Category: Laptop Repair and service
Compaq Notebook Series
Troubleshooting
Audio Problems
No sound.
No sound.
Volume has been muted or turned down.
Use volume buttons or the volume control icon on the taskbar to adjust the volume.
Volume has been muted and the volume control icon is missing from the taskbar.
To display the volume control icon, refer to the audio information in the Hardware.
Use volume buttons or the volume control icon on the taskbar to adjust the volume.
Volume has been muted and the volume control icon is missing from the taskbar.
To display the volume control icon, refer to the audio information in the Hardware.
Internal speakers produce no sound.
External speakers, headphones, or a headset are connected to the notebook.
External speakers, headphones, or a headset are connected to the notebook.
Use the external speakers, headphones, or
headset. Or use the internal speakers by disconnecting the external speakers,
headphones, or headset.
External speakers, headphones, or a headset produce no sound.
Volume is muted or turned down.
Use volume buttons or the volume control icon on the taskbar to adjust the volume.
Volume is muted or turned down.
Use volume buttons or the volume control icon on the taskbar to adjust the volume.
Adjust the volume from within the operating
system or software application.
The wrong jack is being used. To find the
right jack, refer to the external components information in the Hardware
External microphone does not work.
The wrong jack is being used. To identify the
right jack, refer to the external components information in the Hardware.
The recording source is not selected in the
software.
Select the recording source in the software application. Refer
The recording level volume needs adjusting.
Adjust the recording level volume from within the software application.
Select the recording source in the software application. Refer
The recording level volume needs adjusting.
Adjust the recording level volume from within the software application.
Battery light is blinking.
The battery pack is the only source of power,
and the notebook has entered a low-battery condition.
Connect the notebook to external power or
initiate Hibernation, and replace the battery pack with a fully charged battery
pack..
Battery light is blinking and the notebook initiates Hibernation.
Notebook has entered a critical low-battery condition and has initiated Hibernation.
Notebook has entered a critical low-battery condition and has initiated Hibernation.
Connect the notebook to external power or
insert a fully charged battery pack.
The power/suspend light blinks briefly, and the notebook shuts
down.
Notebook has entered a critical low-battery condition with Hibernation disabled. Unsaved work will be lost.
Notebook has entered a critical low-battery condition with Hibernation disabled. Unsaved work will be lost.
Immediately connect the notebook to external
power.
Battery pack is warm after charging.
Warming occurs normally during charging.
No action is required.
No action is required.
Date and time must be reset each time the notebook is turned on.
The battery that backs up the real-time clock has reached the end of its useful life.
Replace the BIOS battery
The battery that backs up the real-time clock has reached the end of its useful life.
Replace the BIOS battery
Battery light does not turn on to indicate that battery pack is
charging; battery pack does not charge.
AC power is not connected to the notebook. Check the power source.
AC power is not connected to the notebook. Check the power source.
Battery pack is already fully charged. No
action is required.
Battery pack was exposed to temperature
extremes. Allow time for the battery pack to reach room temperature.
The battery pack has reached the end of its
useful life. Replace the battery pack.
Battery charge displays do not accurately report the charge
remaining.
The battery pack requires calibration.
The battery pack requires calibration.
Calibrate the battery pack.
CD and DVD Drive Problems
System does not recognize a CD or DVD drive.
The drive is not seated properly.
Remove, then reinsert, the drive.
System software does not support the drive. Install drivers and/or a system ROM upgrade.
The drive is not seated properly.
Remove, then reinsert, the drive.
System software does not support the drive. Install drivers and/or a system ROM upgrade.
The drive is damaged. To verify that the
problem is with the drive, try using another drive in the same bay.
The notebook is running a retail version of
the operating system, and the drive was inserted while the system was on, in
Standby, or in Hibernation.
Shut down the notebook, reinsert the drive, then turn on the notebook.
Shut down the notebook, reinsert the drive, then turn on the notebook.
To prevent possible video and audio
degredation and loss of audio or video playback functionality, do not initiate
Standby or Hibernation while using drive media.
The system is infected with a virus.
Run an up-to-date virus scan utility
Run an up-to-date virus scan utility
Notebook does not beep 3 times when CD or DVD drive is inserted,
but drive is recognized.
The notebook is off, in Standby, or in Hibernation.
The notebook beeps to indicate a successful insertion or removal of a drive only when the notebook is on.
The notebook is off, in Standby, or in Hibernation.
The notebook beeps to indicate a successful insertion or removal of a drive only when the notebook is on.
CD or DVD drive cannot read a CD or DVD disc.
The disc is upside down or not seated properly.
Reinsert the disc with the label facing up and verify that the disc is securely snapped down on the spindle.
Reinsert the disc with the label facing up and verify that the disc is securely snapped down on the spindle.
The disc may not be supported by the drive.
Use only discs that are supported. (A DVD disc cannot be used in a CD drive.)
CD/DVD drive takes too long to start.
The DVD drive must determine the type of
media being played before it can start. Wait at least 30 seconds to let the DVD
drive determine the type of media being played. If the disc still does not
start, contact Compaq.
System cannot start up from a CD or DVD disc.
A disc in the CD or DVD drive is not bootable. Insert a bootable disc into the drive.
A disc in the CD or DVD drive is not bootable. Insert a bootable disc into the drive.
CD or DVD boot ability is disabled.
To enable CD or DVD boot ability,
To enable CD or DVD boot ability,
The system can access, but not start from, a
CD or DVD drive in a port replicator.
Insert the drive into the notebook.
Insert the drive into the notebook.
System does not initiate Standby or Hibernation while a CD or DVD
disc is in use.
To protect the notebook from possible video degradation and/or loss of audio and video playback functionality, the notebook should not initiate Standby or Hibernation while optical media is being used.
Stop the DVD or CD playback. Remove drive media before initiating Standby or Hibernation.
To protect the notebook from possible video degradation and/or loss of audio and video playback functionality, the notebook should not initiate Standby or Hibernation while optical media is being used.
Stop the DVD or CD playback. Remove drive media before initiating Standby or Hibernation.
DVD player performance is poor when running other programs
simultaneously.
DVD playback requires large amounts of processing power; the system cannot process other tasks simultaneously at maximum performance.
To provide maximum performance, close all other programs while playing DVD media. It may also be necessary to restart Windows to free all resources.
DVD playback requires large amounts of processing power; the system cannot process other tasks simultaneously at maximum performance.
To provide maximum performance, close all other programs while playing DVD media. It may also be necessary to restart Windows to free all resources.
Display is corrupted when playing some DVD movies.
Copyright material at the beginning of the
movie causes momentary corruption.
Wait a few seconds for video corruption to
clear up. If it does not clear up, then stop and restart the DVD movie.
Infrared Communications Problems
Cannot link with another infrared-equipped notebook or device.
Infrared software is not running on both Install infrared software on the second device and start the program on both devices.
Infrared Monitor search is disabled.
Enable the Infrared Monitor search in your operating system.
Target device is not IrDA-compliant.
Check the documentation of the target device to ensure compatibility and proper setup.
The application is not set to the correct COM port.
Check your operating system to determine which COM port the software is set to. If necessary, change the COM port settings from within the software application.
Infrared software is not running on both Install infrared software on the second device and start the program on both devices.
Infrared Monitor search is disabled.
Enable the Infrared Monitor search in your operating system.
Target device is not IrDA-compliant.
Check the documentation of the target device to ensure compatibility and proper setup.
The application is not set to the correct COM port.
Check your operating system to determine which COM port the software is set to. If necessary, change the COM port settings from within the software application.
Baud rate, number of bits, stop byte, or
parity conflict.
Select the same baud rate, number of bits, stop byte, and parity setting for both devices.
A physical condition is causing a data transmission problem.
Select the same baud rate, number of bits, stop byte, and parity setting for both devices.
A physical condition is causing a data transmission problem.
Data transmission problem.
Direct sunlight, energy-saving fluorescent light, or flashing incandescent light is close to the infrared connections.
Remove the interfering light source(s), or move the infrared ports closer together, or select a slower fixed baud rate for each device.
Interference from other infrared-equipped devices.
Keep infrared-equipped remote control units, such as wireless headphones, pointed away from the infrared connection.
Dirty infrared lens. Clean the lens with a lint-free cloth.
Distance. Move the infrared ports closer together. They should be no more than 3 feet (1 meter) apart. Movement.
Direct sunlight, energy-saving fluorescent light, or flashing incandescent light is close to the infrared connections.
Remove the interfering light source(s), or move the infrared ports closer together, or select a slower fixed baud rate for each device.
Interference from other infrared-equipped devices.
Keep infrared-equipped remote control units, such as wireless headphones, pointed away from the infrared connection.
Dirty infrared lens. Clean the lens with a lint-free cloth.
Distance. Move the infrared ports closer together. They should be no more than 3 feet (1 meter) apart. Movement.
Do not move either unit during data
transmission. Orientation. Adjust the infrared
ports so that the maximum capture angle is 30 degrees. Ports must be aligned so they’re no more than 15 degrees off center.
Physical obstruction. Remove any objects between the two infrared ports that could be interfering with the line-of-sight data transmission.
ports so that the maximum capture angle is 30 degrees. Ports must be aligned so they’re no more than 15 degrees off center.
Physical obstruction. Remove any objects between the two infrared ports that could be interfering with the line-of-sight data transmission.
