Widespread problem with HP Omnibook XE3-GFs?
From: Joe (alakran_at_HATusers.easynews.com)
Date: 11/21/04
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Date: Sun, 21 Nov 2004 04:38:16 GMT
I posted this to the laptop groups and, as you can see from the
followups, didn't get any replies. Anyone have any idea about this
very common problem with HP laptops?
>On Wed, 10 Nov 2004 22:07:53 GMT, Joe < alakran@HATusers.easynews.com>
>wrote:
>
>>I've been reading the forums at HP and noticed that there are
>>literally dozens of threads with the same problem:
>>One day the laptop will not boot, fan will spin up for a few seconds,
>>Cd will spin up(this is variable), always no video(external or
>>internal), sometimes the floppy will light up, the hd will usually
>>spin up but show minimal activity at boot up.
>>Some people notice that the lappy will freeze at random while in the
>>OS and then fail to restart, while others will not be able to cold
>>boot, but the symptoms, especially the fan and video, will always be
>>the same. I always read those, hoping it would never happen to
>>me....but now it has and now to another one owned by a colleague.
>>
>>Now in my case(a GF), I *can* get mine to boot.....sometimes....by
>>stripping it right down and booting it an external monitor(Also a
>>couple of times to the lcd, so I know that and the inverter are OK).I
>>can't get the 2nd Xe3-GC one to boot at all. Also tried plugging in
>>all peripherals, so they are OK
>>It also booted a few times after I'd reassembled it, but celebrations
>>were premature.....
>>
>>Tried reseating everything, seems to make no difference.
>>Replaced the hdd and the right angle connector so they are ok and of
>>course, I tried one stick of ram and different ram and the only thing
>>I noticed was that I do get the "no ram" error beeps.
>>
>>Finally, I took the MB out, desoldered the Cmos battery and
>>reconnected it agfter 20 minutes....nada.
>>
>>My guess(hope) is a dodgy PCA to MB connector(on either side), so I'm
>>about to try cleaning with 95% alcohol, but I fear it may be a failing
>>component on the MB or an internittent track somewhere in the
>>(integrated) PSU circuitry. I'm pretty sure a faulty hdd or anything
>>that could cause a high current drain could cause exactly the same
>>problem. Strangely enough, I managed to fix a similar fault on a
>>Toshiba about a year ago by reflowing the solder around the AC socket.
>>
>>Surely with this many reports of an identical problem, something must
>>have come to light. I've just about given up on mine and will sell the
>>parts on to buy a new (non HP) lappy, but thought I'd ask here as a
>>last resort.
>>
>>
>>Now, the inevitable answer from HP is to "buy a new motherboard" and
>>the cheapest I've seen are $450. Since, for little more, I can buy a
>>new Toshiba Celeron, that doesn't make much sense
>>
>>
>>Take off the Hat to reply......
>
>Anybody? Mr Ikenfixit? You MUST have come across this problem. The
>forums are full of posts with the same problem. With all the different
>omnibooks and Xe's I'd say I've seen hundreds of em. Anyway, I'm fed
>up with wasting time on this thing(but it has been tempting after the
>succesful repair of the Toshiba) and will probably sell the lcd and
>some other parts on. Is there a market for this? Put the money towards
>buying a new one....but it won't be an HP, that's for sure. There's a
>design flaw here somewhere and I guess it won't come out on usenet.
Looks like I'm reduced to replying to myself, but I've worked on the
MBs a bit and this might help some of the many XE3/Pavilion owners out
there with the same problem, which is, in short, green light on, Fan
for 5 seconds, HD activity, CD spin up, but doesn't get to bios. Very
similar to the notorious Presario fault .
I resoldered the ac power sockets and thoroughly cleaned all the plugs
sockets and ribbon connectors. I then cleaned the entire motherboard
with an electronic solvent
Switched on and both the GF and GC booted up!! But *why* would the
ground on the ac socket prevent them booting up on battery?
Sadly, the GF still won't boot up 100%.....maybe 50%, but, insanely, I
*can* get it to boot up every time by firmly grabbing the left hand
rear of the case, or by pressing on the metal shield under the MB near
the bios/ram, so I'm pretty sure this is a ground problem
Really would like to find a circuit diagram.schematic for these.
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