I just got an unworking NEC Versa VXi off of ebay, figured if I could get it working, it'd make a nice present for my mom. Anyway, the seller described it as beeping when turned on and no video, he also said it had no ram. Well, sounded like a lack of ram problem to me. So I stick a stick in it (
) and it stops beeping, but still no video. Seems to me like maybe a cpu problem, as I've had some before do that. Lucky for me I just happen to have to mpga PIII's sitting here, don't ask. 
Now, I'd love to take the old one out and put a new one in, but I'll be d@#ned if I can't find out how to open it up to get inside! Curses to laptop manufacturer's for their unstandard ways!
Anyway, I'm waiting on the manual, so I'll surf for some other, less hard-work-requiring gifts...
/rant over...
edit:
Oh, and for another unusual laptop related problem, I have a Compaq Armada 1750 that started out as a 1700 (again, don't ask
), and I've been downloading pictures on it all last week since we've been camping. Well when I was loading it up last night to do another round of picture sorting, what else would happen than windows crashing right in the middle of loading? Beeps, BSOD, the works. Ok, that's wierd, pop off the keyboard, reset the cmos battery/ram, done it several time already (taken the thing apart 'bout 20 times now, could do it in my sleep), and restart it. Ok, working again, windows ready to load, wth?! Boot error corruption? Oh now! MY PICTURES! #$@^&*!!!!Anyway, I was going to use a Linux live cd tonigh to try and get them onto a usb stick, when it decides to boot up, after a day off sitting there.
