Hey Guys, I got my dad’s old laptop to try and mess around with or make it better for my own use. It’s a “Compaq Presario 2147EA” and it was running really slow. So I thought I could update it from their website with the latest software’s. I downloaded a BIOS win flash thingy and I hadn’t done any BIOS upgrade like that before so I didn’t know what to expect of the installation. When I ran the installation the computer started working on its own and turned to a black screen and still noise coming from it as though it was still working. I thought, let it work…see how long it may take. All night long, the power button/lamp was flashing on and off and every five minutes or so it turned to silent level and then started making noise again. Couldn’t sleep. I really thought it still was in some progress, because so it seemed. My friend told me that it couldn’t be, not in the morning, many hours after it had started. I tried shutting the power button off and it still couldn’t be opened. The power lamp is just flashing on and off and that noise is starting now and then. I cannot get it to show anything on the monitor and I can’t make it to work alright. I have no idea what has happened to the laptop after that win flash BIOS upgrade. I cannot understand why all such problems always occur to me. I had the perfect plans for that laptop; it could be faster…now it seems dead. I really hope someone in here can help me out, and try to speak a bit clear…not the top advanced computer girl (but a whole lot) :) //Kimmi

I think you learned an expensive lesson. You laptop is probably dead. You could Email the vendor and there might be a way to swap out the BIOS chip, but I doubt it. EVEN if you had succeeded in flashing the BIOS you probably wouldn't have gained anything. The newer file was probably to allow newer external hardware to function properly.

and now you know why some of us argue "Do not ever upgrade bios unless absolutely necessary." I've got several old Thinkpads, and I've only "had" to do an upgrade on one of them.

Did you use a diskette to update the BIOS ? If so, did you check the diskette whether the BIOS update files are written on it properly ? No damaged files. After you run the BIOS update, you should take the diskette out and then restart the notebook. In some cases, you are requested to take the battery out for several seconds for a complete flash. Please read the instructions for a proper BIOS update. Regards suatcini

suatcini "I downloaded a BIOS win flash thingy" Appears the BIOS flash was attempted from within Windows.

You might contact HP and see if there is a way to reset your BIOS. On Dell systems, the BIOS not only keeps a backup of the last good BIOS info but also a non-destructable BIOS configuration for those just-in-case incidences such as yours. Maybe HP got smart and did the same.

mhm...there's no solution then? I have contacted HP, they haven't answered..see if they do eventually. Thanks for your answers though. If anyone knows more to it, just msg me. //Kimmi