let me start with this is Windows XP

Im pretty sure this is the problem
i have just now spent a bit of time searching what the "BEEPS" relate to when i try to start this LAPTOP
( I emphasize LAPTOP because of the discussion of passably taking it apart. )


Here we go
This laptop has been turned off for about 2 months. Just sitting in its Shoulder bag in one place in my room. Never touched.
Wife goes to turn it on the other day, plugs it in, sits there a few mins and presses the ON button.
Goes to startup screen,
then almost right away give the following

ONE LONG BEEP
PAUSE
TWO SHORT BEEPS.

then it tells me about a problem occured and a few choices on how to start windows

Normal mode
safe mode
safe with networking
one other
and
it also has the option to use the most recent working configuration to start windows

so i choose (Use the most recent working settings....)

i choose this so i can then get into safe mode and turn off or uninstall anything the computer doesnt need
as well as disable certain things like
USB ports / CD DVD Drive
and then enable things one at a time to find the issue

Well thats not working. It not starting using that option to start windows.. it just beeps at me again and i loop back to the options screen.

Ok so the beeps mean (usually )
Display adapter problem (MDA, CGA)

This is a laptop........ how would i manually deal with this one?
Im stumped
forgot to point out
this machine is only about 3-4 years old at BEST
and almost never used

the most recent thing installed on it was
A) A program to burn DVDs from avi files
and
cool.gif probably a windows update
...but that would constituted software issues while the beeps give an alternate cause of error.