FC kills the laptop!

[feds]

1-LINE SUMMARY
...trying to install FC on my laptop

BACKGROUND
...it's a 5 year old pentium-based laptop [Compaq Presario 1200-XL119 Notebook PC @ http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/product?product=352424&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&lang=en&cc=us ] that came with HITACHI_DK23AA-60 HDA and w98-->w2k-->wXP. I finally decided to move to FC.

FOREGROUND
...downloaded the 5 ISOs @ ftp://zeniv.linux.org.uk/pub/distributions/fedora/linux/core/5/i386//iso/ [3/15/2006]
-->
...selected the option to remove all partitions [ALL DATA] with the default layout and tested all 5 ISOs, choose GNOME and started the installation with CD #1

PROBLEM
I came back after 2 hours to check, only to find that the CD has ejected and the laptop is dead. Fearing that it is a case of a hot HDA, I waited until next morning, plugged-in the power chord, but heard NO sound- the HDA light didn't light up, the fan didn't move; the only light that came up is the power light.

The laptop has been dead ever since!

[sentry]

It's doubtful that FC killed your laptop, more likely you had a piece of hardware fail on you during your 2 hour absence. I would suggest you take it into the shop and have someone check it out.

Good luck.

[bob]

Okay, the problem is not with FC since fan and hard drive lights aren't working. You have a bad component there - possibly the motherboard or power supply. Since there isn't much you can get in and work on with a laptop, you should have it checked out by a local shop for an estimate.

DOH! Sentry's faster on the keyboard - but completely correct!

[feds]

...I suspect it to be the motherboard since if it was the HDA, the BIOS would atleast show-up. Can you guys rule-out a clash between the FC ISOs and my native motherboard? Also, how best to replace the dead motherboard with one that lives?

[sentry]

Not sure about the motherboard being compatible, you may want to google the model number and see what comes back with regards to Linux.

Laptops are mostly propietary and usually this means that only certified technicians can work on them. Of course the reality is that anyone can open it up and poke around in it, but I wouldn't trust it to just any old shop ;) I would look for a shop that is certified to work on your laptop's brand. They'll be much more likely to be able to get replacement parts and do the work for you.

[rappermas]

Looks like a dead motherboard to me. Probably one of the gate chips decided that it had enough. Either that or the bus is done for.