villarule123 Posted July 15, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted July 15, 2012 Basically I spilt orange squash all over my laptop, it still ran FM 2012 (I had it open at the time and played sounds. I turned it off as soon as I could and wiped it over with tissue etc. Now when I turn it on it beeps 4 times and the fan is really loud, but it turns off after 4 beeps. I've turned it upside down to dry but have I totally **** my laptop up? I hope not as I recently spent £700 in it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragonslayer1981 Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 what laptop is it as some beep codes are different for different bios makers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted July 15, 2012 Administrator Share Posted July 15, 2012 This is what I do when I spill something on a laptop: [*:0e759b1f2c]Remove the battery [*:0e759b1f2c]Rinse the non screen section under the tap [*:0e759b1f2c]Leave it to dry [*:0e759b1f2c]Leave it to dry some more [*:0e759b1f2c]Continue leaving it to dry Obviously if it's water you've spilt, you can skip the "rinse" bit. After that, the CMOS battery is usually dead, but it's saved the laptops I've done it on, three so far. It feels so wrong holding it under the tap, but you've got to rinse out the sugary stuff as it's conductive. Warning, do this at your own risk. I'm not taking any responsibility if it doesn't work for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villarule123 Posted July 15, 2012 Author VT Supporter Share Posted July 15, 2012 It's a Dell XPS 17 btw. Still won't turn on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted July 15, 2012 Administrator Share Posted July 15, 2012 The last machine I rinsed was a Dell XPS m1730 which got covered in pepsi max. I haven't checked the thread, but this indicates a ram failure. It would be a good idea to reseat the ram (take it out, gently clean the contacts and re-install). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 However long you decide to leave it to dry for, double it and add a month. It will work again as it will dry out but if you keep trying to start it up you run the risk of shorting something and killing it forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villarule123 Posted July 15, 2012 Author VT Supporter Share Posted July 15, 2012 Just opened the back of the laptop and took the RAM out and blew on it etc, it still beeps like this: beep-beep.........beep-beep......... beep-beep It does that 3 or 4 times while the fan is loud, then shuts down with nothing appearing on the screen. I'll ring Dell tomorroe but I'm shitting myself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eames Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Isn't this why someone created contents insurance...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Just opened the back of the laptop and took the RAM out and blew on it etc, it still beeps like this: beep-beep.........beep-beep......... beep-beep It does that 3 or 4 times while the fan is loud, then shuts down with nothing appearing on the screen. I'll ring Dell tomorroe but I'm shitting myself Why do you keep turning it back on? It's not going to dry out in a couple of hours. I'd give it at least two or three days in somewhere warm like an airing cupboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villarule123 Posted July 15, 2012 Author VT Supporter Share Posted July 15, 2012 More in hope I guess I really hope I can fix it as it's the only device I have photos of the first 5 months of my daughters life Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eames Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Get a bin bag, fill it with rice. Put the laptop in it, doors/flaps open, battery off. Place in airing cupboard for at least.a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villarule123 Posted July 16, 2012 Author VT Supporter Share Posted July 16, 2012 It works! I left it overnight and it starts up and seems normal, should I get it cleaned out professionally or leave it a bit longer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Leave it another day just to be safe. Back your daughters photos up somewhere too, either on a USB/external drive or online somewhere like dropbox or Picasa. Personally I use both (and I have another backup at Google Plus which automatically uploads photos from my phone when I am connected to WiFi) because the pictures of my kids growing up are probably the most irreplaceable thing I own and I'd hate to lose them to a rogue glass of orange juice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villarule123 Posted July 16, 2012 Author VT Supporter Share Posted July 16, 2012 I have noticed it smells of an electrical burn at the side of the laptop where the ADSL socket/headphone jacks are.. Hopefully it will go away in time now everything is working correctly, it's my only real worry regarding the laptop now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted July 16, 2012 Administrator Share Posted July 16, 2012 Your laptop life is probably measurable in days if you didn't clean it. Get the photos backed up immediately while you can. That burning smell is BAD NEWS. Why do people keep precious things on crappy computers without backups? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted July 16, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted July 16, 2012 I'm amused by the constant calls to leave it to dry for days or weeks, but the persistance of the OP to keep turning it back on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villarule123 Posted July 16, 2012 Author VT Supporter Share Posted July 16, 2012 Another update.. Photos are now backed up along with all my perfectly legitimate film collection. Which were the things I was most worried about. The laptop seems as normal still and the smell is virtually gone, so I hope I've been incredibly lucky and have come through unscathed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villarule123 Posted July 16, 2012 Author VT Supporter Share Posted July 16, 2012 I'm amused by the constant calls to leave it to dry for days or weeks, but the persistance of the OP to keep turning it back on I'm sure I'm not the only one that would act like this. I can't deal with all the uncertainty! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted July 16, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted July 16, 2012 Oh I know. I just foudn it amusing that you posted asking for advice, then went against all the advice given to you Anyway, hope you've been lucky mate and it's all fine. Glad you've backed everything up now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDon Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Oh I know. I just foudn it amusing that you posted asking for advice, then went against all the advice given to you Anyway, hope you've been lucky mate and it's all fine. Glad you've backed everything up now Happens all the time. Reminds me of a post on the somethingawful forums after another case of the OP completely ignoring the advice they asked for: OP: "Help! HELP! I'm stuck in a well!!!" Goons1-4: "Climb! Climb up and take our hands!" OP: "I'm thinking I should dig... should I dig?" Goon5: "NO! I was trapped in a well, and digging is a bad idea! Climb out!" Goons6-8: "Were lowering ropes! Take hold of a rope!" Goon9: "I've even tied a harness to the end of this one!" OP: "I can feel the ropes, but I don't want to hold onto them... should I dig?" Goon10: "No! If you dig, you'll hit water, and then you'll be proper ****. I should know, I almost drowned." OP: "I dug a little bit just now, and I haven't hit water. I'm gonna keep digging..." Goons11-18: "No! Climb! Climb out!" OP: "Guys, I'm seriously stuck in this well! Help! HELP!!!" Goon19: "I was trapped in a well once. It took me two years, but I managed to build a climbing machine that pulled me to safety out of a well bucket and a pocket watch. I'm dropping the blueprints, extra buckets, and an assortment of pocket watches." Goon20: "I've engineered a jet-pack that will rocket you to safety. Stay where you are and we'll lower it down!"" "OP: "Thanks for your help, guys. I'm gonna keep digging. I'll find the Mines of Moria and I'll just walk to the surface." **Goons1-20 piss in the well** Goon21: "Guys, seriously... stop peeing in the well."" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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