Presario won't turn on

Quite a few people are having this problem from the looks of the user groups
on Compaqs support forums.

I have a 1200-XL110 with Windows 98SE. It is about 3 yrs old. Haven't
really used it that much.

Last fall, it wouldn't boot up from either the battery or the AC power cord.
The power cord light came on but that was all that happened. Took it to
CompUSA who did the remove battery, and hold down the power button for 90
seconds trick (that I didn't know about) and charged me $140.

Next few times that it did this, that trick worked and laptop would power
up.

Now, nothing works. I have tried some of the suggestions that I read about
in the support forums but I don't know anything about opening up the laptop
so I haven't fooled with any suggestions about the CMOS battery, etc.

I saw a couple of laptop repair places on the web but I hesitate to use them
because I don't know anything about them. They offer to give an estimate
when you tell them the problem and say that they won't charge if they can't
fix the problem. Has anyone ever used any of these places?

CompUSA told me that they do not think it is worth fixing but I paid about
$1500 for it three yrs ago and some of the folks in the support forum say
that they found it to be a solder problem between the power switch and the
motherboard. They also say that Compaq/HP should do the right thing and fix
all of these dead laptops for people for a nominal fee since it seems to be
a design/engineering defect.

I don't want to pay more than $150 to have this fixed but I'm not sure that
I can get it fixed.

Has any one here heard about this as a problem for Compaq laptops? Not sure
why Compaq/HP isn't taking better care of their customers. I know that this
will be my last purchase of their brand.

Thks

All I've got to say is IT'S 3 YEARS OLD! Buy a dell, IBM, Toshiba without
extended warranty and let's see what they do for you 3 years after. You are
being extremely unreasonable with the whole "Not sure why Compaq/HP isn't
taking better care of their customers." That's a load of bull...

With that of my chest - I would suggest taking it in to a local repair shop
that ISN'T one of the big boys (Best buy, CompUSA) etc. I've always had
success with the smaller guys since they want your business more. I would be
wary about sending it in through the web without some sort of reference (IE
friend who's used them, etc.)

Deep


"Irishpat" wrote in message
...
Quite a few people are having this problem from the looks of the user
groups
on Compaqs support forums.

I have a 1200-XL110 with Windows 98SE. It is about 3 yrs old. Haven't
really used it that much.

Last fall, it wouldn't boot up from either the battery or the AC power
cord.
The power cord light came on but that was all that happened. Took it to
CompUSA who did the remove battery, and hold down the power button for 90
seconds trick (that I didn't know about) and charged me $140.

Next few times that it did this, that trick worked and laptop would power
up.

Now, nothing works. I have tried some of the suggestions that I read
about
in the support forums but I don't know anything about opening up the
laptop
so I haven't fooled with any suggestions about the CMOS battery, etc.

I saw a couple of laptop repair places on the web but I hesitate to use
them
because I don't know anything about them. They offer to give an estimate
when you tell them the problem and say that they won't charge if they
can't
fix the problem. Has anyone ever used any of these places?

CompUSA told me that they do not think it is worth fixing but I paid about
$1500 for it three yrs ago and some of the folks in the support forum say
that they found it to be a solder problem between the power switch and the
motherboard. They also say that Compaq/HP should do the right thing and
fix
all of these dead laptops for people for a nominal fee since it seems to
be
a design/engineering defect.

I don't want to pay more than $150 to have this fixed but I'm not sure
that
I can get it fixed.

Has any one here heard about this as a problem for Compaq laptops? Not
sure
why Compaq/HP isn't taking better care of their customers. I know that
this
will be my last purchase of their brand.

Thks

Took it to
CompUSA who did the remove battery, and hold down the power button for 90
seconds trick (that I didn't know about) and charged me $140.

The CMOS battery? Or the main running battery? If the CMOS battery hasn't been
replaced, try that....

Dale

Exactly. I have a Honda Prelude. It's WAY past it's warranty.

I believe you are missing the point I was making. You suggest I said that
companies should fix any problem that occurs within or outside of the warranty.
I actually said that I think, IF ITS A DESIGN DEFECT, common to all of the
products made, that companies would be better served to go the extra mile and
fix it. I believe Compaq did that several years ago on one of its laptop AC
adaptors (but possibly only because they could catch fire, and catch Compaq in
a lot of liability).
And wasn't it Firestone who could avoid liability for faulty tires? I don't
expect companies to fix problems beyond the warranty unless its some thing like
an actual design flaw or fraud that they are reasonably responsible for.

Dale

And wasn't it Firestone who could avoid liability for faulty tires?

Make that couldn't....

Well then that's different. That isn't the case here though. I don't hear or
read about these laptops not turning on after 3 years all the time in here,
so the point you were making on me is lost. In this particular case,
warranty or service is not justified. A design defect should maybe be looked
at more closely, but usually evidence of the design defect would should up
during the warranty period.

From the first post in this string:

"...Quite a few people are having this problem from the looks of the user
groups
on Compaqs support forums...some of the folks in the support forum say
that they found it to be a solder problem between the power switch and the
motherboard. They also say that Compaq/HP should do the right thing and fix
all of these dead laptops for people for a nominal fee since it seems to be
a design/engineering defect..."

Certainly I don't know if the statements are correct, but IF they are, I tend
to agree.

Dale