Windows 8 HP Pavillion fails to boot - or anything!

[speckytecky]

Got a friends HP Pavillion p6-2302eam Series Tower running Windows 8 (mighty groan) powering on issue. The device is circa two years old and was bought at Currys. It powers up but then goes into Automatic Repair for a while followed by the Restart or Advanced option. Leaving it on that screen it runs ok, which to me seems to rule out heat sink problems. Selecting Restart it booms out. Running the Advanced options Turn off your PC works perfectly 😃 Continue Homs out. I haven't tried Use a Device. In Troubleshooting carrying out a refresh sees the device run away on its diagnostic but so far it's got up to about 85 % then shut off. I'm trying a Restore currently.

 

By chance anyone else has experienced similar issues with this particular model I thought I'd ask the question here.

[speckytecky]

An additional question for those that know a heap more than me - not difficult I currently have the 1TB HD in an external caddy RUNNING Sophos on it. It's coming up asking for a repair which I think is probably a hopeful sign but I'm not letting that proceed till I've scanned for viruses and malware. Switching on the tower it started ok and the fans run, it obviously recognises the absence of the HD but after about a minute running automatically shut down. Would that be 'normal' or should it stay on?

[speckytecky]

An update on this. The HD fixed and is reporting as sound. I fixed it into the Pavillions case and booted up, the machine logged on perfectly but unfortunately then shut down again. Pretty much says to me that it's the PSU that's borfed. Anyone care to give me a quote for a replacement PSU please. The current one is model no 667892-001 300W 200 - 240v. 50 - 60 Hz.

 

I do see comments on some forums that this is a known issue. Wondering if the PSU is up to the job?

[speckytecky]

Anyone got thoughts they can share with me on this one please. I have taken the PSU out and powered it up statically - the green light comes on and stays on as long as it's plugged in (plus a minute or so) - the fan doesn't spin up and I guess that's down to the fact it's not plugged into the motherboard. I'm still thinking this is a PSU issue but am reluctant to buy and try another one until I'm certain. I'm going to try the PSU in another HP machine on Friday to check that out.

 

If it's not the PSU then I suppose it's the motherboard on the blink - is my thinking correct? As said above the current unit is 300W. From Internet searches the most likely looking replacement is a 350W unit Buy Computer Power Supply 350W Computer Power Supply, 220V ac Input, 3.3 V dc, 5 V dc, ±12 V dc Output Seasonic SS-350ES APFC F3 online from RS for next day delivery. I base that on the wiring loom that is visible at the back of the box. I could be right up the wrong tree though

[speckytecky]

Latest update on this annoying situation.

 

The 1TB HD seems to be sound - I've run it up in an external caddy and it fixed itself and reports no errors.

 

The PSU now seems to be sound as well - I've tried it in another HP PC and it powered it up and ran it well.

 

Visual check of all connections and wiring ok.

 

Tried running the PC again and it allows me to log on then just dies. This happens after about a minute and a half.

 

I'm wondering if HP have fitted a PSU (300W) that might not be beefy enough for the PC perhaps. The PC isn't running any draining hardware other than the standard fit so doubt that.

 

I supposed it could be a heatsink issue with the processor or even a motherboard.

 

Any thoughts and suggestions on this would be very much appreciated. The chap I'm looking at it for is very much a public spirited fellow whose business recently went to the wall so whatever I do to try and fix his machine will be a freebie apart from cost of parts.

[speckytecky]

Doesn't seem others have had the same issue with this wee beastie I'm suffering?

 

Right the Seagate 1TB HD does seem to be shafted - running it up in an external caddy it has to fix the OS partition every time. Bought a replacement WD Black 1TB and ran that up with the Seagate in a caddy externally USB connected. Seemed to be recovering of the recovery partition then after something like 5 minutes the flipping PC just shuts down - the green light on the PSU remains on throughout though? Is this a HD issue plus something to do with the MB I'm wondering? It's now at the extremely annoying and frustrating stage!!

[speckytecky]

A further update on this most frustrating of computers.

 

This morning I put an old blank HD in it and powered it up. It ran fine without an OS present for 20 minutes. I switched it off again. Replaced that old HD with the brand new Western Digital 1TB Black disk and proceeded to reinstall to the Factory Settings from the 4 DVDs that the owner had created.

 

The darned thing had nearly got to 100% on the 4^th DVD (after the best part of an hour stable running) then it decided to shut down. The green light on the PSU remained on though.

 

This flipping machine is now driving me to distraction, anyone got any suggestions where the problem might lay please?

[Arthur]

Replaced that old HD with the brand new Western Digital 1TB Black disk and proceeded to reinstall to the Factory Settings from the 4 DVDs that the owner had created.

Perhaps it might be worth creating a Windows 8.1 install DVD using Microsoft's Media Creation Tool. You can then rule out the Restore DVDs. It will also significantly reduce the amount of time you spend installing updates once Windows has been re-installed since the tool creates a DVD that includes Update 1.

 

If the PC still shuts down it might be worth trying a bootable Linux disc to see if the same thing happens e.g. Ubuntu.

 

I'm wondering if HP have fitted a PSU (300W) that might not be beefy enough for the PC perhaps. The PC isn't running any draining hardware other than the standard fit so doubt that.

Yeah. A 300 watt PSU is fine for a basic Core i3 PC.

 

I supposed it could be a heatsink issue with the processor or even a motherboard.

Have you tried cleaning the old thermal pad or paste off of the CPU heatsink and then applying some new thermal paste?

 

Is there much dust inside the PC?

Edited November 15, 2014 by Arthur

[speckytecky]

Thanks @Arthur all things I'm going to have a go at especially the CPU - the area he has the PC running in tends to be dusty but this one being just out of warranty it wasn't too bad.

 

Perhaps it might be worth creating a Windows 8.1 install DVD using Microsoft's Media Creation Tool. You can then rule out the Restore DVDs. It will also significantly reduce the amount of time you spend installing updates once Windows has been re-installed since the tool creates a DVD that includes Update 1.

 

If the PC still shuts down it might be worth trying a bootable Linux disc to see if the same thing happens e.g. Ubuntu.

 

 

Yeah. A 300 watt PSU is fine for a basic Core i3 PC.

 

 

Have you tried cleaning the old thermal pad or paste off of the CPU heatsink and then applying some new thermal paste?

 

Is there much dust inside the PC?

[speckytecky]

Latest update - I swapped out the PSU with a Corsair CX430M. All connections seemed pretty logical and when comnpleted I switched the PC on. Straight away I noticed a difference and it sougt a restart then completed off the install on the new WD HD I'd installed and run up with the 4 recovery DVDs previously. I did have the old HD in an external caaddy wondering if it would try and restore from the restore partition that was still present on that. Anyhow, on restart it sought Country etc and allowed set up using the owner's e-mail. Ran up to the desktop and connected to the wifi. Everything looked good to go. Next I safely ejected the external caddy and then removed the usb connector. That done, the computer switched itself off! It wouldn't come back on again either.

 

 

I'm thinking this all seems to be time / heat related. I b'd if I have a clue what to try next. Going by the way things have gone doing this favour one thing I'm sure of though and that's the fact that I'm unlikely to buy any HP kit in the future!

[Arthur]

I'm thinking this all seems to be time / heat related.

Was the heatsink okay?

[speckytecky]

Thanks @Arthur yes heatsink looked ok. Cleaned and fresh thermal paste applied. Would it be an idea to pop it out again I wonder and check under the CPU, or would it be best to not disturb the CPU?