i have owned this notebook for a number of years and have a lot of information stored on it that I need. When I press the power button this is what happens:

The power LED comes on,

The HD recieves power and makes a small noise,

The Floppy Drive will act as if it is about to read a disk but does nothing,


The following does not start: Fan, screen, BIOS, DVD-ROM drive.

I do not know the exact specs of the computer, but i know it has extra RAM installed. I have tried starting the computer without the HD, extra RAM, the battery, and the modem. I am running out of options and I really need this computer.

Same Thing happened to me. I had to reinstall my OS again. Try and run Your operating system cd. Say xp cd boot disk.

Try removing your battery and then reinserting and rebooting. It completely clears the memory, but retains your programmes and files etc. Otherwise back up your personal files and clear the hard drive of all data. Have you contacted the computer manufacturer for advice etc?

Riiiight MeanStr1de... You reinstalled the OS on a computer that doesn't POST and it fixed it.

Removing the laptop battery does no such thing... 'clearing the memory'. Removing the CMOS battery (which is sometimes accessible without disassembling the laptop) clears the CMOS... To refer to this as 'the memory' is quite a stretch though... There are no other batteries, so you must have meant one of these things.

As for my suggestions, you can start by removing the original RAM module and replace it with the upgrade one -- Perhaps the original failed.

Also, you may want to contact Compaq/HP tech support and ask if there's a trick to "reset" the system board. On many computers now, holding the power button for 15-30 seconds accomplishes this - I don't know if this is possible on an old Compaq 700. I'm also not clear on what exactly what 'resetting the system board' does, but it has worked a number of times in the past. It may be the equivalent to clearing your CMOS, which *could* cause an issue like this. It's worth a shot.

He needs to read my guide and also reseat all components....

I am afraid that the motherboard is toast... Why do we stress backing up important data... now you know, first hand

The mother board being toast or not has very little to do with any potential data loss, ROFLMAO data as you know is not stored on the Mobo. Are you folks OK?
I know you have a $hit load of posts but what makes you say that "motherboard is toast... Why do we stress backing up important data" SOOOOOOOOOOOO Strange.

Odd you seem to be the only one who responded to this thread with anything resembling sanity. Are you the only normal person here LMAO.?

Great Advice I hope some of the regulars get the idea and plug their brain stems back in, lol re-seat that cord folks and get your heads out of the muck.

That is Classic, Too damn funny but so sad that some newb could actually think you could do that, wouldn't it be so interesting to have that person come on here and explain how that is possible.

Just thought about it and the analogy that came into my tiny head, is a car with a defective starter will not even turn over, but you drain out the old gas and pour new gas in and it magically starts? Hummmm? isn't there song about life being a fantasy.