Trouble with a Crappy HP

Started by Slappy, October 09, 2013, 06:03:03 PM

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Slappy

October 09, 2013, 06:03:03 PM
My in-law's basic off the shelf HP has stopped working. Here's what I know from about 10 minutes messing with it:

- It has power, at least it starts up & displays lights on the box as I'd expect, no monitor output though
- Oddly, the Caps Lock/NumLock lights on the kb don't respond but without a monitor hard to say if it's booted up fully
- I can hear the drive spinning so I assume that's not the problem

Kind of wondering if the onboard video has died. I do have an 8800GT lying around, if it fits and this thing has a PCI-E slot I could drop it in there, but I can't uninstall the existing vid drivers first like I normally would. Worth a shot?

Or maybe the PSU has just enough juice to power part of the mobo but not the USB ports or vid. I don't have a PSU lying around, and we're leaving town early next week so I don't have a ton of time to screw around with this garbage.
A little diddie 'bout black 'n cyan...two reflective colors doin' the best they can.

Joe

#1
October 09, 2013, 06:25:59 PM
Lights on the keyboard not responding most likely means it is NOT booting up.

A bad hard drive would not kill the video so I don't think it is the hard drive.

If it was just the video card I would think the lights on the keyboard would respond (Num Lock, Scroll Lock, Caps Lock). But if you have a spare throw it in there and try it.

Bad monitor??? But again I think your keyboard lights would respond.

Are you hearing any odd beeps when you turn it on?

It could be the PSU that, like you said, might have enough power to turn the lights on but not enough to drive the PC. A competent computer store can put the PSU on a tester and test it if you can remove it and take it there. Also, stick your nose close to the PSU and smell if there is a burnt smell from in there.

It could be the motherboard.

I doubt it is the memory or you would be hearing some beeps when you turn it on (assuming you aren't hearing any beeps).
Mac OS Sonoma 14.2.1 (c) | (retired)

The seven ages of man: spills, drills, thrills, bills, ills, pills and wills.

Chilbear

#2
October 09, 2013, 07:46:35 PM
can you get into the bios - you may be able to start from the dvd/cd

Slappy

#3
October 09, 2013, 09:00:17 PM
Quote from: Joe on October 09, 2013, 06:25:59 PMIf it was just the video card I would think the lights on the keyboard would respond (Num Lock, Scroll Lock, Caps Lock). But if you have a spare throw it in there and try it.
I did, ditched their PS2 kb and tried one of my USBs, no lights.

QuoteBad monitor??? But again I think your keyboard lights would respond.
Same, tried a good one & even a VGA cable I have in case that was bad.

QuoteAre you hearing any odd beeps when you turn it on?
Nothing really, I don't think the mobos in these HPs have a startup LED code but I'll look anyway.

Think I'll see if I can scrounge up a replacement PSU, other than that it's not worth a lot more effort. It's mostly a web browsing machine & Solitaire station for them.
A little diddie 'bout black 'n cyan...two reflective colors doin' the best they can.

t-pat

#4
October 09, 2013, 09:21:32 PM
Just replaced another psu on a Dell (studio 545)  here at home . Dead as a hammer like the studio slim was when it's psu went. No lights, beeps, nothing. New antec cured it. That is where they really cut corners on these consumer grade oems.
vdp donkey
gmc inspire • sarcasm while you wait

Fontaholic

#5
October 10, 2013, 06:35:27 AM
Does the title of this thread imply that there are non-crappy HP's out there...?   :evil:

Cheers, John the Fontaholic

Farabomb

#6
October 10, 2013, 07:21:07 AM
No beeps can still be memory. From time to time mine does this and all I do is pull the sticks out and reseat.

I've also had USB devices hang the system on boot.

I'd try the memory, then unplug all USB and try and boot. After that pull every card and reseat. If that doesn't work get it down to basics. CPU, memory and video and try and boot. If you get nothing then check for any loose/extra screws that can be shorting the board. Then, get a new PSU.
Speed doesn't kill, rapidly becoming stationary is the problem

I'd rather have stories told than be telling stories of what I could have done.

Quote from: Ear on April 06, 2016, 11:54:16 AM
Quote from: Farabomb on April 06, 2016, 11:39:41 AMIt's more like grip, grip, grip, noise, then spin and 2 feet in and feel shame.
I once knew a plus-sized girl and this pretty much describes teh secks. :rotf:
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         —Benjamin Franklin
My other job

DigiCorn

#7
October 10, 2013, 10:49:17 AM
I literally had this problem on a work Compaq pre-merger 15 years ago, and it had a tech support. It was a bad video card screwing up the boot sequence.
"There's been a lot of research recently on how hard it is to dislodge an impression once it's been implanted in someone's mind. (This is why political attack ads don't have to be true to be effective. The other side can point out their inaccuracies, but the voter's mind privileges the memory of the original accusation, which was juicier than any counterargument ever could be.)"
― Johnny Carson

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– Nikki Sixx

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gnubler

#8
October 10, 2013, 04:53:58 PM
Was the word 'literally' really necessary there, Corn? Either you did or you didn't!  :whip:
Hicks • Cross • Carlin • Kinison • Parker • Stone •  Colbert • Hedberg • Stanhope • Burr

"As much as I'd like your guns I prefer your buns." - The G

Quote from: pspdfppdfx on December 06, 2012, 05:03:51 PM
So,  :drunk3: i send the job to the rip with live transparecy (v 1.7 or whatever) and it craps out with a memory error.

Member #14 • Size 5 • PH8 Unit 7 • Paranoid Misanthropic Doomsayer • Printing & Drinking Since 1998 • doomed ©2011 david

Joe

#9
October 10, 2013, 05:06:00 PM
Quote from: gnubler on October 10, 2013, 04:53:58 PMWas the word 'literally' really necessary there, Corn? Either you did or you didn't!  :whip:

 :goodpost:

He wasted three l's with that one damn word. Save the l's!
Mac OS Sonoma 14.2.1 (c) | (retired)

The seven ages of man: spills, drills, thrills, bills, ills, pills and wills.

gnubler

#10
October 10, 2013, 05:24:46 PM
And you just wasted two apostrophes!  :whip:
Hicks • Cross • Carlin • Kinison • Parker • Stone •  Colbert • Hedberg • Stanhope • Burr

"As much as I'd like your guns I prefer your buns." - The G

Quote from: pspdfppdfx on December 06, 2012, 05:03:51 PM
So,  :drunk3: i send the job to the rip with live transparecy (v 1.7 or whatever) and it craps out with a memory error.

Member #14 • Size 5 • PH8 Unit 7 • Paranoid Misanthropic Doomsayer • Printing & Drinking Since 1998 • doomed ©2011 david

Joe

#11
October 10, 2013, 06:36:47 PM
Yes but I have more of them ordered. :wink:

Although with the government shutdown I may not get them.
Mac OS Sonoma 14.2.1 (c) | (retired)

The seven ages of man: spills, drills, thrills, bills, ills, pills and wills.

Slappy

#12
October 10, 2013, 07:33:21 PM
Quote from: Farabomb on October 10, 2013, 07:21:07 AMNo beeps can still be memory. From time to time mine does this and all I do is pull the sticks out and reseat.

I've also had USB devices hang the system on boot.

I'd try the memory, then unplug all USB and try and boot. After that pull every card and reseat. If that doesn't work get it down to basics. CPU, memory and video and try and boot. If you get nothing then check for any loose/extra screws that can be shorting the board. Then, get a new PSU.
Good rundown, thanks man! I'll see if I can mess with it this weekend and re-animate it for a little longer.
A little diddie 'bout black 'n cyan...two reflective colors doin' the best they can.
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