# Solved: HP notebook runs 10 seconds then shuts off



## bobber (Mar 1, 2004)

I have an HP Pavilion notebook model XH136 that now turns on for about 10 seconds then shuts off completely. No beeps, no display, nothing. The power light comes on as does the HD light but it doesn't sound like its booting up at all during its brief activity. 
I removed the HD and connected it externally to my PC and I can access it using windows explorer but I have no idea if it is bootable. 
Reinstalled the HD and the problem persists.
AC adapter works fine and the battery shows 100% charge using the front panel LCD controls. Still will not boot with or without the AC power supply connected. Just powers up for the 10 seconds then shuts down. Nothing is seen on the screen at all.
I do not have another 2.5 drive to check in it.
Machine has a celeron processor, 256mb ram , 10Gig HD and runs WinXP.

Any thoughts/suggestions?
Thank you!


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## bonk (Sep 8, 2005)

If not under warranty re-seat the Memory....it's in one of the bottom compartments

Did you get any disks with the PC?


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## bobber (Mar 1, 2004)

Negative on the warranty as it is about 4 years old I think. I did re-seat the memory and even switched them around without luck. I do not have any the original disks as it was brother's ex who owned it before. I'm working on that though.
Oh, I tried one of those all-purpose 'boot any computer' disks I got off eBay but the notebook won't stay on long enough to even read it.
Thanks.


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## Rockn (Jul 29, 2001)

It would be either heat, a battery problem or the AC Adapter. Take out the battery and try to run on only the AC adapter.


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## bobber (Mar 1, 2004)

Same thing happens with the battery removed and running under AC power.
I checked the DC voltage on the adapter and it showed 19.2 volts with a rating of 18 volts so the adapter seems to be working.
I've tried powering it up after sitting overnite and it still shuts down. It hasn't run enough to get warmed up. The battery doesn't feel unusual either.


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## Rockn (Jul 29, 2001)

What are the CPU specs? It can certainly get hot enough to power down in less than a minute if it is a newer CPU. You may also want to check to make sure the fans are running inside the chassis. Some systems will not power up at all of the fans are not operational.


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## bobber (Mar 1, 2004)

Well, I know its a slow celeron CPU, not sure of the actual speed but I know it is an original one. 
Re the fans: It sounds like the noise I hear when I start it up is a fan running from the left side of the notebook. I wonder if there is another one somewhere inside that may not be running. Are you saying that if there is a dead or defective fan then the system will shut down? Wow, that means I'll really have to disassemble it now. 
Is there somewhere I can see a schematic of the motherboard layout? I checked the HP site but their diagrams did not include this.


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## StumpedTechy (Jul 7, 2004)

I had a laptop with a bad CPU that did the exact same symptoms. As far as the laptop most laptops have a small grille and if you feel warmish airflow the fan is running. On laptops usually there is only the 1 fan.


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## bobber (Mar 1, 2004)

Still not working. I see only one fan through the bottom grill and it turns on and runs for the 10 seconds or so the unit is on.
Any other ideas folks?
Thanks


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## bonk (Sep 8, 2005)

I would check the heatsink and fan....as that would shut it down almost immediately.

Heres a link on how to clean the heatsink

http://www.short-media.com/review.php?r=258


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## Stormmm (Jan 7, 2005)

I had a similar situation. I had to re seat the CPU. Remove and replace. That was the problem with mine, very similar symptoms


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

my old hp notebook had some battery difficulty...on a full charge, it would last no longer than 3 seconds..kinda pathetic


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## yorek38 (May 4, 2006)

ive got the same deal going on with my notebook it was a hand me down, that someone gave up on i figured i could fix. same problems. starts for a second and then shuts off. wont even start bios or anything so i am wary to think it is the cpu.i had it checked out and the guy said it was the motherboard. but that is extremely vague to me, i am still trying to figure out what on the motherboard is not working. i think it may be a fuse or something, any guesses?


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## bobber (Mar 1, 2004)

Well I took it to Radio Shack which is an authorized HP repair center. For $40 I learned that it is indeed the motherboard that needs to be replaced.
I declined the repair ($350 + tax) and proceeded to disassemble the thing and reassemble it to see if that would possibly fix it.
Well, it still won't run and does exactly the same thing. Turns on for a couple seconds and shuts off. I checked the fan assembly and put thermal paste under it and the fan runs fine so it isn't any issue with cooling. I reseated the CPU too but it didn't help.
I'll look on ebay but does anyone have some other good sources for some cheap motherboards? 
Also, I can't figure out where the part number is printed on this mb. I tried searching on the HP site but had no success finding one so I can be precise in finding the right replacement.


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## bobber (Mar 1, 2004)

Stormmm was correct on figuring a loose CPU was the culprit. After taking the notebook apart a couple times and reassembling it I was about to give up. I decided to rip it apart one more time. When I pulled the MB out the Intel CPU fell out onto my table! Whaaat? I looked at the board and saw that the CPU locking device was really loose and not engaging properly. I did not notice this before when I had reseated it. I put the CPU back in and really pushed on the lock mechanism to hold it tight. This time there was no play in it at all.
Anyway, I reassembled everything and it booted right up. 
To think that it could have cost me over $350 for something so simple to fix.  
Hope this experience will help save someone else a big headache and a some cash too....


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## RRabbit (Jun 4, 2006)

Thank you kindly bobber & Strommm !! I had the same problem (failure to boot, nothing on screen and ~10-second shutoff ) with my Pavilion xh136. After removing the heat sink-fan assembly, the CPU was completely loose and slipped right. I think the ZIF lock on the CPU socket was either in the locked or partially locked/closed position because I had to cycle the lock to get the CPU inserted and seated. The lock may not have been fully closed when the computer was assembled or perhaps jarring and vibration causes it to open over time. And bobber, I really appreciate your hanging tough, working through the problem and posting the solution. Thanks again, from me .....and my bank account !


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## bobber (Mar 1, 2004)

Great! I'm glad I could help.


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## Nobahdy (Sep 18, 2007)

Hello all, 

I have an HP XH575 laptop that does the exact same thing. It was hit in 2003 or so, by a lightning induced power surge, and stopped working. I've had it ever since stored in a closet. The other day my little girl asked me if she could have a computer and I thought rather than buy a new one, let me try one last time to fix it. 

Over the years, I've taken apart and put together the laptop several times, first to replace the NIC which was fried by the lightning, and when that didn't fix it, to replace the motherboard. 

Nothing has worked so far. It powers up, the fan spins up to speed, and then shuts down. Now having found this thread (thanks be to Google) I have one more thing to try. 

The question I have is that on the XH575, there is no lever which operates the CPU lockdown mechanism. Rather one places the CPU in the "tray" and uses a flat screwdriver to push the tray into position. The tray moves but the movement is kinda vague. There is no feedback like a click or a to confirm that the CPU has been seated properly, and I am afraid of using too much force and breaking something irretrievably. 

Any suggestions?


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## bobber (Mar 1, 2004)

Well I would try popping it off anyway. It isn't working as it is so why not try it? 
Interested in how you make out.
Good luck!


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## Nobahdy (Sep 18, 2007)

I did pop it open and while the CPU was not loose, I decided to remove it and re-seat it and then threw caution to the wind and gave the CPU a good shove with my flat tip screwdriver, This time there was sort of a click that had been missing from previous attempts to fix the laptop. 

Put everything together and powered on, but the same problem. 10 second shut off. I opened it again, and the only thing I could see might be wrong was the dip switch settings for the LCD screen. After searching high and low for a service manual for my unit, a helpful HP tech graciously emailed me a pdf version of the manual and using that I was able to determine the correct switch positions for the LCD. This after having to disassemble the LCD to determine its manufacturer! 

Anyway, when I put it all back together, I took a deep breath and hit the power switch. Lo and behold the machine immediately started the boot process and before long Windows XP came up. 

This was a laptop that had died in 2002 or so, and thus it was like opening a time capsule. Files and stuff I had long forgotten were on the drive, and XP was completely out of date as far as updates and fixes go. 

Anyway, thanks to the folks who posted on this thread. Had it not been for you, this laptop would have eventually ended up in the trash bin. 

ps: its funny how incredibly fast it seemed to be back in 2001-2002 when I first got it. Now, it seems so sluggish...


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