# [SOLVED] Computer won't boot: Black Screen



## meviin (Jun 19, 2012)

I have a Union Built PC with the following specs: Intel Core I7 i7-720QM 1.6 45W 1333 - 0.00 Optical Drive: DVD/RW Dual-Layer - 0.00 Memory: 4GB DDR3 1333FSB - 124.6 Hard Drive: 320GB 7200RPM SATA 16MB CACHE - 40.6 Wireless LAN: Intel 5100 a/b/g/n Wireless - 0.00 Bluetooth. The computer is two years old, so it is no longer under warranty.

A few months ago, my computer started becoming less stable (semi-frequent BSODs on Windows and kernel panics on Linux) . More recently, it started having trouble booting up. Sometimes, it would freeze after displaying system information but before going to the boot loader. Sometimes, the fan would come on for a second (as it normally does when booting), then display a black screen, then do nothing. When one of these issues would happen, it would continue happening until I shook the computer or tapped it or otherwise moved it around. Also, the issues would only start happening after I moved the computer -- if I kept it in the same place, it wouldn't have any crashes until I moved it. 

I tried running memtest, and it didn't detect any problems, and I also tried replacing the RAM, so I don't think that's it. It had also crashed sometimes when just running memtest (the computer crashed; memtest didn't display an error), indicating that the error is probably the motherboard, PSU, or CPU.

What next steps should I take in debugging the problem? Are those components ever replaceable in laptops?

Thanks!
-Sam


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## meviin (Jun 19, 2012)

*Re: Computer won't boot: Black Screen*

Also, there are no beeps, and when there is a blank screen, it never displays the BIOS / system info screen. 

The computer was working fine, and I didn't make any hardware changes before this problem started happening.

Usually when it stops working and I shake it to get it to start working, when I boot it up, it will display the message "intel me ignition firmware is booting from the factory default image" between the BIOS screen and the boot loader.

Also, I believe that the computer is based on a Compal NBLB2.

-Sam


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: Computer won't boot: Black Screen*

Brand & Model of the Mobo-GPU-PSU?
CPU's are pretty bullet proof and your issue sounds like a power problem.


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## meviin (Jun 19, 2012)

*Re: Computer won't boot: Black Screen*

When I use lshw on Ubuntu, the motherboard shows up as the Compal NBLB2 (in other words, it doesn't give extra information). According to Compal LA-5413P schematic – NBLB2 LA-5413P – NBLB2 Motherboard schematic | COMPAL schematic diagram | Laptop Schematic | Laptop Motherboard Schematic | Laptop Motherboard Diagram | Notebook Schematic | Laptop Circuit Diagram | VGA Board S, it seems to be an Intel Ibex Peak-M PM55/HM55 motherboard.

I don't think it's a GPU issue. It isn't just that graphics isn't going to the monitor. The hard disk light never comes on, so it actually isn't booting up. The GPU is ATI Mobility Radeon 5650, though.

Assuming my PSU is the external power brick, it's an APD NB-90B19 (19V 4.74A 90W AC Adapter Power Charger For APD NB-90B19). However, the issue happens whether its connected to that or whether it's on battery power. If you were referring to an internal component and not the external power brick, could you point me to some information on how to find it?

Thanks!


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## meviin (Jun 19, 2012)

*Re: Computer won't boot: Black Screen*

Also, one of the reasons that I thought it might be a CPU issue is because some sites online indicated that a problem like this might be the result of a loose connection to the CPU or CPU Fan, which would make sense because the issue happens after moving the laptop.


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## clayton15601 (Nov 2, 2012)

*Re: Computer won't boot: Black Screen*

Hello,
I recently encountered an issue with my laptop (Dell studio xps 1645 with i7 processor) that matched the exact same issues you described. My computer would randomly freeze and not allow me. to interact with the screen at all and upon reboot the screen would be completely black or freeze during boot up. After scratching my head and testing my ram by taking out one stick at a time and seriously considering purchasing a new motherboard, the solution was actually a lot easier and cheaper than either of these issues-my laptop allows the whole back panel to be removed and allows access to almost the entire motherboard (I know with most laptops this is not quite so simple) and I removed a large portion of dust blocking the heat sink where the fan blows air over it. I then removed the heat sink from the processor itself, removed the processor to see if there was something blocking it from operating, then placed the processor back in its slot. I then applied thermal compound (the expensive glue stuff used to transfer thermal energy between the processor and the heat sink better) to both the processor and the graphics chip (as to remove the heat sink I had to uncover both). I then screwed everything back together and the computer has been working without this issue ever since. So, I think you might be encountering a similar issue to me and this issue is overheating. I hope this wasn't written in vain and you may still find this information usefull-but I see this was posted a few months ago, but regardless, perhaps someone will stumble across this answer in the future. I sincerely hope this helps-I wish someone had written this for me as it would have saved me a lot of time haha.


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## meviin (Jun 19, 2012)

*Re: Computer won't boot: Black Screen*

The issue was actually one of my RAM slots -- the RAM itself was fine, but the slot was faulty. I stopped using that slot and everything has been fine.


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## clayton15601 (Nov 2, 2012)

*Re: Computer won't boot: Black Screen*

Ah-alright, I'm glad then. I guess the only downside to doing that is its slower to use only one stick of ram as opposed to two since it only has one channel to get the information to and from instead of two-so that's a good short term but eventually you might want to swap out the motherboard? Of course, really its probably good enough-im just a nut about losing potential speed haha.


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## meviin (Jun 19, 2012)

*Re: Computer won't boot: Black Screen*

No slower -- it's just half as much memory. I went from 2x2GB sticks to 1x4GB stick, so it's the same. And replacing the motherboard in a laptop would basically be replacing the computer.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: Computer won't boot: Black Screen*



meviin said:


> No slower -- it's just half as much memory. I went from 2x2GB sticks to 1x4GB stick, so it's the same. And replacing the motherboard in a laptop would basically be replacing the computer.


You have the same amount of RAM but you are running in Single Channel and performance will suffer. A matched pair of RAM is required for Dual Channel Mode.
But, glad to hear you found/resolved the problem.


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