HP Compaq NX5000 Won't Start

...Or, rather, it does - but it's only intermittent. Once it's running, it's fine. But when off - press on-switch/button and it tries to fire up: fan noise, green power light - then it fails and gives a brief yellow flash of battery light - and dead.

It's not a dead battery. The external power-pack is working fine, and charges the battery. It should run without battery installed - but won't.

I managed to get it started this morning after about 5 attempts. Next time I switch it off may be the last, who knows?

When it first happened, and I couldn't start it at all, local computer repair shop diagnosed a processor failure, reported over the phone that it was 'fried' (I don't think it was - they were guessing, I saw it later on their bench - nothing obviously brown in colour). They installed a new processor, proudly switched machine on when I arrived to pick it up - and 'well, it was working this morning'. Dead. So - obviously (I think) it wasn't the processor.

Motherboard? On-board power unit?

I've ordered myself a new machine - and have this fully backed up - but I'm comfortable in it - so I'd like to fix it if it's fixable.

Win XPPro SP2

David

 

I've worked on a Compaq ??5000, it might have been an NX. Different symptoms (HDD), but the owner had sent it back to HP not long after it was out of warranty and they had replaced the motherboard...not cheap.

If you get it started, go into the BIOS/Startup configuration settings and look for voltage readouts. You could try testing with a volt/multimeter.

Look for the service manual at HP.

Search or ask at the HP forums and there are some DIY laptop repair websites around.

Matt

 

Thanks Mattman.

Just taken delivery of my new Tosh.

This Nx5000 is 4 years old. The HDD failed after 6 months. I think I'm off HP/Compaqs for now...

Best
David