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HP Notebook causing problems

Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2006 1:20 am
by 9underpar
Hi All:
I have a ze5170 notebook. When I start the laptop, all of the blue keyboard lights turn on and won't go off. There is no screen display. The fans come on and stay on. The CD Drive spins for a few seconds then stops. Same for the hard drive. I can't access the BIOS.

I've tried new RAM, a new hard drive, etc with no luck. I can't boot from the floppy or the CD. I've tried booting from AC power only and battery only. I also tried the Reset button on the bottom of the notebook.

There are no warning beeps. If I try booting with no RAM, then I get some beep warnings.

The laptop is a few years old. Could a dead BIOS battery cause these problems? Any ideas out there that I could try?

Many thanks!

Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2006 9:40 pm
by edwin
a dead bios battery could cause this. but the "If I try booting with no RAM, then I get some beep warnings. " remark might point at a dead memory controller which is fatal as repairing it costs about the same as a new laptop.

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:22 am
by 9underpar
Edwin:
Isn't it a positive sign if I hear beep codes when the memory is removed? This may indicate that the motherboard is ok because it detects no memory?

Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2006 2:31 pm
by NickS
9underpar wrote:Edwin:
Isn't it a positive sign if I hear beep codes when the memory is removed? This may indicate that the motherboard is ok because it detects no memory?
It certainly shows that the CPU is running and detecting that there is some memory present. Beyond that it's difficult to say. Something prevents it getting to/past the point where the keyboard controller is reset.