Please help!!!!

September 21, 2010 9:45 PM

Help! My TI-86 just fried itself and I have a stats exam tomorrow!

Basically, it wasn't behaving the way the internets said it should in terms of calculating statistical data, so I worried that the settings had been messed with (it's used). I followed the instructions in the manual on p. 232 to reset the calculator. I reset the defaults and then figured I may as well reset everything, so I pressed "ALL", hit "Enter" for "Are you sure?", and then the screen went blank and now it won't turn on at all. Is anyone familiar with this problem, and can it be fixed?

posted by hoperaiseshell to Technology (9 answers total)

My TI-83 had this problem before. I fixed it by taking out every battery, including the backup "button" battery, and letting it sit for 15 minutes before putting everything back in and turning it on.
posted by fireoyster at 9:49 PM on September 21, 2010

Have you tried increasing the contrast on your calculator? Resetting it can often lower the contrast to zero.
posted by jz at 10:07 PM on September 21, 2010 [1 favorite]

You can increase the contrast by pressing 2nd and then the up arrow. You'll, obviously, want to turn it on first.
posted by jz at 10:09 PM on September 21, 2010

Do you have a 24 hour Walmart nearby? If it truly is dead, you may need a new calculator by tomorrow morning.
posted by MsKim at 10:24 PM on September 21, 2010

Response by poster: I took the batteries out and waited, but it didn't work. I also replaced them all with new ones (except the backup). Any other suggestions? If the backup battery somehow got fried, could it be causing problems?
posted by hoperaiseshell at 10:24 PM on September 21, 2010

Response by poster: The contrast thing didn't work. I think it's just not coming on. I borrowed a friend's TI-89 for tomorrow in case, but it's very different and I find it really confusing, so if I can possibly save this one for tomorrow, I'd like to.
posted by hoperaiseshell at 10:26 PM on September 21, 2010

Re-check the contrast. I TA'd math classes for 3 years and saw this problem numerous times; every single time it was the contrast thing - on a global reset the contrast was too low for anything to show up on the screen.
posted by foobario at 11:17 PM on September 21, 2010

I have had this problem on my TI-83+ and TI-85 numerous times, and it was always the contrast.
posted by Slinga at 9:15 AM on September 22, 2010

FYI, just in case you should email the TA or a friend in another section of the class and ask to borrow theirs.
posted by a robot made out of meat at 9:30 AM on September 22, 2010