Aspire 3 A315-41 screen black; power light on the screen wouldn't turn on.

RottenLegacy
RottenLegacy Member Posts: 2 New User
edited November 2023 in Aspire Laptops

I had left my laptop asleep for a day or so, but when I came back, the screen wouldn't turn on. I accidentally left the charger plugged in during this time, which has happened before, but not usually for longer than a couple of hours. I force restarted it by holding the power button, but that didn't help.

When I press the power button, the blue light turns on and if I put my ear to the device I hear a fan run for about three seconds before either cutting out or getting so quiet I can't hear it. The blue light will stay on as long as I don't hold down the power button. Occasionally the battery light will blink off it's not plugged in, and when it is plugged in the light will remain a steady orange without ever turning blue.

I've tried holding the power button for about a minute while everything was unplugged. I've tried holding the battery reset button for four seconds, and also for a minute while also holding the power button. I've tried fully removing the battery and holding the power button, also plugging in the charger while the battery was removed and trying to turn it on then. Plugging in a second monitor doesn't seem to help, as the monitor I usually use alongside my laptop doesn't display anything either - its orange light doesn't even turn blue to indicate that it's receiving input. All this troubleshooting and scouring the Internet for solutions has taken about two hours and nothing has worked.

I've had this laptop for about four years and it was owned by someone else beforehand - although it usually runs just fine, physically it has been on its last legs for a while. I just don't have the money to replace it. If you know anything I can do to get it to turn on again, I would appreciate it.

[Edited the thread to add issue detail]

Answers

  • Puraw
    Puraw ACE, Member Posts: 12,987 Trailblazer
    https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/694391/aspire-3-a315-41-screen-black-power-light-on

    So the amber battery LED comes on when the power adapter is plugged in, but the power LED is off when the laptop is also turned off? That is the way it should be the battery is charging but the laptop is off so there will be no power light. When you wait without trying to turn the laptop on the amber light should turn blue after 2 hours when fully charged. Try this first.

  • RottenLegacy
    RottenLegacy Member Posts: 2 New User
    https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1239303#Comment_1239303

    I followed your advice and left the charger plugged in until the light turned blue - didn't touch my laptop at all while it was charging. When I tried turning it on again, the blue power light came on as usual, but the screen was still black. It still doesn't respond at all, unfortunately no change as far as I can tell.

  • Puraw
    Puraw ACE, Member Posts: 12,987 Trailblazer
    edited November 2023
    https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1239348#Comment_1239348

    Ok, next step is to reset the battery, CMOS/BIOS and check the DDR4 slot connection, then do a Power Drain:
    Check if there is a small pinhole in the back of your laptop (with a battery sign) and stick a pin in that hole till you feel it click (micro switch), keep pressing the pin for a few seconds. This will reset the battery.

    Power drain + CMOS reset: Open the back of the laptop and disconnect the battery cable from the motherboard. Locate the CMOS module (with 2 twisted wires Red and Black) and remove the coin battery. Shorten the +/- contacts inside the CMOS capsule with a bended paperclip for 2 seconds and put the coin battery back with the + sign facing up, close the CMOS capsule. Unseat and reseat the DDR4 module firmly in the slot. Next, press the Power Button on the keyboard for 10-15 seconds after that reconnect the battery cable to the motherboard. Close the laptop, plug-in the adapter and try to boot.

    Are you still on Windows10? Did you update your BIOS to the latest 2020 version? Have you been offered to upgrade to W11?

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