When I press the laptop power button, the power and hard drive lights flash on, then shut off immediately
I’m trying to fix my parents HP Compaq nx9005 laptop.
When you press the power button, the power, and hard drive lights flash on, then shut off immediately (doesn’t even last a second). The power light will also remain off until the reset button is pressed again, or you unplug the AC adaptor, then plug it back in. Once it has been reset the power light blinks with an amber glow (with the battery out).
I’ve tried this with and without the battery. I’ve tried it without the hard drive. I’ve switched the RAM in various combinations. I’ve tried connecting the laptop directly to my desktop monitor. Same result every time. I’m guessing it’s an internal electrical problem, but I’m not very experienced with laptops as opposed to desktops. Any suggestions what to troubleshoot next? Thanks in advance!
First of all, make sure that the AC adapter is working properly. Ideally, I would try to replace the adapter with a test one but if you don’t have it at least check the voltage on your adapter. It’s not the best way to test the adapter with a multimeter. I’ve seen some failing adapters with good voltage readings. A bad AC adapter would be an easy fix for you.
Just recently I had a similar problem with Compaq nx5000 notebook. I was able to turn on the computer, but it shut down after a few seconds (your notebook shuts off immediately) and the video never appeared on the screen. I tried to troubleshoot all basic stuff, as you did. I removed the hard drive, battery, DVD drive, wireless card, replaced the memory module but nothing helped. Finally, when I was checking all internal connection, I discovered that the notebook works fine with an external monitor attached when the LCD screen is disconnected from the motherboard. By the way, this connector is located under the keyboard strip – a piece of plastic just above the keyboard. As soon as I connected the LCD cable back to the motherboard, the laptop didn’t start. So, I took the display assembly apart and found that the video cable wasn’t seated properly in the connector on the back of the screen. The problem was fixed as soon as I plugged the video cable back in.
I’ve posted my discovery on another website and a week later one guy was able to fix exactly the same problem with his Compaq nx5000 notebook after he reseated the video cable.
I don’t know how comfortable you are with taking apart laptops but I think that this information could be useful for you.
February 28th, 2007 at 6:30 pm
Mike McDowell,
I don’t know why you are experiencing any problems with removing the hard drive from a Compaq nx5000. In the maintenance and service guide (page 115) there is a step-by-step instructions and they are very simple.
1. Remove the hard drive door
2. Remove the hard drive security screw
3. Pull the hard drive out of the bay
4. Remove the hard drive
Maybe you cannot remove the hard drive because one of the screw on the hard drive caddy got loose and doesn’t let you to pull the drive.
February 28th, 2007 at 3:13 am
Hi My name is Ravi, I have a Sony Viao Laptop bought in Australia. When I came back to india it was working fine, But one day I switched on my laptop and it started and shutdown and again started and went down. Now whenever I try to turn on the laptop the screen but beeps and goes off the battery lights also light up and then none. The battery charges but the Machine doesnt boot its just a beep. I am not certain what is wrong is it a power issue, whether there was a fluctuation or anything and how can it be resolved
February 27th, 2007 at 4:24 pm
How do I remove the harddrive from a compaq nx5000? There is a bay door screw and a “locking” screw, but even when both are removed it’s still stuck. Do I just rip on it or should I disconnect something else to get it removed??
Also, one of the screws to access underneath the keyboard is stripped, do I need to disconnect anything from here or does this matter?
February 26th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
Mat Williamson,
February 23rd, 2007 at 12:20 am
I have got a BenQ A33E Joybook and it does the same thing. When you push the power switch the fan briefly activates and the hard drive light flases and thats it.
I found out my hard drive was crook, so I have put in a new one and want to install Windows but still cannot get it to go.
Can anyone help?
February 13th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
Similar problem with a Toshiba sm30x-166, two issues, with or without battery.
When battery is plugged alone, all leds works fine and for a 6 second the fan spins as normal boot, but suddently stop (sometimes the leds still light for all time but nothing appears and have to press long time the power buttom).
With AC plugged, there’s no sound, leds are lighting well but at 6 second they don’t.
May be a motherboard problem?
February 11th, 2007 at 9:13 pm
I have a Sony Vaio PCG-FRV37. I bought it used and it works fine as long as I have the battery inserted while using A/C power. The battery is a few years old and could stand to be replaced, however, I don’t want to get a new one until I correct the A/C problems I’m having. If I try to start up the unit with A/C power alone, it starts to boot up and the monitor comes on. But then it immediately shuts off. From there I can’t even perform this “false start” sequence unless I unplug the A/C adaptor from the unit and plug it in again. Press power and then…same thing. Sometimes it will stay on long enough to give me the “Windows Safe Mode” screen, but before you’ve had enough time to read it, it shuts off. If I leave the battery in the unit, I can start it up. When I get through the user log in and actually get to my desktop page, I notice a lot of activity from the “Power Meter” power monitoring icon.
This comment has been published here.
February 4th, 2007 at 11:56 am
Emilio Mansur,
If you purchased this notebook in the United States and it’s out of warranty, you still can get a free repair from Toshiba. Check out this post. This repair will not cover the battery, but it will cover other parts if there is anything else wrong. At least you can get a free diagnostics.
It’s only for Toshiba Satellite M30X, M35X, A70 and A75 notebooks sold in the United States.
February 4th, 2007 at 11:14 am
Unfortunately I don’t have a extra battery and it’s hard to me findt it here in Brazil (I’ll at the USA in one month and probably I buy a new batt). I’ll remove my battery for some time and see if it “uncharge” a little to confirm the “fixed” 92%.
Thank you,
Mansur
February 4th, 2007 at 11:05 am
Emilio Mansur,
If I understand correctly, the battery always shows 92%? Sounds like a faulty battery but to confirm it you’ll have to test the laptop with a known good battery. That’s the only way to figure out what is wrong. Most likely it’s just a bad battery but it’s possible you have a faulty motherboard.
February 4th, 2007 at 4:27 am
Hello!
I have a Toshiba Satellite M35X-S109 that works only on AC. I see its battery in the Power Options of my Windows with a maximum of 92% of charge.
If I try to boot without the AC, the battery led turn on but after less than one second goes off. Sometimes the battery and power led turn on but after less than one second goes off.
Any question or idea?
Let me say that English is not my primary language, so if you need some clarification, let me know.
Thank you for your support and God bless you.
February 1st, 2007 at 8:17 am
Thanks a bunch. Your suggestion of removing a lcd screen cable from main board helped a lot to sort out the problem.
Keep posting more solutions about laptops..Keep up doing the good work. God Bless…
January 29th, 2007 at 10:02 pm
Hi Freak
Actually once a long time ago, and it was on a desktop, and it was only four LOL. (A “ME” MACHINE) If I recall,the
video drivers got real messed up somehow. but I fixed it by forcing the machine to install just standerd video drivers and then reinstalled the newest update (I tryed just the update, but it didn’t correct the problem, HAD to go to scratch P.S. Don’t forget to turn off restore first!!
Harry
January 29th, 2007 at 9:46 pm
Hey Harry,
Thanks for your help. Have you ever seen a problem like that (I mean 6 desktops on the same screen) before?
January 29th, 2007 at 5:44 am
Usako,
Try this, If you go into you desplay propertys and change screen resalution to 640×480 apply and then into advanced monitor settings ,set to defaault monitor,
apply shut down completely. When youstart up again,
Yous screen should now be in DEFAULT mode. (one screen) From There, just reset the resolution back to what you like. If this dosen’t work, I would “RTFM” the manual on whatever SOFTWARE program you were using BREFORE this happened. There may be a “SETTING” in it
that somehow triggered into your desktop
Harry
January 28th, 2007 at 11:24 pm
No, It’s still the same. It looks fine on the tv and my Desktop Computer Monitor when I connect it to it. But It’s still have 6 desktop screen on my laptop.
January 28th, 2007 at 9:54 pm
Usako,
I’ve never seen this problem before. May be the video driver got corrupted somehow? Will it work properly if you boot the notebook into safe mode or you have 6 desktops even in safe mode?
January 28th, 2007 at 11:52 am
Hey,
My laptop is a Compaq Presario C303NR. I was scanning pictures to it. And when I was done, I turned it off properly. When I turned it back on today, I have 6 screens of the same thing. Like when you put your desktop picture to be tiles. But my whole destop is like that. It look like I have 6 desktop. And everything is small because of it. What should I do? And how did it become like that? I hope you can help me.
January 27th, 2007 at 11:48 pm
My Toshiba laptop will begin to boot up, but then suddenly shut off. Sometimes it will last all the way to the Windows screen, and other times it will shut off immediately. After messing around with it for a while, I noticed that when I put pressure on the cooling unit the laptop will automatically begin to boot up. As long as I keep a firm pressure on it, it will remain on, but as soon as I let off it will shut off. The AC adapter seems to be fine as all of the lights come on. Have any idea what the pressure on the cooling unit does?
January 27th, 2007 at 9:26 pm
Phil,
I think you need a new power adapter.
probably it’s just a bad AC adapter. You can test the adapter with a voltmeter.
Or try this. Remove the battery and plug the AC adapter into the laptop. Will the power LED light up? If LEDs will not light up when you plug the adapter, most likely you have a dead adapter. You can find a new one on the Internet.
I don’t know why you want to order a new battery.
January 27th, 2007 at 4:55 am
Hey there…
This morning, I was playing a game on my laptop (compaq nx9005). As new batteries are expensive and the last thing I want is to buy a new one, I have been using the laptop from the Power adaptor. This morning however, mid-game, the laptop just shut down without warning! I immediately turned the adaptor off and took it out the laptop. I then got out the battery and fixed it into the laptop. When I put the battery in, the laptop worked fine so i knew the laptop hadnt fried. Now when I plug in the adaptor, it won’t power up the laptop.
What Im trying to figure out therefore is this: Is it the adaptor that has blown or, is the connection at the back of the laptop fried??? Im about to get a new battery online, and Im concerned that it won’t work which would consequently mean its the connection at the back of the laptop thats fried! If that proves to be the case, is there anything that can be done to fix it? and if so, who could I take it to to get it fixed and what would be a normal asking price for such a service?
January 25th, 2007 at 5:30 pm
Sorry about that … i’ve just fixed it.
I dont know why, but i decided to take out the processer and play with it. i was fidling around with the socket and found that it slid to lock further WITHOUT the processer in it. so i thought that was a bit odd and i put the processer back in and tried to get it to lock FURTHER than what i thought it wanted to go. the first time i did it the processer poped up and i thought i had bent it but the second time it worked fine.
i powered it on and WOW the screen flashed and it works ish….. (still say the bad CMOS battery error.)
So my last question is WHERE can i find the CMOS battery in this laptop ?? ive searched all through it and still nothing … does it look like a normal comp CMOS battery ?? if not does anyone have a pic ??
January 25th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
Im not quite sure where to put this … but this is kind of the problem i have having with my mum’s laptop.
First of all it is an OLD laptop an Acer Extensa 610CD if im not mistaken… im not that much of a noob at computers, i have built several, but never any laptops.
Anyway the problem is that a few days ago i fired up the old laptop after many months on not being used. The last time i used it it worked fine by the way. As i expected the battery was dry ASWELL as DEAD. by i still had the AC adapter so it was still good. I turned the laptop on and the first thing i saw was ‘error (something) CMOS battery has run dry.’ so i thought ok i will just leave the AC adapter in for a while to charge it up. (Between all this i took the laptop apart to A. find the battery B. to fix the CD drive.) The next day i go to turn the laptop on and it turns ON but there is NO display, an external display didn’t work either. BUT i still hear the HD, FAN, and CD drive noise, so they ARE getting power. i’ve tried removing the RAM, HD, and anything else i can think of to get it working but it still dosn’t work…..
Finally after all that, my question is…
“Is it the CMOS battery, does it need to be replaced.
or should i just can the whole thing and chuck it in the skip ??”
Any help would be nice,
Meeces2911
January 24th, 2007 at 9:18 am
Hi Rich -Yes I have had the same situation with DELL EX: Tryed a D800 power on a 9100 NO GO! Borrowed a REAL 9100 power from a freind Fired right up. as for the worth, cost wise to find out?…… your call. Prob can get a power supply off EBAY for forty US
Harry
January 24th, 2007 at 7:40 am
Thanks guys… Harry-so what you’re saying is that there is a pretty good possibility that a new AC adapter will restore the laptop to operation. Have you had any experience with Dells and this situation?
Laptop freak wrote: “Try this. Remove the battery and start the laptop from the AC adapter without battery installed. Can you start the laptop? Does the power LED light up? ”
— Did this and no change– one comment: the 1100 has a serious cooling fan and I am thinking that it’s draw in current is high and causes something in the power input circuit, possible on the motherboard, to shut down the unit, rather then starve the cpu for power. If this is the case, the investment in a new power supply is well worth it…I just don’t want to throw money away if the motherboard is fried.
Thanks again,
Rich
January 23rd, 2007 at 9:31 pm
Hi Freak!, just saw a comment about volts and amps on a power adapter for laptops. “LET IT BE KNOWN”!! the newer laptops are now “”REQUIERING a higher WATTAGE!! as well (old GOOD power supplyes won’t work I tryed)
EX:
Had a lady bring in her compaq XXX (can’t remember what model it was now,) anyway she had took it to two differant places and both stated her laptop was dead!!
they both tryed good 19v 3.4amp powers, for she punked her power supply. Well I noticed the big 90W on the bottom of hers and “just so happened to have the SAME one, (its for my HP 5200 15″ screen). pluged it in, and she fired right up !!!! So just to conferm my new suspision, I plugged a good power from an HP X3 (same volts and Amp, but only 45W) I also have,… and nudda!!(no lights no noise), nadda, on either her laptop, or my 5200. yet plug in the 90W, and they both work like a charm,……….. just FYI! Harry
P.S. still waiting for the DELL power socket to arrive LOL
January 23rd, 2007 at 7:29 pm
Rich L,
If you are replacing a broken/lost AC adapter, you have to find one with exactly the same voltage. The amperage has to be the same or HIGHER, but not lower.
Try this. Remove the battery and start the laptop from the AC adapter without battery installed. Can you start the laptop? Does the power LED light up?
January 22nd, 2007 at 9:17 am
I have a Dell Inspiron 1100, the AC adaptor was lost, so I plugged in the one that came with my Inspiron 4000. The voltage and plug configruation is the same, but the output amps are lower. The laptop worked for a bit using the 4000′s adaptor (could have been remaining battery life), but after that the laptop just has a momentary gasp of life and then nothing. I have seen similar posts, but no one is using a different Ac adapter. I am hesitant to spend the mony to replace the adapter or battery without knowing if this is the problem or if it is just coincidence. I took the unit apart and reseated all connections–still no good. Any advice?
Thanks
January 21st, 2007 at 8:44 pm
Scott,
I think you might have two different problems in your laptop.
You might have a power jack related problem, it’s possible the power jack is loose and have to be resoldered.
It’s also possible that wires inside the power cord are damaged, and when you move the power cord the power cuts off. Find a voltmeter and test the adapter power plug. Make sure the adapter puts out voltage continuously, even when you move the power cord.
Sounds like an overheating problem, you might have a clogged heat sink.
January 21st, 2007 at 4:51 pm
Robert R and BenjaminJWD,
Toshiba Satellite 1905-S277 owners.
Hey guys, I think you might have a problem with the power button board. This board is cheap and I would definitely try replacing the it. You can find a new power button board for Satellite 1905 notebook by the following part number: K000825770. Search in Google and you’ll find it for about $20. You have a good chance to fix your laptops by replacing this board.
Well, even if it doesn’t work for you, it’s just $20. I think it’s worth trying. Good luck!