Laptop Virus ? or hardware fault?

[Sambt5]

My grandfather has just come back from holiday and said his laptop has a virus that won't let him use his pc (not the first time this has happened) So as normal i would have a look, use a recovery drive (sometimes a fresh install had to be done) I made and normal that would be the end of.

But this is different, the laptop enters a constant boot cycle, which isn't normally a problem , but with this cycle the screen nor the outputs on the laptop will produce an image, and it has a clicking noise ( i though hard drive failure but that wouldn't cause a failed image on screen)

The only info about this i was able to get off him was, the PC was booting into a "fake screen" so he would panic and turn it off. And that it started slowly with the pc slugging down and pop ups on the desktop.

 

[JeckeL]

My grandfather has just come back from holiday and said his laptop has a virus that won't let him use his pc (not the first time this has happened) So as normal i would have a look, use a recovery drive (sometimes a fresh install had to be done) I made and normal that would be the end of.

But this is different, the laptop enters a constant boot cycle, which isn't normally a problem , but with this cycle the screen nor the outputs on the laptop will produce an image, and it has a clicking noise ( i though hard drive failure but that wouldn't cause a failed image on screen)

The only info about this i was able to get off him was, the PC was booting into a "fake screen" so he would panic and turn it off. And that it started slowly with the pc slugging down and pop ups on the desktop.

So there's nothing being displayed on the screen at all? Are you able to boot to safe mode?

First I would try taking the battery out and unplugging any AC adapter, press the power button like 10 times and on the 10th time hold it down for 30 seconds then let go. Connect the AC adapter only (no battery yet) and try powering it on.

 

[JobCreator]

I'd take the hard drive out and try to prompt the "Insert Boot Media" message. At least then you know it's hard drive related. You're right, though. Normally, hard drive problems do not cause black screens.

You can also try booting with one stick of RAM at a time, alternating DIMMs to rule out a faulty RAM DIMM.

All this, of course, assuming your laptop is easy enough to disassemble.

 

[Sambt5]

I've just tried cycling the power, and removing the hard drive, none of these work as of far but after cycling the power (holding down key 30 secs no bat/ charger) that it now turns off rather then restarting itself. also it doesn't seem the be the charger for the laptop is workin either.

 

[JobCreator]

My guess would be a motherboard issue. If you've hooked it to an external monitor and still don't get a signal, it's likely a motherboard.

Does it POST? Does it beep?

 

[Sambt5]

It beeps, and i think its posts i cannot tell as i cannot get any visual output from it.

 

[JeckeL]

how many beeps? and are they short/long beeps?