NC6320 Compaq Laptop wont turn on intermittently

[texastone]

Have this NC6320 Business laptop that has the time and date error. I replaced the cmos battery and did a clean reinstall of windows XP. Sometimes it boots to windows XP but sometimes it goes to a blue screen of death. Now at one time during the clean reinstall it lost contact with the hard drive and it said there was NO hard drive. I took out the drive and cleaned the connections and put it back. Still occasionally like every couple of starts I get the blue screen. Now a lot of times I can't even get this thing to boot up. With the battery in and the power connected, it lights up a little yellow light or green light next to a pic of a little lightning bolt depending on if the battery is fully charged or not. No matter what I do with the power button it won't start up, shut down, reboot Etc. But if I pull the battery and power chord and put the chord back in sometimes it just automatically fires up, or Many cases I find that if I disconnect the Cmos battery for a while, plug it back in and then plug the chord in, it automatically fires up everytime pretty much. Keep in mind I don't press the power button, it just fires up on its own. Tonight I am putting windows 7 on it after replacing the cmos battery in hopes that will take care of my "system date and time not set" error. I have tried the hard reset by disconnecting and pulling everything, and holding the power button down for 30 seconds but that never gets it to boot up. I always have to pull the cmos battery then it goes on its own. While installing windows 7 tonight during the loading files part it lost communication with the hard drive again. So my question is, do I have a bad power button board or could the failing hard drive which I obvioiusly believe is failing, be the culprit of it all?? Any Ideas would be great! Thank You

http://cgi.ebay.com/HP-COMPAQ-nc6320-LAPTOP-1-83-GHz-60GB-WIFI-DVDRW-15-/230611819944

link to some pics of one of these laptops

 

[Rafael]

Try running MEMtest and HDD test, also wats the error that the blue screen gives?

 

[texastone]

The error says windows has encountered an error and has been shut down to prevent damage. What program do you reccomend for a scan? Did the SMART one but I didn't understand it!! Lol. Got windows 7 loaded on and as long as I do restarts ot has rebooted flawlessly every time but if I hold down the power button to do a reset or if I just press it, it does nothing. I'm thinkin I must have a bad button. And that's why I have to try to get it to go on its own. What do ya think? Did a memory test using windows and it was fine. Plus its got new memory I put new memory in it.

 

[PC-Man]

The error says windows has encountered an error and has been shut down to prevent damage. What program do you reccomend for a scan? Did the SMART one but I didn't understand it!! Lol. Got windows 7 loaded on and as long as I do restarts ot has rebooted flawlessly every time but if I hold down the power button to do a reset or if I just press it, it does nothing. I'm thinkin I must have a bad button. And that's why I have to try to get it to go on its own. What do ya think? Did a memory test using windows and it was fine. Plus its got new memory I put new memory in it.

To Test the hard drive. Download Hitachi hard drive fitness test, Use the advance test option. Download the ISO image and create a bootable CD.

 

[texastone]

Ok thanks for thi info. I will do it as soon as I get back. Does it also sound like to you guys that the power button is bad?

 

[nesrinamb]

also have you tried blue screen viewer.

 

[texastone]

No I haven't ill check it out thank you!!! I ordered a new power board for it. I have researched this to death and a lot of people have had simular problems but usually get some sort of response from the power button in certain scenarios. Being that no matter what I do I get nothing in any way or scenario from the power button, it boots to windows seven repeatedly as long as it autimatically turns itself on by removing and plugging back in the chord or cmos battery, its lighting fast within windows, internet, etc. I am leaning towards the button being the culprit. I have seen it before with another laptop but on googling this problem it seems as though the power button is not considered. Do any of you pros have an opinion on this? Sorry I just need some reassurance!!! Lol. You have all helped me out so much and I value your opinions highly.

 

[texastone]

Just got home and popped the switch cover off. It is making contact with the button on the motherboard just fine. Tried pressing the button directly on the board with the power board still plugged in and absolutely nothing. So the power button is not the culprit after all. I just don't see a hard drive making the thing not even turn on without pulling the cmos battery. Thinking it needs a motherboard and the power switch on the motherboard is bad or something. HEADACHES!! lol. Gonna see if I can get it to power up by removing the cmos battery and run that hard drive scan.

 

[texastone]

Ok I pulled the hard drive, all the memory, battery, chord, wifi card and pressed the power button for 30 seconds. Plugged in the power chord, and hit the button. I had NOTHING!! Ok your not going to believe this. I put it all back together and still had nothing. I just started rapid fire tapping the power button. It powered up!!! I held it down once it started and it did nothing. I started tapping it again and it went to sleep I pressed it again, and it woke up. I shut it down, pressed the power button and it booted!!!! SHut it down again. Pressed the power button. It booted!!!!! i have no clue what to think about that!!!