I have an old laptop (Pentium 110) that won't boot up. The light comes on when it is plugged in and when you push the on button, the light comes on. That is all that happens, no fan, no hard drive light or noise, no floppy noise. If you connect it to a monitor the following message appears on the moniter only: DMAC #1 error read data = 5555+1 write data=55AA+1

Any ideas what's wrong?

not 100% sure, but that error messages gives me the idea that you have a bad hardrive........ Maybe someone else has more experience with this issue.

Hello Cankazy and welcome,
If you can see an error message on the monitor but not the laptop screen, my first inclination would be......the laptop screen.
I have seen a laptop with a fractured screen work fine with a monitor, but there was still function in the screen. If yours is totaly dead, that may be the reason it won't go any further. Hard to say. Further investigation into the error message might reveal some hope. Check with the manufactures support.
At any rate, the cost of repairing an old laptop is very high and generaly not recommended.
$600.00 for a new screen on the Compaq I worked on. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/frown.gif

------------------
Please let us know if what we suggest helps. This helps us help you better.

The laptop is a Toshiba Satellite 110CS. I haven't found much in the way of suuport from Toshiba since the warranty is long since gone by. A bit of history: it is actually my parents's laptop, my dad was complaining about the clock losing time and wanted (desparately) to have the battery replaced. I opened everything I could find to locate the battery - took out the battery and the hard drive and replaced them. Took the cover off the memory area and looked at it and put the cover back on. Removed the plastic strip below the keyboard and the took the keyboard off to reveal the batteries (2). I wrote down the numbers off the batteries, put everything back in place and that's when it wouldn't boot up. Everything was working fine till I came along.........The hard drive was fine, no errors or anything, and the laptop screen worked fine. Seems odd they would suddenly not work. I have been looking into the DMAC error but haven't been able to find out anything about it. I was really hoping someone would recognize the error. I will keep looking into the error, will try again with Toshiba but I would still really appreciate any more comments. Thanks. I'm not keen to replace the laptop for my parents!

Well Cankazy,
I'm thinking, double, triple, quadruple check all connections.
Also keep in mind that an unnoticeable amount of Electro Static Discharge can destroy components. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/frown.gif
Reseat everything, even if if you did not disconnect it before.
Post back and let us know

A quote from Pete:

A bit of clarification on a very good point.

2000 volts is the minimum you will feel, 2500 volts and you can hear it. (My sister heard one on the other side of her truck, above traffic noise, it hit my middle finger...about 1/4" of the tip of which was removed 20 years ago and is VERY sensitive...OUCHIE!!)

100 volts and sometimes less can fry computer components. I have a half dozen scrapped cards here from past carelessness...

That's why I always strongly advise grounding yourself EVERY TIME before you touch a part. AT cases are no problem, they can stay plugged in, with an ATX case that has no main power switch, you have to unplug it, keep your hand on the chassis when unplugging. Or wear a ground strap...


------------------
Please let us know if what we suggest helps. This helps us help you better.

[This message has been edited by bassman (edited 11-18-2001).]