HomeWhen I try to turn on my notebook the key board lights up, it starts to boot then stops, shuts down and repeats the cycle. The screen does not come up during all of this. The cycle is about tree to four seconds long. It has been suggested that the power supply might be bad. What do you think? Also I am having some trouble getting this thing apart to inspect for loose connections. How do I open this sucker up ? Thank you for any help you can give me! This is a HP Pavilion ze 4400 notebook.
Does this happen if you start the laptop on the battery power, without power supply plugged in? If yes, then most likely it’s not the power supply problem.
First of all I would check the memory. Try reseating the memory module, make sure the contacts on the module are clean. Try moving it from one slot to another. If reseating will not help, find a known good memory stick and test the laptop again. Try starting the laptop without the hard drive. Sometimes a failed hard drive can halt entire system.
Finally, minimize the laptop as much as you can. Check all connections. Remove all devices and leave only three main parts: motherboard, processor and memory. Test the laptop with an external monitor. If you still experience the same problem most likely you have a failed motherboard.
The maintenance and service guide for HP Pavilion ze4400 has step by step disassembly instructions. Take it apart at your own risk.
October 10th, 2011 at 5:52 am
not much point in reading this page really is?
there.Replace hard drive, motherboard inc screen driver chips and memory but it might be a power supply fault too -so what’s left -the plastic case – the rubber feet on the bottom get a grip if you can’t help people don’t post. The simple answer go down to PC World and buy a new laptop keep the execs and share holders at Acer/Compaq/ Dell happy. Prooves what I’ve always felt about laptops -and I go back as far a Compaq SLTs (1988) they aren’t really worth the cash.
September 23rd, 2011 at 9:51 am
@ Seryna Duve,
Here’s something to try.
1. Remove the hard drive and turn on the laptop. If the laptop still reboots on its own, the problem is not related to the hard drive.
2. Try removing memory modules one by one. Test laptop with each memory module separately. Try different slots. If the problem still there, most likely it’s not related to memory (very unlikely that both memory modules failed at the same time).
If removing the hard drive and reseating/replacing memory doesn’t help, probably this is motherboard issue.
Failed video chip maybe? http://www.laptoprepair101.com/laptop/2011/02/23/fix-laptop-motherboard-with-failed-nvidia-graphics-chip/
September 22nd, 2011 at 11:52 pm
I have a compaq presario f761 and it won’t start. I press the power button and it comes on and then just shuts off after a few seconds and then it comes back on again. I have already had this problem fixed 2 times before, the first time the hard drive was replaced and the motherboard was repaired, and the second time I’m not sure what was repaired. I’ve read online that this is a common problem with the f700 models. If you have any idea what the problem could be I would greatly appreciate any help.
August 12th, 2011 at 3:59 pm
Hi there I got a laptop and whenever i switch the power button on the the whole system starts up but my LED shows nothing,theres nothing wrong with the screen because on some occasion when I switch my laptop on,then it works perfect,but 5-10 minutes later,my laptop freezes totally then i have to take out the battery to get it off.Please help me
July 28th, 2011 at 10:29 am
@ Pearl,
If the hard drive failed, you’ll have to replace it with a new one.
I have posted a guide for taking apart Dell Vostro 1510 notebook here: http://www.insidemylaptop.com/take-apart-dell-vostro-1510-notebook/
The guide explains how to access and remove the hard drive.
After the hard drive replaced, you’ll have to run Dell installation CD to reinstall Windows OS and drivers.
New batteries available for sale on Dell website.
July 28th, 2011 at 7:09 am
I have a Dell Vostro 1510 laptop and I have encountered a problem two days ago.While I was working on it connected to the net , a blue screen came on and then it went off, I didn’t know what top do , I tried to switch it on again and it doesn’t boot, got it checked by a technician who says that the hard disk needs to be replaced. What should I do? The battery also needs to be replaced. I cannot find the right one for it anywhere here.
May 17th, 2011 at 11:04 am
Yeah, I don’t think it is the paste, either, but I’m running out of options.
Yes, I tested the memory modules one by one..
I also took the dvd player and the hard drive and the memory and tested it that way, same result.
Then I looked for bad components on the motherboard, then I saw that missing component on connection pc234, but I don’t know enough about electronics to be sure if it needs that component. Like I said the motherboard is used in other computer models.
I’m just going to try the paste and give up. If one day I happen to come ascross a picture of the motherboard I’ll see if it has that component for the MT6460.
Otherwise it is time to give up I’m guessing.
I;m assuming if the processor is bad, it would never work, insteadof working sometimes for about an hour.
May 16th, 2011 at 9:23 pm
JoeyJon,
This doesn’t sound like heat related issue. I doubt that replacing thermal grease will make any difference.
In order to start a laptop with video you need the following three components: motherboard (I assume the graphics card integrated into it), processor and memory.
If the laptop turns on but has no video on the internal OR external monitor, it means one of the three major components is bad or not connected properly.
You can try minimizing the laptop to bare bone system and test it this way.
It’s possible one of the memory modules is bad. Have you tried removing memory modules one by one? If not, try it. Test the laptop with each memory module separately.
May 16th, 2011 at 9:03 pm
Thanks for the info, it really helps!
Yeah, when I start my computer, the fan is the only thing that works! I hear (and can see) the fan going, but no post. I get steady indicator lights that just stay on for the dvd rom and the hard drive. usually the hard drive light blinks when it is doing something, but these lights just stay lit until the computer reboots itself.
It is a Gateway laptop. If there ever was thermal paste on it, it doesn’t matter now because I ordered a new heatsink and fan and it didn’t come with thermal paste.
After it decides not to start up again, it will never start again until I reset the bios and reseat the cpu. I have let it sit for a couple of days, and it it still won’t start, so it’s not because the cpu is still hot.
anyway I’ll make it to the computer store Friday and get some thermal paste and let you know if that does the trick.
Thanks for telling me about the gpu. I am used to desktops where there is a graphics card with it’s own fan so this issue has never come up for me.
By the way this site rocks with all the great pictures.
May 16th, 2011 at 7:56 pm
JoeyJon,
Is it a Dell laptop? I’ve seen many Dell heat sinks where thermal paste looks like some thin black stuff spayed on the aluminum foil.
When I install a heat sink like that back into the laptop, I remove the black stuff with paper towel and alcohol and apply some regular thermal paste between the CPU and heat sink.
Did you check the cooling fan? Is it spinning at all? Does your laptop feel hot on the bottom after a while?
Not sure about the signal to the BIOS but it’s possible the laptop doesn’t turn on because the CPU still hot.
If the laptop crashes, wait for 10-15 minutes and try turning it back on again.
I wouldn’t touch the GPU thermal pad. If you want to remove the old thermal pad you’ll have to replace it with another thermal pad. You cannot use regular thermal grease on the GPU chip. You use regular thermal grease only on the CPU.
Again, don’t touch the GPU thermal pad. Reuse the old one.
If you remove the thermal pad and replace it with thermal grease, there will be a gap between the GPU surface and heat sink and the laptop will overheat for sure.