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My Acer 5050 shows a blank screen at startup.

Acer blank screens at startup can occur for any number of reasons. The Acer 5050 notebook seems to be particularly prone to this type of problem. Go through the list of suggestions here, completing each one until you fix the problem.

First, however, you should check your warranty to see if it is still in place. If it is, you might want to consider contacting Acer as this is a common problem for this specific Acer notebook. Some of the following suggestions might void your warranty, so you should check on this first. Additionally, if none of these suggestions work, you need to consider the possibility that the motherboard is bad and should be replaced.

Troubleshooting Blank Display: Boot Up into Safe Mode or the Installation Disc

Try booting up in Safe Mode using “F2,” “F10,” “F8″ “F12″ key to do so. Check your manual. As you power up the notebook, press one of the above several times until you hear the notebook booting up. If this works, you will see Safe Mode instead of a blank screen.

If you have it, use your installation disc to boot up the notebook. Press the “ESC” and “F1″ keys when booting up. If this works, you will see the words “Check System” on the screen.

Troubleshooting Blank Display: Hard Reset

One of the easier strategies that you can try is to complete a hard reset. Disconnect the notebook from the power outlet and remove the cable. Unplug any peripheral devices that you have attached to the notebook including a mouse, speakers, printers, etc. Turn your notebook over gently and remove the battery. Now, hold down the power button for a full minute. Carefully replace the battery and reconnect the power cables and peripheral devices. Power up the notebook to see if this worked.

Troubleshooting Blank Display: Miscellaneous Suggestions

Check to make sure that you hear the fan running in the notebook. Overheating can lead to problems such as this. If the fan is not working, you should have it replaced. Check also to make sure that a buildup of dust does not exist.

Check to make sure that you haven’t inadvertently left a disc in the drive. If you have a DVD or CD in the drive, take it out and try booting up again.

Troubleshooting Blank Display: Recover the BIOS

The Acer Aspire comes with a built in recovery system, but completing this solution could void the warranty so check first.

1)   Format a bootable USB memory stick to FAT.

2)   Next, obtain the latest BIOS from Acer’s website.

3)   Place the BIOS file and the FLASHIT.EXE files into the memory stick’s root directory.

4)   You need to rename the BIOS file to: ZG5IA32.FD.

5)   Turn off the notebook, but keep it connected to power.

6)   Insert the memory stick and press on these keys “Fn” and “Esc” and the power button all at the same time. Wait a few seconds and stop pressing “Fn” and “Esc.”

7)   Press the power button once. The BIOS should flash. Wait until it is finished. You will know that this has worked if the notebook reboots itself.

I have the blank screen after I chose to re-format my computer. After I selected the re-install, the laptop rebooted itself and asked one more time at startup if I would like to continue. I then selected “no” and the computer would not boot past the blank screen. I tried loading the BIOS to no effect.

Without additional information about the process, we’re going to have to do a little troubleshooting here. I’m guessing that something prompted you to start the reformat process in the first place - any symptoms or error messages you were getting might offer some clues as to what is happening with your system.  I’m not sure why you selected “no” when asked if you wanted to continue - was there a problem with the reinstallation at the time?

Display Drivers

Before you go back to the CD that you were using for the reformatting, it’s possible that you are having a problem with the display drivers. Can you get into Safe Mode by pressing F8 at startup? If you can, then go to Start and then choose Run. At the prompt, type in: Devmgmt.msc. Remove the display adaptor device completely and then shut down the computer. Reboot normally and see if that solves your blank screen issue.

Hardware Problem

Most of the time, a blank screen is caused by a hardware issue such as a motherboard problem, a bad processor, memory or graphics issues. Because I don’t know what prompted you to start the process in the first place, I’m not sure if it is an original hardware problem or the fact that the reinstallation was never completed.
Reformat

The Windows installation disc features a “repair” installation that repairs important components and leaves your data intact while reinstalling the operating system altogether will require that you wipe out your partitions and start all over again, losing all of your data and settings. Were you able to do a complete backup of your data before you started the original reformat? If not, this might be a good time to pull the hard drive and either get the data off by putting it in another computer as a slave or by using an external drive to get the data and save it in another location.

Can you start the repair process over again by putting the CD in the drive and turning the computer on? If you can, try to do another repair. You will see a Welcome to Setup screen - press Enter. You will see a licensing agreement - press F8 to agree to that. You will then have to press R to have Windows start the repair by reinstalling important components. This repair could take over an hour, and you will then have to answer questions as if you were installing Windows for the first time.

Reinstall

If you have your data tucked safely away in another location, you can reinstall the operating system using the CD. Do the same process as a reformat, but choose to install a fresh copy of Windows. You will have to delete the existing drive partitions and reformat the hard drive for this process to be successful.

If you can’t get any response using the CD, you need to look into possible hardware problems. This is a lot of trial and error and you might want to get some assistance to test each piece of hardware that might be the culprit.

My Acer Aspire 5050-3785 went down last week. The battery was fully charged. I formatted USB with FAT. Downloaded latest BIOS and followed the instructions. It did not work. The screen is still blank and the AC LED power button was not blinking.

Acer Aspire Blank Screen Errors and Dead Machines

If you are covered by warranty, it would be best to send your unit in and have an Acer tech look at it, or take it in to a computer shop in your area. Sadly, many Acer Aspires users have complained of unreliability and short life spans. It could easily be a hardware component giving you trouble. The most frequent issue with Acer Aspires is a faulty motherboard - and the computers seem to die with some regularity. You might consider getting in touch with an Acer technician for the most specific advice as well as information about sending your computer in for repair. Some users report a 7- to 10-day turnaround for service, but others say it takes closer to a month. Depending on your location - the contact information for Acer varies. Here is a link to their contact page.

Remove and Test the Hard Drive and Motherboard

Depending on your level of expertise and your comfort level, you can remove the hard drive from your computer and try it in another one to rule out the motherboard. Be sure to use your Acer user manual to find the right components and take steps to ground yourself to avoid static charges to the computer before you touch anything. You can also test the BIOS by turning the computer off and then rebooting it - assuming that the power button is responsive. When the computer reboots try pressing F1 or F2 to open the BIOS menu - if it opens, then the issue isn’t with the BIOS.

Contact a Remote Technician

If you are only getting a blank screen and the BIOS update was unsuccessful, I think that contacting a remote service technician might be your best bet. It is difficult to troubleshoot a dead machine without cracking it open and swapping out the parts and I think that a remote tech, who can help you in real time is the safest way to go forward from here. At Filetonic, we recommend the remote services offered here. I hope that this is helpful!

My computer is a Dell Dimension 9100 and the problem is that on switching the PC on it makes 6 long, drawn out beeping sounds but then after that nothing seems to happen. The screen is blank and the PC doesn’t even seem to be on at all. Please help.

Beeping Bios

The beeping that you are hearing from your computer at start up is coming from the BIOS - the Basic Input/Output System - when it attempts to POST - Power On Self Test - to launch its basic functions and boot up. The beeps indicate that there is a problem, as I’m sure you’ve realized. One beep during POST is normal, as long as the boot continues.

Dell Beep Codes

The number of beeps signify different meanings for different makes of BIOS chips. There seems to be on ongoing debate among users about whether the 6 beeps you are getting indicate a DRAM problem or a CMOS reset, so we can briefly touch on both possibilities.

Reseat the CMOS Battery

The CMOS battery is the computer’s internal power source that allows the computer to retain the time and other set functions even when it isn’t getting any other power supply. CMOS batteries do run out of steam, so yours might need to be replaces, but more often than not, removing it and reseating it is enough to jump start your system. The battery you are looking for is round and thin, here’s how to find it.

1. Turn your PC off, if it isn’t already, and unplug it from the wall.
2. Lie the computer down and open the computer casing and take caution to discharge any static electricity before touching anything
3. Find the small round battery and gently remove it without forcing anything - if you have trouble locating it, use your computer’s user guide for your model instructions
4. Now you can take the battery to the shop and purchase a new one of the same model number, or try to reseat the battery
5. Make sure the battery is firmly inserted, with the positive + side showing - or as instructed in the manual
6. Close the computer and try it again.

Check the Chips and Cards

The other possibility is the DRAM situation. In this case, there might be something wrong with the system board, or too much dust accumulated in the computer. To deal with it, open the computer and check the boards and the contacts. If there is a lot of dust, you can use canned air to gently clean it. Vacuums are not the way to go as the electric power can seriously mess with your system. Check the cards are all properly inserted and try to boot.

Try Tech Support

If nothing is working, you might want to try a remote technician. We recommend the services available here - a specialist will help you troubleshoot the issue step by step to help figure out a diagnosis, and a solution. Good luck!

I have a Dell inspiration 6000. When I turn it on its starting up fine but it is very dark and I can only just make out the desktop icons. I have already tried using the Fn function key with the up and down arrows but no use…please help!!!!!

Fn + Up and Down to Adjust Brightness

Pressing the Fn (function) plus arrow key is the correct way to adjust the screen brightness. Pressing Fn and the up or down arrow should increase and decrease the light on the screen. Since this didn’t work, the problem is most likely hardware related. Light and screen related issues are internal and somewhat delicate to treat - a qualified technician is a good choice at this point.

LCD Backlight or Inverter

When the Dell laptop switches on but the screen stays dark, sometimes showing only a faint image, the issue is usually the florescent backlight, which is the lamp that is inside the LCD panel, or the inverter. At this point you might want to consider taking your laptop into a Dell service center. If your computer is covered by an extended warranty, then I would definitely recommend getting some professional help. These hardware components are not the easiest to replace.

Remove and Replace the Inverter

You can, technically, remove and replace the inverter board yourself, which is inside the laptop screen, but it involves prying the screen open and pulling parts out. Unless you are very comfortable with this, and an experienced user, I wouldn’t recommend attempting this level of repair.

If you do want to give this a whirl, make sure you first remove the power cable and the battery so that the computer is completely powerless. You will need to find all the screws on the face and side of the screen frame - also called the bezel. Remove the screw seals then remove the screws, then gently pry the bezel off, being careful of latches hooked underneath. The inverter board is usually under the bottom of the screen. You will need to gently undo the connecting cables to take out the inverter. Once done, you can check the FRU number on the board to identify the new inverter you should purchase.

Take your Laptop to a Dell Service Center

The backlight is inside the LCD screen, and much more difficult to access. You should probably take your computer to a service center for help. Best of luck!

My Acer Aspire One notebook goes to a blank screen at startup.

BIOS Recovery System

As awful as it sounds, this is a fairly common problem with Acer Aspire notebooks and it sounds like you have an issue with the BIOS - as long as you can see the power button and hear the fans running to indicate that it is not a power issue. Luckily, these notebooks come with a built-in BIOS recovery system that should get you up and running without damaging or losing any of your files. Know that doing this may void your warranty, so if you have a warranty, you should talk to Acer directly. Follow these steps EXACTLY, and it should work for you:

1. Format a USB memory stick to FAT. Make sure it is bootable.
2. Download the latest BIOS from the Acer website. Follow these links for BIOS for Aspire One 150 or this link for BIOS for Aspire One 110
3. Put the FLASHIT.EXE and the BIOS file in the root directory of the memory stick.
4. Rename the BIOS file: ZG5IA32.FD. It is important that you get the file name exactly right.
5. Remove the drive.
6. Turn the Acer off, but make sure you have a working battery and AC power connected.
7. Insert the USB memory stick into a USB port.
8. Press Fn+Esc and press the Power button at the same time. After a few seconds, release Fn+Esc.
9. The power button should be blinking. Press it once.
10. At this point, the BIOS will flash - don’t press anything or interrupt this process. If you’ve done it right, the power button will stop flashing and the notebook will reboot. When it is all done, everything should be set to reboot.

Because you have an Acer Aspire One and you are getting the blank boot screen, I’m betting that this will solve your problem. If you are still having problems after following these directions exactly, then let us know and we can try to troubleshoot hardware or screen issues that may be the culprit.