HP Keyboard LEDs Blinking

I have been asked to do a system recovery on an HP laptop, and during several required reboots (after installing a large batch of Windows security updates), the unit screen went blank during restart (which is normal), but it stayed that way, and the only thing I knew to do was to hold the power button down and do a hard boot.

But before I did a hard boot, I noticed the LED lights on the caps lock, and the number lock keys, were blinking three blinks at a time - pausing - and then repeating the process over and over.

Is that a code for a bad memory module?

Since installing those many updates, the process never repeated itself, and the PC seems fine.

 

fault codes on a HP laptop - Google Search
Seems you have diagnosed it correctly.

 

I ran a memory test in DOS with MemTest86, but everything checked out OK.

I downloaded Crucial's memory scanner, and they don't even stock memory for this laptop anymore, although I'm sure a few sticks can be had somewhere if truly needed.

Many pardons for the dead link. It must be cookie dependent. For what it's worth, This model is an HP G72 Notebook PC with a dual-core processor.

All seems to be well for the moment, but HP's Recovery Disk Creator would not let me make a recovery disk (says one has already been made). If the owner is serious about preserving the disk, they need to invest in some imaging software.

 

I think the ONLY 1 (one) Recovery disc option came in with W8.0 - you had to choose disc or flash drive.

 

Oops!

Spoke too soon.

I did a restart this morning, and the laptop hung again. I am currently running HP's own memory diagnostic tool, and I may set the BIOS to do a visual memory test at each and every boot and see what happens.

If I remember correctly, my old MSI XP desktop used to hang at boot up if it didn't like certain USB devices. The only USB device I have plugged into the HP at the moment is a wireless Logitec mouse transceiver.

 

Interesting video...

 

I would prefer some talking rather than the repeat music! Suggests dirty contacts???

 

Sounds like it.

I wonder if a brief shot of contact spray (to the slots and the connectors) would be a viable alternative. I used to spray my daughter's Game Boy cartridges and cartridge slot on occasions when the unit acted up.

 

I watched the video James, and I did hope the guy had eliminated ESD's while handling the RAM?
He appeared to use a rubber (eraser) to clean the contacts rather vigorously!
I have used in the past a soft pencil tip eraser and wiped (with lint free cloth) clean with CRC contact cleaner.
Then blown dry completely and all over the m/b etc. including the fan which was accessible in the video.
If you have the time - it would be useful to eliminate this possibility.

 

I left the laptop to sit unused a few days, and now it is a pill to startup.

I used contact spray on the memory (sprayed a coffee filter and wiped the contacts), swapped the sticks around in different configurations, and still had trouble starting the unit. I'm going to disassemble the laptop and see if the power button has bad soldering. Hope I can troubleshoot this problem OK.