Cannot Boot My Gateway Notebook

[Leonardo]

Arrrgh :mad: Why are simple things so complicated.

Wanting to improve the CPU cooling efficiency of my Gateway 600YG2 notebook, I removed the CPU cooling unit and applied Arctic Silver 5 to the Pentium M 2.4. I've only done this a hundred times on desktop computers. Well anyway, I stripped of the factory TIM pad from the bottom of the CPU cooling unit, cleaned the unit, and polished it for a smooth finish. I then cleaned the residue from the CPU core and applied a thin layer of AS5. To my knowledge there was no static electricity in my work area. (The Pentium has no exposed electrical traces, so it's not possible that I shorted the CPU with AS5.) I reinstalled the CPU and cooler, by the book, using Gateway's service manual. The computer will not boot now:

- No display whatsoever on the screen
- The computer will initiate a boot, but nothing on the screen
- The light for removable drives (floppy and CD) comes on
- The hard drive access light comes on simultaneously with the removables light, but goes out shortly thereafter
- the removeables light remains on
- the cooling unit fan comes on as soon as I press the start button, and will not go off as long as the computer is turned on

Troubleshooting steps I took, to no effect:

- re-removed cooling unit and fan. I had my finger on the CPU within 90 seconds after powering down following the first failure to boot. The CPU core wasn't even warm - so I'm sure I haven't burned it out.
- reseated both CPU and cooling unit (still same symptoms as mentioned above
- removed both removeable drives, attempted to boot
- disassembled computer, pulled CMOS battery from motherboard, put it back in, reassembled computer; attempted to boot, same symptoms
- tried F2 for BIOS access, no access as far as I can tell, due to blank screen
- tested with a spare hard drive, same symptoms (spare hard drive is a fully functional Windows XP load)

Note: This computer has a program installed called PointSec. It's a security program that prevents unauthorized users from viewing the computer's contents. It's a hard drive block that calls for a password before the computer boots to Windows. Could this have something to do with my problem?

Thanks in advance for the help.

What gives here?

[shwaip]

Assuming you took the cooling fan off - did you plug it back in the correct way? If not, you could have gotten something backwards, and plugged the RPM sense into the wrong pin, making the computer think there is no fan attached. Just a shot in the dark.

[Leonardo]

No, not a shot in the dark, but a good suggestion. I just checked the connector (again for the xth time). Yes, it's in oriented correctly. Thanks for the suggestion.

[mmonnin]

Could you boot into BIOS before that program takes affect and stops your system from booting. I have a password in the BIOS so unless you know it you cant even get to the BIOS.

Can you boot it with everything still apart or are you booting with the laptop back together? Just wondering if something inside is touching something it shouldnt be touching. Laptops are mighty cramped inside and there isnt much room for error. Just wondering if you can like boot it up outside the case type thing.

[Leonardo]

No, I can't see the BIOS because the screen does not illuminate at all. No, I haven't tried booting with the computer partially disassembled. I don't see what could be shorting; just don't think that's possible. Removing the CPU and heatsink unit (crappy, cheap copper unit with a side-blowing fan - not a heatpipe) required only removal of the non-electrical keyboard retention panel and the keyboard. Removal of the keyboard entailed moving only one wire, a grounding cable. Upon putting the computer back together, I made sure there was good contact between the cable end, the fastening screw, and the metal keyboard clip. Hmm, maybe I should clean the cable end. Perhaps it's oily or something.

[gibbonsl]

also make sure you did not jar loose the LCD connection to the video card

[Leonardo]

LCD connection to the video card Onboard video chip. (Notebook). If you meant the video signal cable to the LCD, yes, I did double check it. I'll check again.

When the notebook first refused to boot/display the boot, the only things I had touched were the keyboard and retention panel, keyboard ground strap, CPU, and CPU cooling unit. The CPU and cooling unit are accessible simply by removing the keyboard.

The suggestions are all good, folks. I'll check all that again and clean the grounding strap connector.

[Leonardo]

Cleaned the keyboard ground cable contact. Checked the video cable. No dice. Could you boot into BIOS before that program takes affect and stops your system from booting. I have a password in the BIOS so unless you know it you cant even get to the BIOS. I guess that means that you get the prompt half way through POST?

[Shorty]

Have you plugged it into an external monitor...? I know you have checked the internal cables but no display could still mean somethings a miss :(

[mmonnin]

Yes before it shows the option to press F2 and all that I have to enter a password. So basically if someone stole it, they would have to reset the BIOS to use my computer. I think its better that just having a password to log in. A new HDD and you have a functional computer.

Good one Dan.

[gibbonsl]

might want to reset the RAM. :confused:

[Leonardo]

Reset RAM - more than once. Checked the notebook with an external VGA monitor. Both notta. No opportunity to enter HDD password before.... no screen display.

Turned the notebook over to the IT folks today. I'm pretty sure the problem has to do with the PointSec security protocol. I don't know how it is reset. We'll see.

[Leonardo]

IT told me today that they must send the notebook back to Gateway...for the second time. They also said our Gateways are problematic and concurred with me that they are assembled from cheap (cheap quality, that is) components (no big surprise). So I feel better now. Sure, I need my notebook at work, but at least I'm sure now that I didn't bork anything. Swapping the factory TIM for quality thermal paste should not render a computer unbootable. Heck, I even followed the manual completely on the cooler removal procedure. Oh well.