boot from it to test



Many thanx for the welcome and the information.

I will try that soonest...


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## Michale32086 (Oct 30, 2009)

Well, I tried all the suggestions in those links. 

But, unfortunately, none of them worked. Every time it got past the DOS part with those boot disks, the screen blanked again.

I did do an HD check and MemTest thru the BIOS and they all checked out OK.

But it seems that the laptop won't get past DOS when it boots. Even tried to install XP but it wouldn't get past the DOS part...


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Hi you could try wiping the disc with killdisc and then try to install,xp might need a sata driver in order to install you would have to slipstream it with xp,you may need to check for drivers in order to have xp run the hardware


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## Michale32086 (Oct 30, 2009)

joeten said:


> Hi you could try wiping the disc with killdisc and then try to install,xp might need a sata driver in order to install you would have to slipstream it with xp,you may need to check for drivers in order to have xp run the hardware


Hi JoeTen,

Thanx for sticking with me on this. This is driving me to drink!!! :upset: Well, actually, it's more of a short walk... :laugh:

Do you think it is something on the Hard Drive that is causing this behavior??

I initially thought it was a software issue as well. But the fact that I can't even boot off a LIVE Linux disk caused me to think it might be hardware related. 

I just can't think of what would cause the LCD to work fine under a DOS/CONSOLE environment, but go wanky when in a Windows or X environment.

I'll try your suggestion and see what happens..

Thanx again...


Michale


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## micosmiling (Feb 9, 2010)

Hi,
Did you ever sort that problem out with the presario as I have the exact same issue. I managed to format the hard drive in a spare laptop and load a clean windows install but on re-installation the same thing happens. Like you tried linux ubuntu boot disk, gets to choosing to install or run from cd, make choice then screen goes black as usual. try ubcd but still the same.
Could a ram chip do this, there is only one in the laptop I got. my spare laptop has a different chip and just beeped on putting it in. tried with out CD drive, still no joy. Might try with out WIFI card as I have noticed that it goes orange when it decides to start a little but then it goes blue when it fails.
Many thanks in advance. 
Micosmiling


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## Michale32086 (Oct 30, 2009)

micosmiling said:


> Hi,
> Did you ever sort that problem out with the presario as I have the exact same issue. I managed to format the hard drive in a spare laptop and load a clean windows install but on re-installation the same thing happens. Like you tried linux ubuntu boot disk, gets to choosing to install or run from cd, make choice then screen goes black as usual. try ubcd but still the same.
> Could a ram chip do this, there is only one in the laptop I got. my spare laptop has a different chip and just beeped on putting it in. tried with out CD drive, still no joy. Might try with out WIFI card as I have noticed that it goes orange when it decides to start a little but then it goes blue when it fails.
> Many thanks in advance.
> Micosmiling


Hi,

Sorry to say that I never got anywhere with this.. I returned it to the customer with my sincerest apologies for not being able to fix it.

It's still a mystery to me..

The weird part is how everything seems to work fine until SOMETHING graphic is invoked or activated.. At least, that 's what it looks like.

Good luck.. If you do find something out, definitely update this thread, if you can.. 

Michale


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## micosmiling (Feb 9, 2010)

Hi,
Thought I'd solved it after nearly throwing the dam thing across the room.
I noticed the wireless light would behave slightly oddly when or just before black screen.
I stripped down the laptop to the motherboard just to make sure fans were not clogged and over heating. On putting it all back together again I discovered that the wireless leads to the wirless card were chaffed and shorting on casing. So taped them up and put it back together. Bingo all worked........loaded windows, spent a day doing updates etc, moved the machine and guess what on next boot exactly the same black screen after bios aaaarrggghhhhh%^&&$&*^&(&^TR.
Will strip down tonight maybe for further investigation.
Micosmiling


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## Michale32086 (Oct 30, 2009)

micosmiling said:


> Hi,
> Thought I'd solved it after nearly throwing the dam thing across the room.
> I noticed the wireless light would behave slightly oddly when or just before black screen.
> I stripped down the laptop to the motherboard just to make sure fans were not clogged and over heating. On putting it all back together again I discovered that the wireless leads to the wirless card were chaffed and shorting on casing. So taped them up and put it back together. Bingo all worked........loaded windows, spent a day doing updates etc, moved the machine and guess what on next boot exactly the same black sreen after bios aaaarrggghhhhh%^&&$&*^&(&^TR.
> ...


I have another laptop that did the same thing..

It's an older HP X3 that belongs to a friend.. I have been working on it for weeks. 

It would boot up and I would see the DOS, but then when it got passed that, the screen (and an external monitor) would go dark. To make things even harder, the BIOS is password protected..

So, I stripped it down, reseated the CPU and cleaned it up. 

Viola'....

After reassembling things, it booted up just fine with NO BIOS password. I installed XP and ran it thru the updates. Everything was copacetic... I called my friend and let him know his laptop is fixed.. 

Oh happy days, right??

Wrong :upset: When I delivered it to him, it had the exact same problems. Goes dark after DOS and the BIOS password was in place... 

ARRRGGGHHHHH!!!! :4-dontkno

So, like you, I am going to dissemble it again and hope I can get it back to the working stage. Then I plan to go into the BIOS (with a hammer and chisel, if necessary!!!) and remove the BIOS password..

That's my plan.. Here's hoping.. 


Michale


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Hi have either of you checked the ram on these machines sometimes it can cause similar issues


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## micosmiling (Feb 9, 2010)

joeten said:


> Hi have either of you checked the ram on these machines sometimes it can cause similar issues


Yeah this was the only thing that I couldn't swap out..... could be my port of call next. Strip down last night was a nightmare and only after putting back one of the screws left out last time did this thing boot at least to BIOS and little cursor before going black AARRRRGGHHH anyone got a spare ram module.
micosmiling


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## micosmiling (Feb 9, 2010)

Hi,
Managed to swap the RAM module into my Dell laptop, booted first time and ran memtest with no errors so I put it back compaq.
Anymore Ideas..... Laptop left this morning with keyboard unscrewed and out and outer rim which houses power button/wireless ethernet button unscrewed but still connected. No ethernet card in and aerial leads to it are out to one side. No battery in just power lead and as I left this morning it logged into desktop.......
Please please help :-(


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Hi you could have a problem with the graphics not sure what is in your model


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## micosmiling (Feb 9, 2010)

Hi
Compaq presario cq50-100em
NVidia GeForce 8200M on board I believe, well I couldn't see it on strip down to motherboard (novice at recognising things like this, but knew my ATI off board one when I stripped it of my dell).
I'm not in a home for mentally disturbed novice computer repairers........this one is doing my head in......
Got to the stage now where what I'm reading means I could be reflowing the northbridge or southbridge or wrapping the whole laptop up in a towel while plugged in so that the dam thing overheats to melt a BGA......too much for me I think.....
Today I took the keyboard out and hey presto it worked first time.........turned it off to plug it back in and you guessed it "it didn't work" unplug again and it still don't work aaaarrrrrgghhhhhhhhh.
I just love to solve things myself and hate having to go elsewhere
Thanks though for any help. Its always appreciated.
micosmiling


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## night_shift (Sep 8, 2009)

Hi micosmiling

Watch this video, it is not your motherboard but the method is the same for all. This gives a very crude way of reflowing, but I have seen this process work and carried it out successfully myself. Remember this is a last ditch attempt at recovery. This method has about a 40% success rate.

Read the warning at the foot of this post. Also before you start *remove the bios cmos battery *from the motherboard.

Open a new thread called *Presario CQ50 Reflowing* and post all your results.

YouTube - Re-flow Video Card IBM T41p Latop motherboard

WARNING:
Only carry out this procedure if you are competent and understand the nature of the task. 
The task in hand should have a general risk assesment carried out for your safety and others.
You must remove all sources of electrical power (AC mains supply and DC battery supply) from the hardware you are repairing. 
You must wear appropriate personal protection equipment (PPE) i.e safety approved eye protection and hand protection where necessary.
Apply *S.T.A.R* Stop Think Act Right.


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## micosmiling (Feb 9, 2010)

Hi,
Lol yeah I watched it before on youtube but thanks for the link as it helps everyone else. I really don't think I'll go this far but you never know.
Does anyone know where the laptop lid switch is on these or where it plugs into motherboard. Not saying on the hp strip down manual or on laptoprepairs 101 site. I've not got the motherboard out again as its getting to be a pain and when I put it back together I remebered about faulty/sticky lid switches or so I've been told on this model its magnetic.
Thanks in advance.
micosmiling


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