A fiend asked me to look at a problem on their laptop.
Laptop is an ASUS with the model # K55A-HI5103D running Win 8. It started getting an error on boot about having an issue with a PXE utility?? Walked them through getting to the BIOS and changed the boot order to have Windows Boot Manager be first in the boot order. As soon they saved and rebooted computer, it now goes to a black screen with no splash screens and no BIOS display.
I have researched the web and appears this has happened to several people (exact same sequence of events). I have tried pulling the laptop battery, removed the AC power and held the power button several times. Pulled the CMOS battery and left it out over night, tried using a USB stick that is flashed as a boot device and no luck. FYI I have tried tapping and holding every key known to get in the BIOS (F2, F10, DEL, ESC, etc.) and no luck. Nothing on the screen to indicate it is trying to boot. The power light stays on and the HD light flashes, can hear the optical drive spin up when first powered up.
This laptop was at least showing the BIOS and getting an error on a boot device until a change was made in the BIOS, so I would not think it is a hardware failure. From what I have read most of the time this has happened after an update to Windows 8. I know Windows 8 controls the BIOS differently now with UEFI computers and this one is a little over a year old so out of warranty.
Anyone have ideas of what to try?
Thanks,
Steve
Best Answer
I would try disconnecting the hard drive, labelling it clearly and putting it somewhere safe. If that gets me into the BIOS, i would try putting in a new harddisk and installing Windows to that. Then I would put the old drive into a usb docking station and try to read the data off it.