Laptop breakdown

[Explorer-8]

I have got an Advent laptop that I bought from PC world on 9th October. I have got PC performance cover, but it hasn't been any use because I was on the telephone, in a queue, for nearly an hour waiting before I got cut off. I registered on-line to get some help, but after that it just took me round in circles and just gave me the FAQs.

I was using it today and then I left it for about 20 minutes. When I came back, it was on stand by (I think it is called that whereby the screen is blank and there is a blue light at the front of it). I moved the mouse to get it to come back on, but nothing happened. I tried pressing the on button. I heard the XP music, but nothing else. The screen has got a dim light and the blue light is still on and the fan sometimes comes on. I have tried unplugging it from the mains, but everything is the same. It is working from the battery now. When the battery goes flat, will I lose everything in the hard drive?

Before all this, I have been unable to make a recovery disc because every blank DVD I put into the laptop was seen as not blank.

[vehelpfulguy]

It may have gone into hibernation. If XP is not used for a while on a laptop it can go into hibernation.

There is usually a key you press to get it out of hibernation.

Have a look in the documentation that came with the laptop to see how to get it out of hibernation.

If not just press the various "F" keys on the keyboard (F1, F2 etc) to see if one brings it out of hibernation.

If you plug the mains in it should switch from battery to mains, even in hibernation.

There will be a "power options" icon in the control panel where you can set the various hibernation settings.

[Explorer-8]

The book only tells us that there is only one button to either suspend or resume or to turn the power on. That is the same button that I pressed when I got no response from moving the mouse on that first occasion. I have tried it again now, but without success. There isn't an F button for resume, but FN +F1 can be used to suspend.

[Ethel]

Try FN and F4, that should wake it up.

It sounds as if your settings are wrong - try pressing FN and the brightness button to make the screen brighter.

If you believe the laptop is faulty, you should take it back to where you bought it from.

Do not be fobbed off - your contract is with PC World and nobody else. As it is still very new, you are entitled to a replacement or a refund.


The DVD - are you sure you are using the right type of disks? They come in different formats.

[Explorer-8]

I managed to get through to PC World. What I had to do was to press and hold the restart button for about five seconds. The screen went black. I then had to press the restart button again to get another menu. I had to click on one of the options and then Windows started and it has been alright ever since.

I didn't realise that DVDs all had different formats. I will have to look further into that one.

Thanks for the answers.