Bill,

Thanks for input.

I've tried variants of the holding power button etc but all with no joy. As
for reset button - I've looked all over but can't see. I don't think
NC-6400 equipped with one. Confident that not BIOS virus as running win 7.
Only thing not tried is replacement RAM. I'll borrow a stick and check.

"BillW50" wrote in message
...
In ,
Frederick wrote:
On Tue, 16 Aug 2011 10:13:56 +0100, "barrowhill"
wrote:

Frederick,

Thanks for input. Tried your tip but no joy.

I've reset (unplugged battery) CMOS but also no joy.


Sorry about that. Worked for me strangely.

Big Fred

Here is something else that they say works barrowhill.

1) Remove the AC power

2) Remove the main battery (if you have two remove that one as well)

3) Press on hold the power button for at least 10 seconds

Now give it a shot. This method has about a 3% success rate, so don't get
your hopes too high.

Another thing to look for is a tiny hole with a reset button beneath it.
Sometimes they are found near the power button or on the bottom. Careful
poking something like a bent paperclip through one of them and make sure
it isn't a hole for a mic if you have one. Although most modern laptops
don't have a reset button anymore.

Also pulling out the CMOS battery usually doesn't reset anything anymore.
As the CMOS memory is usually flash memory nowadays and doesn't care if it
has power or not. Although sometimes there are two copper round pads on
the motherboard. And shorting the two together for 10 seconds or longer
should reset everything (without power or battery). Although be careful,
they might be pads for some other purpose. So try to verify what they are
for before trying.

If all the above fails, you might have a bricked computer. This means that
the BIOS is corrupted and needs to be replaced or if you are lucky,
reflashed. Without an operating BIOS, a computer is completely worthless.
And just so you know, there is one virus at least called CIH, also known
as Chernobyl Virus written by Chen Ing Hau of Taiwan. Which can toast some
BIOS. Although unless you are running W95, W98, or ME; you can't be
infected.

If you think it is possible that you were infected by CIH or some variant.
Here are when the payloads are delivered:

CIH v1.2/CIH.1103 - This variant is the most common one and activates on
April 26. It contains the string: CIH v1.2 TTIT.

CIH v1.3/CIH.1010A and CIH1010.B - This variant also activates on June 26.
It contains the string: CIH v1.3 TTIT.

CIH v1.4/CIH.1019 - This variant acts on the 26th of any month. It is
still in the wild, although it is not that common. It contains the string
CIH v1.4 TATUNG.

CIH.1049 - This variant activates on August 2 instead of April 26.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - OE-QuoteFix v1.19.2
Centrino Core Duo 1.83G - 2GB - Windows XP SP3