Laptop turns on but won't boot (temporary solution) https://billusia.runboard.com/t12311 Runboard| Laptop turns on but won't boot (temporary solution) en-us Fri, 29 Mar 2024 09:17:30 +0000 Fri, 29 Mar 2024 09:17:30 +0000 https://www.runboard.com/ rssfeeds_managingeditor@runboard.com (Runboard.com RSS feeds managing editor) rssfeeds_webmaster@runboard.com (Runboard.com RSS feeds webmaster) akBBS 60 Re: Laptop turns on but won't boot (temporary solution)https://billusia.runboard.com/p239782,from=rss#post239782https://billusia.runboard.com/p239782,from=rss#post239782They should be! It doesn't make them look very good when their default settings suck. nondisclosed_email@example.com (Lesigner Girl)Tue, 25 Mar 2014 02:24:48 +0000 Re: Laptop turns on but won't boot (temporary solution)https://billusia.runboard.com/p239776,from=rss#post239776https://billusia.runboard.com/p239776,from=rss#post239776I always thought they were.... nondisclosed_email@example.com (Queenyforever)Fri, 21 Mar 2014 18:22:52 +0000 Re: Laptop turns on but won't boot (temporary solution)https://billusia.runboard.com/p239771,from=rss#post239771https://billusia.runboard.com/p239771,from=rss#post239771It's surprising that the default settings aren't already the best settings.nondisclosed_email@example.com (Lesigner Girl)Fri, 21 Mar 2014 01:33:20 +0000 Re: Laptop turns on but won't boot (temporary solution)https://billusia.runboard.com/p239760,from=rss#post239760https://billusia.runboard.com/p239760,from=rss#post239760Good thing you know how to do all that stuff...man, I would be a mess. nondisclosed_email@example.com (Queenyforever)Thu, 20 Mar 2014 18:05:56 +0000 Re: Laptop turns on but won't boot (temporary solution)https://billusia.runboard.com/p239750,from=rss#post239750https://billusia.runboard.com/p239750,from=rss#post239750I was able to copy over browser bookmarks and passwords, and Thunderbird accounts, etc., but it was good to have the old laptop to manually copy my video editor's settings over. The default settings look like crap, but I got it looking crystal clear. nondisclosed_email@example.com (Lesigner Girl)Wed, 19 Mar 2014 23:36:15 +0000 Re: Laptop turns on but won't boot (temporary solution)https://billusia.runboard.com/p239749,from=rss#post239749https://billusia.runboard.com/p239749,from=rss#post239749Yeah, I don't blame you. nondisclosed_email@example.com (Queenyforever)Wed, 19 Mar 2014 20:58:15 +0000 Re: Laptop turns on but won't boot (temporary solution)https://billusia.runboard.com/p239742,from=rss#post239742https://billusia.runboard.com/p239742,from=rss#post239742That sounds like a good deal. I won't be turning the old one off again until I feel certain I have everything I need from it.nondisclosed_email@example.com (Lesigner Girl)Wed, 19 Mar 2014 04:35:15 +0000 Re: Laptop turns on but won't boot (temporary solution)https://billusia.runboard.com/p239733,from=rss#post239733https://billusia.runboard.com/p239733,from=rss#post239733GEEZ! What a pain in the butt.... Luckily we have several old computers here cause hubby's work buys them new ones every few years. nondisclosed_email@example.com (Queenyforever)Tue, 18 Mar 2014 18:46:48 +0000 Re: Laptop turns on but won't boot (solved)https://billusia.runboard.com/p239729,from=rss#post239729https://billusia.runboard.com/p239729,from=rss#post239729Update: Last night, I powered down my laptop for the the first time since I had the problem, and now it won't boot again. The good news is, I backed up all my files and bought a new laptop, but the bad news for anyone who can't buy a new computer right away is that using another cord turned out to be a temporary fix. Update again: Ok, I got it booted again. The trick was to take the battery out, turn it on, wait for the power button's light to go out like before, then push the power button again to turn it back on. That's when it finally booted up again.nondisclosed_email@example.com (Lesigner Girl)Tue, 18 Mar 2014 15:40:05 +0000 Re: Laptop turns on but won't boot (solved)https://billusia.runboard.com/p239723,from=rss#post239723https://billusia.runboard.com/p239723,from=rss#post239723The link is fixed now. Somehow I had an extra [url= in there. Yes, it is a good thing to print out, if you don't have immediate access to another computer. My iPad came in very handy that day. nondisclosed_email@example.com (Lesigner Girl)Mon, 17 Mar 2014 19:26:11 +0000 Re: Laptop turns on but won't boot (solved)https://billusia.runboard.com/p239722,from=rss#post239722https://billusia.runboard.com/p239722,from=rss#post239722Whoa....that link in your post for the Hewlett-Packard code charts...no longer is clickable. I mean, I hold my cursor over it....my arrow turns to a finger, but when I click, nothing happens. nondisclosed_email@example.com (Queenyforever)Mon, 17 Mar 2014 18:41:10 +0000 Re: Laptop turns on but won't boot (solved)https://billusia.runboard.com/p239721,from=rss#post239721https://billusia.runboard.com/p239721,from=rss#post239721Huh! Pretty good info there. I have a Dell, so I will find a codes meaning thing for me. Always nice to have those printed out on hand, just in case! nondisclosed_email@example.com (Queenyforever)Mon, 17 Mar 2014 18:38:12 +0000 Laptop turns on but won't boot (temporary solution)https://billusia.runboard.com/p239710,from=rss#post239710https://billusia.runboard.com/p239710,from=rss#post239710Update: This turned out to be a temporary fix. If you get your laptop running again, do not power it down again until you have copied everything you need from it, and no longer need it anymore. Scroll down to the 4th reply for more details on this update. ---------------------------------------------- Original post follows: ---------------------------------------------- I just wanted to put this out there in case it helps someone, because I couldn't find this solution anywhere when I had the problem. I had accidentally left my Hewlett-Packard laptop on but unplugged, and the battery died. When I plugged it in, the light on the power button came on, and there was a sound of movement like you would hear when it's about to boot up, but it didn't boot up, I didn't hear the fan, and the monitor didn't come on. Whenever I tried to turn it on, the light on the caps lock key blinked 5 times, then stayed out. On some laptops, the num lock light might blink, too, but my laptop doesn't have a light on that key. This blinking is a code to help with troubleshooting, and here is a chart for Hewlett-Packard's codes. I don't know if it's the same for other brands, but anyone with a different brand should look for a code chart if their laptop has the same symptoms and one or more lights are blinking. According to that chart, 5 blinks means it's a general system board failure, which sounds like the motherboard. Bad news, right? Well, maybe, maybe not. As it turned out, that wasn't my problem at all. When someone has a general system board failure, there have been cases where they would leave their computer on, and it would boot itself up after a couple of hours. I decided to try this, if for no other reason than to back up all the files that weren't backed up yet. Instead of booting itself up, the light on the power button eventually went out completely. This told me it wasn't getting any power from the cord. The battery power LED might have blinked to tell me this, but I hadn't noticed. I had already tested the power cord with a voltage meter, and it said it was outputting 19.2 volts. According to the sticker on the power adapter, it has an output rating of 18.5 volts, which is about 26.5% difference from what it tested. Any difference of 30% or less is supposed to be ok, plus mine had tested at higher than its rating. So, I had ruled out the adapter and cord at that point, but considered it again after the power button's light went out. My solution: I had another laptop laying around, so I looked at its power cord. Although the half with the adapter attached doesn't fit my computer, the half that plugs into the power strip does fit into the adapter. That would be this half: I didn't expect this to work, but I took that cord from my old laptop, plugged it into my HP laptop's adapter, and then into the power strip. When I pushed the power button, it fired right up. This was a week ago, and I'm making this post on the same laptop. I hope this will save someone some time, frustration, and money.nondisclosed_email@example.com (Lesigner Girl)Sat, 15 Mar 2014 17:22:14 +0000