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July 27th, 2023 14:00

XPS 15 L521X, screen is dark, what could be wrong?

My old 2012 laptop XPS 15 L521x, got the following issues, any thoughts what could be wrong?

1. No display or screen is dark after turning it on.

2. It gave 4 beeps, sometimes just 4 beeps once, sometimes continue keeping 4 beeps.

3. I can hear fan is running, backlight on keyboard is on as well, so, I knew system has been boot up.

4. Replaced the ram on two slots, but still same thing, no display, still beeping.

Should I conclude the motherboard is gone or it is from something else?

Thanks,

4 Operator

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1.8K Posts

July 27th, 2023 15:00

I believe that 4 beeps is memory failure.

  1. Disconnect all peripherals: printers; USB devices; media cards; USB hubs and extenders; etc.
  2. Disconnect the AC adapter.
  3. Disconnect the battery.
  4. Press and hold the power button for 30 seconds to discharge any residual electricity.
  5. Use a soft pencil eraser to clean all the contacts on each RAM module.
  6. Moisten a microfibre cloth with 99% isopropyl alcohol and use a credit card to slip the damp cloth into each RAM slot to clean its contacts.
  7. After everything is dry, reinsert one RAM module, according to the separate tests below, firmly at a 30° to 45° angle, ensuring that it seats fully in the slot.
  8. Reconnect the AC adapter
  9. Reboot the laptop or enter BIOS to see if RAM is recognized.

If you still get the error, you must diagnose whether it's an issue with a RAM module or a slot, by performing four tests, testing just one module at a time:

  • RAM module 1 in slot A
  • RAM module 1 in slot B
  • RAM module 2 in slot A
  • RAM module 1 in slot B

If module 1 works in slot A and B, and module 2 does not work in either, then module 2 is bad.
If module 1 and 2 work in slot A but neither works in slot B, then slot B is bad.
etc.

Before each test, follow steps 1-4 again. If none of those tests gives you a working system, then your motherboard may have failed.

Questions: When you say that you replaced the RAM, do you mean that you removed it and reinstalled the same RAM modules? Or, did you upgrade to different RAM? If it's the latter, then perhaps the new RAM is incompatible with your system.

Whenever touching components or working inside a computer, wear a grounded wrist strap, also called anti-static wrist strap, ESD wrist strap, or ground bracelet. It's a cheap and sensible precaution. Rest the laptop on an anti-static mat or at least a reasonable alternative such as corrugated cardboard. (Repeatedly touching a metal case part is not sufficient mitigation with modern components.)

10 Elder

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28.7K Posts

July 27th, 2023 15:00

Four beeps is faulty or incompatible memory, so if you've replaced the RAM to no effect, the likely cause is the board.

No or dim display can be a backlight or (if CCFL) inverter issue, but it can equally well be a faulty system board.

If your plan is repair, compare the cost of a complete,  used system of newer vintage -- this one doesn't have much value in it ($50-100 maybe, complete and working).

 

1 Rookie

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67 Posts

July 27th, 2023 22:00

Thanks a lot for your comments!

1 Rookie

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67 Posts

August 5th, 2023 23:00

Hello Fibert,

Thanks so much for your detailed steps. those two factory rams were working on other machines, so, it might be just the slot itself, I will do some cleanings on it and see if it can pass through.

Thanks again! 

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