HP tx1000 problem

[mcarteaux]

I've got a friends' HP TX1000 laptop, he's been away in Afghanistan for a while, and recently his wife asked me to fix their laptop. Thinking she probably downloaded a virus or something else minor I agreed to it. They've got a lot of pictures and such and she was hoping to make a collage for his welcome-home party that are on the hard drive, and I have gotten them off by putting the hard drive into my computer and getting them, but, I'm really hoping I can get this problem fixed.
I made a thread on HP's support forum, and within 24 hours the thread had been deleted. I have no inclination as to why.
In a nutshell, this video is what the "problem" is.

I've had the battery tested, and tested the power plug for correct voltages, completely disassembled/reassembled the laptop and tested fans, cleaned dust, reapplied artic silver, reseated RAM, etc. I've ruled out RAM, after I took both sticks out it would continue to do this. I'm hoping it's not a graphics card issue, I don't know HP's POST procedure, but I'd think I'd at least get an error beep if no video was detected.
I haven't any idea what may cause this particular laptop to not POST. If there are any HP/laptop pros here, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[The_Prophecy]

If the video you linked to above is exactly the same as what's happening to your laptop (not sure if you posted it, or if that simply showed what the problem looks like), you are probably looking at a motherboard failure.

Contact HP for warranty service. If the unit is no longer under warranty, you're probably SOL.

Does the behavior change at all depending on what components are attached to the system (all ram sticks vs. one stick, removing the hard drive(s)... etc)?

 

[mcarteaux]

That video was recorded last night by me. But now when I try to turn it on, it only attempts to power up once.
The warranty is well beyond expired, I asked her (the wife) to check it before I agreed to attempt repairs. The 1 year warranty expired about 6 months ago.

It acts the same way with partial ram and no ram, and the same without a hard drive(1 power up attempt). It seems though, that 1 out of 4 times that I remove both sticks of RAM, it will 'power up' -- No video, the lights stay on and the fans actually turn on. It will keep itself in this state for just over a half hour, and turn off.

I had let my room mate play with it while I was out, and he was able to get it booted up after about an hour of hitting the power toggle while he watched TV. He was able to log in and play with it for about 20 minutes. It shut off by itself.
I have not been able to recreate the results he had.

 

[The_Prophecy]

Well you've done everything I would have in that situation, so I'm going to go with "the motherboard is screwed and cannot be repaired". Pretty sure they are going to have to buy a new laptop.

 

[mcarteaux]

Well, thanks for reaffirming my initial impression.
I'm going to attempt to re-seat the GPU as I tried the "jkl" trick (Pressing firmly down above the GPU) and the screen flickered right before it shut off. So that's something different, a slight glimmer of hope in a vast sea of disarray.
Man, I just can not believe HP has gone downhill this quickly..

Thank you for your time good sir.

*if anyone else has a suggestion, please reply! lol

 

[mcarteaux]

Best answer selected by mcarteaux.

 

[The_Prophecy]

Glad I could help. I'll leave the open for awhile in case anyone else has an idea that may help.

 

[bachibouzac]

HI, y am a teacher, 3 years ago, we start replace all the computer whit
Laptop from hp, since they are approved by Canada school board.
For me y ends up whit an tx-1000, y like it very much.
Except from 140 laptop more 50% end up to need replacement the first
Years. The second years, only 25 of those still in service. Most of them
Require a motherboard replacement... for video card problems.
Y still use a tx-1000, but that the third from the batch. But only at home.
Since hp are now ban in our institutions, including for the student.
Too many raison, bad support, more than 2 month for every replacement
... We even av a student who. Is laptop an hp, but another model is own,
trot to the wall After lost work... for the third time.
Now we keep all those dead laptop for a class action suit again hp, and the decision
From the school board to ban hp from every school in the regional.
That very frustrating since nearly every computer, printer in the secretariat is
From hp... waiting to by replace by ibm product...money we need
For other project . will by diverted to those replacement. What a waste!
Never absolutely by any hp product.

(sorry, for my poor English, y am not very fluent)