black screen/hardware question

Sorry, if this is the wrong section, but I can't find my specific problems covered anywhere in a single place--so I'd better post here (especially as I only joined today to find an answer to this problem).

Yesterday, I finished writing a VERY important 11000 word document on my AspireOne. I went to make a cup of tea and when I came back, the computer was dead. I didn't worry as I'd been on battery power but when I tried to boot up with the power cables connected there was still nothing! I tried all the usual things (checking cables, restarting, etc) to no avail. Finally, I went online and got the BIOS info from the product site. Using a flash drive with the BIOS files on them (which I renamed as indicated) I tried to boot up: still nothing! After holding Escape and FN down for a few seconds and then pressing power, letting it blink before pressing power again, I did get a blue flicker or 2 from my flash drive, but the computer still wasn't starting. I feel that the problem resides in the fact that only the power and battery lights show green--nothing from the other two.

The document is of incredible importance and I am happy to trash the computer as long as I can retrieve the data. Can I do this? If so, what's the best way? Can the local guy in a computer workshop easily get the data off the hard drive?

My email is [email protected] and I would be truly grateful for any help with this problem. Model is ZG5 and it's long out of warranty.

 

Remove battery and AC for 5 minutes, then plug it back and see if it works or not.

Anyways.. if that doesn't work and you seriously want the data right away. You can disassemble the laptop (takes 5 minutes for me), take the hdd out, connect it to your desktop computer, then continue writing your document.

 

Thanks, that's interesting, but how do I dissasemble it? On my model there is a small oblong compartment on the back and when the top is unscrewed there is nothing but a hollow space enclosed by black plastic. Below the black plastic I can see some kind of data card--but how can I remove the protecting black plastic all around it?

 

'Having the same problem as you. Tried that FN+ESC option and didn't work either. I hope someone can enlighten us.

 

Download the "service manual" for AAO on this forum and follow the instructions. There's 5 screws on the bottom, 5 screws on the top I think. Tip: get very thing plastic card to pop the keyboard up or else you'll make dents on the keyboard bezel.

 

As I never seem to have the required screwdrivers, I guess the easiest thing is simply to take it into a computer workshop and let them do it. Never had a laptop give out on me in quite such a sensational way before. The Acer One looks neat, but the small size comes with various disadvantages such as inadequate cooling and very small innards that are not reached easily.

I won't be buying another!

 

Finally, found a technician willing to dissasemble it--just one among about 100! I now have the hard drive to plug in, so everything is OK. Same technician quoted outrageous price for fixing Aspire One.

I didn't accept! :evil: