Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion (More info?)

Laptop was hit with a virus and died. Now computer only shows black screen
on startup. When I put a startup disk in drive a and cd-rom drive, the
cd-rom drive is accessed but then nothing happens. I have tried to access
the bios using F2 key but no luck. Any ideas on how I can get the laptop
working again?

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion (More info?)

On Tue, 3 May 2005 20:19:03 -0700, Summer
<Summer@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>Laptop was hit with a virus and died. Now computer only shows black screen
>on startup. When I put a startup disk in drive a and cd-rom drive, the
>cd-rom drive is accessed but then nothing happens. I have tried to access
>the bios using F2 key but no luck. Any ideas on how I can get the laptop
>working again?

Many times it's the <del> key or F1 or F10 to get into the BIOS.
Hold down the <ctrl> key when booting, do you get the boot menu?
Hold down the F5 key to try to get into Safe mode.

Remove the CD and boot with a Win98 Startup diskette, do you get to
the A:\ prompt? If so enter C: to get to the root. If that works
from C:\ enter DIR do you see the files and folders?

Let us know.

Regards,

Bill Watt
Computer Help and Information http://home.ptd.net/~bwatt/

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion (More info?)

Laptop is a sony pcg-f540. I looked on their website to see what the bios
key was which was F2. I tried all your suggestions but did not work. I do
not even get a cursor on startup, just a blank screen. Could it be the LCD
panel went? Can I somehow hook the laptop up to a monitor without a docking
station? Thanks for your help. Again it will access the CD-Rom drive but I
cannot see anything happening on the screen.

Summer

"Bill Watt" wrote:

> On Tue, 3 May 2005 20:19:03 -0700, Summer
> <Summer@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> >Laptop was hit with a virus and died. Now computer only shows black screen
> >on startup. When I put a startup disk in drive a and cd-rom drive, the
> >cd-rom drive is accessed but then nothing happens. I have tried to access
> >the bios using F2 key but no luck. Any ideas on how I can get the laptop
> >working again?
>
> Many times it's the <del> key or F1 or F10 to get into the BIOS.
> Hold down the <ctrl> key when booting, do you get the boot menu?
> Hold down the F5 key to try to get into Safe mode.
>
> Remove the CD and boot with a Win98 Startup diskette, do you get to
> the A:\ prompt? If so enter C: to get to the root. If that works
> from C:\ enter DIR do you see the files and folders?
>
> Let us know.
>
> Regards,
>
> Bill Watt
> Computer Help and Information http://home.ptd.net/~bwatt/
>
>

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion (More info?)

Summer,

Actually it sounds like the BIOS battery is dead or everything in
the BIOS is set to "none". Did you have any problems with the date
and time prior to this happening? What was the name of virus that
hit it? We can find out what it does and perhaps a cure.

Regards,

Bill Watt
Computer Help and Information http://home.ptd.net/~bwatt/
______________________________________

On Wed, 4 May 2005 06:20:05 -0700, Summer
<Summer@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>Laptop is a sony pcg-f540. I looked on their website to see what the bios
>key was which was F2. I tried all your suggestions but did not work. I do
>not even get a cursor on startup, just a blank screen. Could it be the LCD
>panel went? Can I somehow hook the laptop up to a monitor without a docking
>station? Thanks for your help. Again it will access the CD-Rom drive but I
>cannot see anything happening on the screen.
>
>Summer
>
>"Bill Watt" wrote:
>
>> On Tue, 3 May 2005 20:19:03 -0700, Summer
>> <Summer@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>>
>> >Laptop was hit with a virus and died. Now computer only shows black screen
>> >on startup. When I put a startup disk in drive a and cd-rom drive, the
>> >cd-rom drive is accessed but then nothing happens. I have tried to access
>> >the bios using F2 key but no luck. Any ideas on how I can get the laptop
>> >working again?
>>
>> Many times it's the <del> key or F1 or F10 to get into the BIOS.
>> Hold down the <ctrl> key when booting, do you get the boot menu?
>> Hold down the F5 key to try to get into Safe mode.
>>
>> Remove the CD and boot with a Win98 Startup diskette, do you get to
>> the A:\ prompt? If so enter C: to get to the root. If that works
>> from C:\ enter DIR do you see the files and folders?
>>
>> Let us know.
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Bill Watt
>> Computer Help and Information http://home.ptd.net/~bwatt/
>>
>>

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion (More info?)

I have a notebook but not familiar with LCD panels or the docking
station. Seems that it might have a standard video jack. Hooking it
up to another monitor would tell you something. The manual should
show you that or call a local repair shop and ask them. Perhaps the
specs on the mfgr's site would tell you. If it has a standard video
jack it should be safe to try it but I suggest you make sure first.

The name of the virus may be very helpful.

Regards,

Bill Watt
Computer Help and Information http://home.ptd.net/~bwatt/
_______________________________________________

On Wed, 04 May 2005 17:02:12 -0400, Bill Watt <nobwatt@ptd.net>
wrote:

>
>Summer,
>
>Actually it sounds like the BIOS battery is dead or everything in
>the BIOS is set to "none". Did you have any problems with the date
>and time prior to this happening? What was the name of virus that
>hit it? We can find out what it does and perhaps a cure.
>
>Regards,
>
>Bill Watt
>Computer Help and Information http://home.ptd.net/~bwatt/
>______________________________________
>
>On Wed, 4 May 2005 06:20:05 -0700, Summer
><Summer@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
>>Laptop is a sony pcg-f540. I looked on their website to see what the bios
>>key was which was F2. I tried all your suggestions but did not work. I do
>>not even get a cursor on startup, just a blank screen. Could it be the LCD
>>panel went? Can I somehow hook the laptop up to a monitor without a docking
>>station? Thanks for your help. Again it will access the CD-Rom drive but I
>>cannot see anything happening on the screen.
>>
>>Summer
>>
>>"Bill Watt" wrote:
>>
>>> On Tue, 3 May 2005 20:19:03 -0700, Summer
>>> <Summer@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> >Laptop was hit with a virus and died. Now computer only shows black screen
>>> >on startup. When I put a startup disk in drive a and cd-rom drive, the
>>> >cd-rom drive is accessed but then nothing happens. I have tried to access
>>> >the bios using F2 key but no luck. Any ideas on how I can get the laptop
>>> >working again?
>>>
>>> Many times it's the <del> key or F1 or F10 to get into the BIOS.
>>> Hold down the <ctrl> key when booting, do you get the boot menu?
>>> Hold down the F5 key to try to get into Safe mode.
>>>
>>> Remove the CD and boot with a Win98 Startup diskette, do you get to
>>> the A:\ prompt? If so enter C: to get to the root. If that works
>>> from C:\ enter DIR do you see the files and folders?
>>>
>>> Let us know.
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>>
>>> Bill Watt
>>> Computer Help and Information http://home.ptd.net/~bwatt/
>>>
>>>

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion (More info?)

What was the virus? Some viruses can corrupt the CMOS.

Are you sure it was a virus, rather than a hardware failure?

Does the machine beep at all during the startup? Do any of the indicators
around the keyboard flash or light up?
--
Jeff Richards
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)
"Summer" <Summer@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:1F169D29-E3F9-4707-926B-8EFF2D4AC6CA@microsoft.com...
> Laptop was hit with a virus and died. Now computer only shows black
> screen
> on startup. When I put a startup disk in drive a and cd-rom drive, the
> cd-rom drive is accessed but then nothing happens. I have tried to access
> the bios using F2 key but no luck. Any ideas on how I can get the laptop
> working again?