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Amilo D8800 doesn't boot after cleanup
Hey!
My Amilo D8800 laptop is almost three years old now and was keeping a helluva noise with it's fan on full speed all the time. I read somewhere on the net, that it'd be easy to open up and vacuum clean the clogged fan. That I did and now as I assembled it back, it no longer boots. The power light goes on, the fan blows and the hard drive spins. The hard drive light flashes once and then nothing. The screen never shows a smallest sign of life.
The only problem I had with reassembling the laptop was with the processor-fan assembly, as the processor was cemented into the cooling assembly. Therefore I couldn't put the CPU into it's place and lock it but instead, had to keep the socket locked and place the whole unit carefully without ever releasing the lock. The pins went in well (took it out once and inspected, no damage). Could it be that the processor pins don't get a good contact or did I just completely screw up something?
Thanks a heap in advance!!!
My Amilo D8800 laptop is almost three years old now and was keeping a helluva noise with it's fan on full speed all the time. I read somewhere on the net, that it'd be easy to open up and vacuum clean the clogged fan. That I did and now as I assembled it back, it no longer boots. The power light goes on, the fan blows and the hard drive spins. The hard drive light flashes once and then nothing. The screen never shows a smallest sign of life.
The only problem I had with reassembling the laptop was with the processor-fan assembly, as the processor was cemented into the cooling assembly. Therefore I couldn't put the CPU into it's place and lock it but instead, had to keep the socket locked and place the whole unit carefully without ever releasing the lock. The pins went in well (took it out once and inspected, no damage). Could it be that the processor pins don't get a good contact or did I just completely screw up something?
Thanks a heap in advance!!!
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Perhaps I need a disclaimer here. Any attempt to use force on a component or assembly that is part of a delicate thing like a computer should be considered carefully and common sense must be allowed to come into the picture. Using too much force may break things and the limit is not known until something actually is destroyed. Be careful...
/RID
/RID
ASKER
David and Rid, thanks for your answers!
David,
I never undid the screens connection, it was attached at all times and I made sure it at no point was under any stress as to damage the connection. Also, should it be merely the screens connection, shouldn't the laptop yet beep and continue its boot sequence? That is something it doesn't do. I have double checked all the connections and the CPU-installation is the only one I'm having doubts with.
Rid,
how do I know wether it's just dried-up thermal paste or actually glued in place? It feels very rigid and won't prise off with the force of my fingertips. Any tools I daren't use. The laptop was in service about a year ago and there they changed the heatsink assembly because of overheating. Maybe they glued it there? If it is glued, is there any way to get it off without damaging it?
David,
I never undid the screens connection, it was attached at all times and I made sure it at no point was under any stress as to damage the connection. Also, should it be merely the screens connection, shouldn't the laptop yet beep and continue its boot sequence? That is something it doesn't do. I have double checked all the connections and the CPU-installation is the only one I'm having doubts with.
Rid,
how do I know wether it's just dried-up thermal paste or actually glued in place? It feels very rigid and won't prise off with the force of my fingertips. Any tools I daren't use. The laptop was in service about a year ago and there they changed the heatsink assembly because of overheating. Maybe they glued it there? If it is glued, is there any way to get it off without damaging it?
ASKER
Okay, now i found a post on the net about warming the sink up with a hairdryer. That did it! I got the CPU differented from the sink, we'll see it it helps to reasseble it as it's meant to be done... =) I'll let you know how it goes...
Great!
Before reassembly make sure the surfaces are clean (I have used acetone in a similar case, but it'd need to be "clean" acetone, not the type of nail-polish remover that may contain oil or other non-volatile components) and then use a small quantity of some good thermal paste.
/RID
Before reassembly make sure the surfaces are clean (I have used acetone in a similar case, but it'd need to be "clean" acetone, not the type of nail-polish remover that may contain oil or other non-volatile components) and then use a small quantity of some good thermal paste.
/RID
ASKER
It worked! The laptop runs like a charm, and the fan is only blowing intermittantly and in low speeds as it's supposed to, not all the time at full speed as it did before the operation... Guess that fist-size bunch of dust didn't do good in the heatsink and fan ;)
I didn't need to reset the CMOS, worked flawlessly without it.
What did I learn from this? The processor must be assembled using the lever-locking mechanism, it cannot be bypassed. And that laptops are not much more complicated devices than normal desktop computers; If I managed to rip it apart and put it back together, almost any DIY-hobbyist can! And I also learned that maybe I should clean my room more often =)
Thanks for all your help, points go to Rid for hitting it right on.
I didn't need to reset the CMOS, worked flawlessly without it.
What did I learn from this? The processor must be assembled using the lever-locking mechanism, it cannot be bypassed. And that laptops are not much more complicated devices than normal desktop computers; If I managed to rip it apart and put it back together, almost any DIY-hobbyist can! And I also learned that maybe I should clean my room more often =)
Thanks for all your help, points go to Rid for hitting it right on.
Nice to hear you got it working again!
Cheers
/RID
Cheers
/RID
I would advise you to slowly recheck every single detail when it comes to putting your laptop together. Laptops are quite a pain if you dont have something where it should be. As for your screen not showing up. Like I said, observe your connections and make sure they are connected properly. If your power light is on, fan blowing, you can hear the hard drive boot up but the screen doesnt show up. It's got to be your monitors connetion to the unit.
It very well could be the processor, but I really can't see it so I cant make that judgement. You could find an assembly guidel to see if everything looks right as far as assembly goes.
Regards,
David McGraw