Laptop crash

[BF504]

This information is strictly generic in nature, and might provide a TEMPORARY fix for a crashed laptop. It is also strictly un-scientific. I am not a computer geek, but tend to find answers/solutions.

About 2 years ago, I was asked to look at a laptop that was about 2-3 years old, had been taken care of (normal use) and not abused. It had been working fine, until one day it was turned on and emitted several beeps and went dead. My first thought was that the motherboard went bad, and started looking for a new board. While researching costs, availability, etc, I came across a website by a computer guy. What I discovered was that this particular brand and model had a history of crashing. A reader advised that he had found a quick temporary fix that allowed him to get the laptop running again, long enough for him to transfer all of his files, photos, music, etc to another computer.

This was his suggestion: he totally wrapped the laptop with plastic wrap (Saran Wrap), and made certain that all small cracks, etc that could allow heat to escape, was sealed. He then turned it on, and left it running for about 20-30 minutes. The case became very warm, but it stayed on. I decided to try it, but instead of 1-2 layers of wrap, I used 4-5, and covered it with a small blanket. It did power up, and I left it on for almost an hour. The case became hot, but it stayed on. I turned in off and on several times, and it worked fine. After that, I was able to transfer everything to another storage device. I'm not sure, but I suspect that the heat affected the soldern long enough to allow it to power-up and transfer everything. The laptop worked fine for about 4-5 days before it crashed a final time, but long enough to transfer all the files.

Anyone who tries this fix should understand that if it works for them, it is strictly temporary. And because there is a lot of heat that builds up, use caution...DO NOT leave it unattended while trying the fix.

If anyone tries this, would appreciate hearing whether it worked for them. Good luck!