All-in-one junk

[HCHTech]

Before I call it quits on this one, I thought I'd run it by TN to see if I missed anything.

I've got a 15-month old HP Touchsmart 9300 Elite all-in-one on the bench. The symptom is inconsistent startup. Once in about 8 or 10 tries, the system boots and runs completely normally. The other times, you get lights & fans, the hard disk spins up, but no video at all. The hard disk access light comes on while the disk spins up, but then goes out. The system is not actually booting.

If you keep trying until it boots again, it boots up and runs normally (no windows repair, etc.). There is nothing remarkable in the event logs. Customer reports he uses it all day after a successful start without incident.

1. I removed the hard disk, and did gsmartcontrol scans on my linux bench machine. both short and extended tests passed without error.

2. While the HD test was running, I did my normal hardware diagnostics, which include a overall scan with PC-Doctor, an overnight run with memtest, and a 20-minute stress test. All passed without error. The fans ramped up to full RPM during the stress test, as expected.

3. When it does boot, you can boot from the CD, HD or USB.

4. When the RAM is removed, you get the expected error beeping. Tried booting with single RAM sticks inserted individually, no change in symptom.

5. During an unsuccessful boot, you can hear the CD drive initializing, the hard disk spinning, the main system fan spins, and the graphics card (discrete) fan spins.

6. This has the enormous brick power supply, rated to output 19.5v at 11.8A. When tested, it outputs a flat 20.00v without load.

7. This unit has an inverter board, but I don't suspect that as the problem is the system is not booting, it's not just booting without video. There is a displayport connection, which I gerry-rigged to a monitor with a couple of adapters, but there is no video at all on the external monitor either.

8. I've disassembled the thing, and checked all wires, connectors & plugs. Everything looks normal. No visible signs (blown caps, etc) of problem.

The graphics card for these things is showing at $210 and the motherboard at $460. I doubt they will elect to attempt a repair, even though this was a higher-dollar purchase (i7, 2GB discrete graphics, Win7Pro, etc), unless I can pinpoint the problem. I'm not interested in throwing parts at it until it runs, either.

Is there anything else you would do?

 

[TAPtech]

Take the mobo battery out and pop it back in. While you're in there, check for bad caps on the mobo.

 

[Markverhyden]

Have you tried flashing the machine. Not sure if that model has Tattoo or is BIOS v6+. If you provide me the serial number and HP model number I'll see if there are any files if you do not have access.

 

[ell]

I had one just like this about year ago but be sure you check that there isn't a bios update or other driver update that's all I can think of. Never got mine resolved either, he ended up dumping it. His would only do it a couple times a week so it was next to impossible for me to troubleshoot.

 

[HCHTech]

Have you tried flashing the machine. Not sure if that model has Tattoo or is BIOS v6+. If you provide me the serial number and HP model number I'll see if there are any files if you do not have access.

It looks like we may have a winner - thanks, Mark. +1. I had checked for BIOS updates, and it had the latest version (dated 3/12), but I hadn't thought about reflashing the same version. I had previously wiped the settings when I took the battery out to check it's voltage (3.19, btw) and it hadn't changed anything.

So...I tried resetting all defaults, no change. Then I reflashed the BIOS, and it has started about 8 times in a row. It just doesn't feel right - it takes about 12 seconds for the first HP logo to appear - way too long, but it has booted each time. Maybe the BIOS chip itself is horked.

Just for kicks, I disabled all available boot items but the HD and CD, in both EUFI and Legacy. It didn't change anything, but I've seen problems before where the system tries to boot from a USB device that isn't really bootable.

I'll give this a qualified win for now - at least it won't keep me up tonight.

 

[HCHTech]

Not sure if that model has Tattoo or is BIOS v6+.

I did some warranty work back in 04/05. Man, I used to hate tattooing those HP motherboards. The actual job wasn't bad, but their system for figuring out which tattoo was needed was just about incomprehensible. Good times...

 

[ClickRight]

I reflashed the BIOS, and it has started about 8 times in a row. It just doesn't feel right - it takes about 12 seconds for the first HP logo to appear - way too long, but it has booted each time. Maybe the BIOS chip itself is horked.

Just for kicks, I disabled all available boot items but the HD and CD, in both EUFI and Legacy. It didn't change anything, but I've seen problems before where the system tries to boot from a USB device that isn't really bootable.

I'll give this a qualified win for now - at least it won't keep me up tonight.

Wow, that's a bizarre one. Thanks for sharing the "fix". I hope it stays working for your client.

The 12 seconds waiting on start-up does seem a little long-- maybe HP has introduced a delay for detecting devices due to the starup issue?

I don't want to hijack your thread, however this is kind of relevant (another HP BIOS "fix" story)

HP, has, on occasion gone back and changed the description of a BIOS update. For example, I one had an HP Pavilion g6-1b22ca laptop which I had updated the BIOS on due to the issue my client was having with it blue screening out of standby. I noted in my notes When I applied the BIOS updated it said:

F.48
" Fixes an intermittent issue where repeatedly switching between sleep and hibernate modes and rebooting cause the system to stop responding or to display a black screen error. "

Perfect!

However, when I returned the laptop to him he was having issues with the system blue screening still I went to HPs website to see if there were any more updates, to my surprise, there was a new BIOS, F.49. Which said:

F.49
Optimized the memory settings to improve the reliability of the memory system

When I went back to check the F.48 BIOS, the description had changed 100% to say:

Now it says this:

F.48
Provides support for the wireless button in systems running Microsoft Windows 8

Applying the F.49 update seems to have fixed the issue.

If HP is willing to change the description of their own BIOS updates to hide a mistake; I wouldn't put it past them to update a BIOS and post it without updating the version or additional fixes online.

One of the many reasons why I don't sell or recommend HP

 

[ell]

Wow, that's a bizarre one. Thanks for sharing the "fix". I hope it stays working for your client.

The 12 seconds waiting on start-up does seem a little long-- maybe HP has introduced a delay for detecting devices due to the starup issue?

I don't want to hijack your thread, however this is kind of relevant (another HP BIOS "fix" story)

HP, has, on occasion gone back and changed the description of a BIOS update. For example, I one had an HP Pavilion g6-1b22ca laptop which I had updated the BIOS on due to the issue my client was having with it blue screening out of standby. I noted in my notes When I applied the BIOS updated it said:


Perfect!

However, when I returned the laptop to him he was having issues with the system blue screening still I went to HPs website to see if there were any more updates, to my surprise, there was a new BIOS, F.49. Which said:



When I went back to check the F.48 BIOS, the description had changed 100% to say:

Now it says this:



Applying the F.49 update seems to have fixed the issue.

If HP is willing to change the description of their own BIOS updates to hide a mistake; I wouldn't put it past them to update a BIOS and post it without updating the version or additional fixes online.

One of the many reasons why I don't sell or recommend HP

I used to be hesitant about flashing bios, but on hp machines now I don't hesitate!

 

[Digital Sage]

I've got a hp Pavillion 200 - 5200 all-in-one on the bench. Back power light is on where the DC Connectors goes in, but it's dead as a door nail. No powering on, no booting, no sounds, no nudda.

Do you think Dead Mobo? Can't even seem to find them available anywhere.

 

[BillMoney]

All in Ones are garbage, they all use lesser powered components but still manage to overheat easily or be ready to throw away in 18 months when they are slower than molasses

 

[lan101]

All in Ones are garbage, they all use lesser powered components but still manage to overheat easily or be ready to throw away in 18 months when they are slower than molasses

Agreed. The concept is nice, but most are garbage. The imacs are the only ones that I think are decent, but even those have overheating issues at times.

 

[HCHTech]

and.....it's back. Just got a voicemail from the client that it's black screening again. Same symptom as before, so he says, anyway. I'm going to tell him he needs a motherboard after I get a current quote. Hopefully, he'll cut his losses and move on to a new box.

I've been waiting for an opportunity to get these pieces of junk out of his office and get some Optiplexes in there. Wish me luck!

 

[ohio_grad_06]

Why I tell people stay away from all in ones. The traditional desktop is bigger, but fewer overheating issues, more stable generally imo, etc. Plus easier to get in and work on.

 

[BillMoney]

seriously iMacs are the only all in ones I would consider

 

[smashedbotatos]

seriously iMacs are the only all in ones I would consider

iMac can be just as bad. Though they have gotten better about the heat issues. Man I remember changing a bunch of G5 PSU boards. they sure made me a pretty penny.