A laptop is typically used for important work and when it doesn’t turn on it can be particularly frustrating. Generally, you need to use a smartphone or other computer to figure out what the issue is. But, the good news is today I will explain easy to follow instructions for exactly what to do when your HP laptop won’t turn on and the lights on it blink and then turn off.
There are different blinking light sequences that indicate what the issue is. For example, it can blink 3 times quickly, and then twice slowly which indicates an issue with the RAM. Refer to the official HP website link below that shows what each of the blinking light codes mean.
Regardless of what the issue is, there are some steps that you should always perform first before getting repaired by a technician, or opening up your laptop and repairing it yourself. These can work to fix the issue without the need to do a time consuming and sometimes costly repair. Below, I will cover these easy and simple steps to see if they’ll fix it first of all, then after that explain how to get or do a more involved repair.
HP Laptop Won’t Turn On Blinking Light
Before replacing something like the RAM or the CPU chip it’s a good idea to start with a few simple steps first as there’s a good chance they will fix the problem. Here’s what to do first of all when your HP laptop won’t turn on.
Overall, stary by disconnecting the power cable and removing the battery. Then hold the power button for 30 seconds. Then put the battery back in, plug the power cable back in and turn it on. If you still have the same issue refer to the additional steps below.
With computers such as HP laptops there are potentially many different causes why it wont turn on, and you get a blinking light sequence. Therefore, it is a matter of trying a few different steps in order to find out exactly what the issue is.
The initial preliminary steps you should do are:
- Remove any external devices and try turning it on again
- Checking for a bad battery, bad charger, or static build up – called a static discharge
- Seeing what the blink light sequence means and applying the fix
1. Remove any external devices and try turning it on again
If you’re an experienced computer troubleshooter you’re likely aware of this step. But, it’s important to tick all the boxes so that you can be sure what the issue is. A computer can be used to charge devices like smartphones.
And you can potentially have a few other devices plugged in that are causing an issue. Therefore, try removing any devices that are plugged into your laptop such as a USB mouse, smartphone, or bluetooth speaker. To see if they’re causing the issue you only want to have the power cable plugged into your HP laptop and nothing else.
So, disconnect anything and everything from your HP laptop that isn’t the power cable. The DVD/CD drive of HP laptops isn’t used as much as back in the day. But, remove any CDs or DVDs from your HP laptop as well.
When your HP laptop turns on it can detect these and cause it to have an error and not turn off. After you’ve removed everything from your HP laptop, and any CD’s or DVDs, press the power button and see if it now starts up normally. If not, move on to the next step.
2. Checking for a bad battery, bad charger, or static build up
The first part of this fix was explained above, which is to unplug the power, take the battery out, and hold the button down for about 1 minute. This removes any static that has built up in your computer. Next, don’t plug the power cable in, and then try to turn your HP laptop on by pressing the power button.
If it does turn on then it means that your power cable is faulty. And you should replace it. After doing that if your HP laptop still doesn’t turn on then do the same thing but don’t put the battery for your laptop back in.
Instead plug the power adapter in after holding the power button down for 1 minute, and press the power button to see if it turns on. If it does it means that your battery is bad, and you should use the charger for now until you get a replacement battery.
3. Seeing what the blink light sequence means and applying the fix
The blinking light sequence that your HP laptop makes tells you what causes it. For example, if the blinking light sequence you get is two red light blinks and then three short white blinks it means the problem is with the keyboard controller. And you need to apply the relevant fix for that. A full list of the blink sequences can be found here.
After you identify the cause using the blink sequence you may need to do a bit of searching around to find out how to apply the solution for your specific HP Laptop model. For example, if you need to remove the back cover on your HP laptop, the instructions on that page don’t say how to do that. But, that page also shows you how to know what model of HP laptop you have.
It can also require you to open up your laptop, which can be a bit tricky and time consuming. If that is the case for the specific issue you’re having that’s causing your HP laptop to not turn on and have the blinking light issue then you may decide it’s best to take it to an HP laptop repair center and have a qualified technician do the repair for you. As it can require specialist tools, and doing the repair yourself can void your laptop’s warranty.
But, before doing that there are some broad overall steps you can do that apply to all issues with HP laptops. There are two separate ways that an HP laptop can turn on and have blinking lights. It can either:
1. Turn on, display blinking lights and then shut off again
2. Turn on, display blinking lights and stays on
If you can’t tell if your HP laptop stays on then press the ‘CAPS LOCK’ key and see if the light on the button works, or the caps lock light comes on, on the keyboard. This will tell you that the computer is on but the screen isn’t displaying anything. Another way is to listen for the fan, or any internal noises on your laptop that indicate that it is powered on.
Also put your hand close to the vents on the side of your HP laptop to feel if the fan is blowing out any air. You should feel warm air coming out. This will tell you that the computer is on but the LCD screen isn’t showing anything.
Rather than being completely turned off. The power button light can also be illuminated to tell you that your HP laptop is on but the screen it’s showing anything.
Below are the steps to do if your HP laptop shuts off after the blinking lights. After that I’ll explain what to do if your HP laptop stays on after it shows blinking lights and nothing is showing on the screen.
4. Do a BIOS reset of your HP laptop
So far we’ve checked that it’s not the battery, charger, or a build up of static that is causing the issue. To do a BIOS reset is a bit of a major task and requires opening up the back of your computer. If your specific issue isn’t listed there then, it’s generally best to contact HP support and see if it’s covered by warranty, and where to have a registered technician repair it for you.
A BIOS update won’t work if there is a problem with the monitor on your HP laptop. The connection internally can be faulty and your laptop will be on, but the screen wont display anything. Below is a way to fix this issue.
5. Plug another another monitor or a TV into your HP laptop
Virtually all HP laptops have an HDMI cable. This can be used to connect another monitor or screen such as a TV to your HP laptop. When you do that, what is displayed on the screen will display on the external monitor.
However, some HP laptops won’t auto detect the external monitor. If nothing shows on the external monitor you need to log in to your laptop ‘blind’ so to speak. This is where you log in when you can’t see what’s on the screen.
Start your HP laptop and then wait for about 1 minute for it to get to the home screen. If you don’t have a password for your laptop you can just press enter to log in. But, if you have a password you need to press enter and then type in your password.
After that you need to switch the monitor by pressing the screen change key. On virtually all HP laptops this is the F7 key. But, you may need to press the ‘Fn’ also called the function key first and then press the F7 key.
The function key is usually on the bottom left of your keyboard. Because you’re doing this step blind it can be difficult to know if you did in fact do it right. However, with a bit of luck you can get your screen to display on the other display device you have plugged in.
If it is displaying on the monitor or TV you have plugged into your HP laptop, you can tell 100% that there is an internal fault with the screen on your HP laptop. In which case, you’ll need to have a technician repair the issue for you. Get in touch with HP support, and they can advise you where to get it repaired and if it’s covered by warranty.
HP Laptop Won’t Turn On Blinking Power Light
If your HP laptop is not turning on and the power light is blinking, it could indicate a few different issues.
One of the most common causes is a dead battery or a faulty AC adapter. Check if the battery is charged and if the AC adapter is properly connected and functioning.
Another possible reason could be a hardware issue with the laptop’s internal components. Try removing the battery and unplugging the AC adapter, then press and hold the power button for 30 seconds. This will discharge any remaining power in the laptop and reset it. Reinsert the battery and AC adapter and try turning on the laptop.
If the issue persists, it could be a more serious hardware issue, such as a faulty motherboard or RAM. In this case, it’s best to contact HP customer support or a professional technician for further assistance.
HP Laptop Won’t Turn On Blinking Caps Lock Light
A common way that an HP laptop can display when there’s a problem is the ‘CapsLk’ or caps lock key will blink twice every 5 to 10 seconds. This will happen after you press the power button and the screen won’t display anything. Here’s what this issue is and how to fix it.
As a general rule, this is a BIOS issue and is fixed by holding the ‘Windows button’ and the ‘v’ button, the ‘Windows button’ and the ‘b’ button, or just the ‘b’ button as you press the power button to turn on your HP laptop. This causes it to start the built in BIOS recovery.
After you’ve turned on your HP laptop the CAPS LOCK key will blink twice every 10 seconds or so. When this is happening your HP laptop is on so you need to turn it off first before holding down the button explained above. You can do that by holding the power button until it turns off.
Once it has turned off and none of the lights are displaying on your HP laptop hold down the different button sequences and then press the power button. The three you should try are:
1. ‘Windows key’ + the ‘B’ button on your keyboard
2. ‘Windows key’ + the ‘V’ button on your keyboard
3. The ‘B’ button on your keyboard only
Each HP laptop is different so only one of these button combinations will work, if your HP laptop has the built in BIOS recovery option. It’s a matter of trying one, and if it doesn’t work, then power off your HP laptop, and try the second button combination. Remember to hold the buttons down first before turning on your HP laptop using the power button.
Not all HP laptops have the built in BIOS recovery feature. Therefore, if nothing happens when you try each of the different key combinations you need to download the BIOS updates to a USB flash drive – also called a USB stick – then use that to do the BIOS update. To do this step you need access to another computer.
HP Laptop Won’t Turn On Blinking Orange/Charging Light
Your HP laptop can be powered on but nothing displays on the screen. Or, it won’t power on and instead all that will happen is one of the lights such as the charging light will flash. To troubleshoot the issue where it won’t power on and the orange charging light flashes here’s what you should do.
Generally, this means the battery for your laptop is faulty. Disconnect the power to your laptop and remove the battery. Leave the battery out and plug in the power cable to your laptop and turn your laptop on. If it powers up your battery is faulty and you should get a replacement battery.
HP laptops will work if they’re plugged into the wall with the battery unplugged. So, you can use it this way in the meantime until you get a replacement battery. However, if it still doesn’t power on your power cord could be faulty.
When this is the case your power cord won’t charge your laptop, and the battery will become completely drained. This will cause the charging light to flash to tell you the battery is empty.
If you plug your power cord in and there is a solid charging light, wait for it to charge for 15 to 30 minutes, then try turning it on again. It can be the battery was completely drained because the power cord wasn’t plugged in all the way, and wasn’t charging.
HP Laptop Won’t Turn On Flashing WiFi Light
Turning on your HP laptop using the power button typically takes 1 to 2 minutes for it to finish booting up. But, in some cases it can become very obvious there’s an issue with your HP laptop straight away when nothing much happens and one of a few of the lights on the keyboard and near the monitor blink on and off. This is what to do specifically if nothing happens you press the power button and instead you get a flashing WiFi light.
In general, there’s a BIOS fault and you should do a BIOS recovery. Keep holding the ‘Windows key’ and either the ‘b’ or the ‘v’ key and then press the power button to turn it on. Or, hold down the ‘b’ key only. It varies by HP laptop model. If you do it correctly it will enter BIOS recovery.
The important thing is to keep holding the ‘Windows key’ and ‘b’ key after pressing the power button while it’s turning on. Continue holding it until it enters BIOS recovery. You will know it’s in BIOS recovery mode because the screen will show something very different to what you normally see, and it will prompt you to do a BIOS recovery.
If it doesn’t go into BIOS recovery mode after trying the 3 different button options then you need to use a USB flash drive and install a BIOS recovery file onto it, and then run it on your computer.
HP Laptop Won’t Turn on Battery Light Flashes
Provided your HP laptop is plugged into a working wall outlet it should turn on straight away after you press the power button. An HP laptop can power on either with the battery or with a power cable. But, if you turn it on and all you get is the battery light flashing here’s what you should do.
Generally, this means your battery is empty or your battery is faulty. Plug your HP laptop into the wall outlet using your power cord. If it’s charging the battery light will be solid and not flashing. If not unplug it from the power, remove the battery, and then plug the power adapter in.
An HP laptop can work with the battery unplugged, if you plug in the power cable. This is a good check to see if it’s the battery that is faulty. To test this, unplug the power cable from your HP laptop.
Then take the battery out. After that plug the power cable in and try to turn your HP laptop on. If it does turn on then it means your battery is faulty.
You should get a replacement but you can use your HP laptop in this way until you get a new one. Typically the battery on electronic devices only have a limited warranty because it’s easy to damage them by not letting them drain completely. However, it’s a good idea to contact HP support to see if your battery is still under warranty.
HP Laptop Won’t Turn On Keyboard Flashing
HP is a well known and popular laptop brand that has been around for a very long time. However, like all electronic devices sometimes they can glitch out and have an issue such as not turning on. This is how to troubleshoot an HP laptop that doesn’t turn on but the keyboard flashes.
Overall, one of the components is faulty, the power cord is faulty, or the power cord is not plugged in all the way. Start by checking that the power cord is plugged in fully on both ends, and it’s turned on at the wall outlet. Then do a static discharge of your HP laptop, explained below.
A static discharge is done by disconnecting the power cord, taking out the battery, and holding down the power button on your HP laptop for 30 seconds. After that plug the battery back in, and plug it back in to the power. Then see if it turns on.
In general, if you’re getting some flashing lights when you press the power button it means the power cord is working fine. But, it does depend on what light is flashing. It’s possible the flashing light is the battery light, or the power light.
Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on April 15, 2022.
This has a lightning symbol with the picture of the battery. But, if it’s the lights at the top of your monitor, or some of the other lights then it could be your HP laptop is turning on, but the monitor isn’t able to display due to an internal fault.
HP Laptop Flashing White Light Won’t Turn On
An HP laptop will typically start up within 10 seconds or so and show the loading screens after you press the power button. If there’s an issue with your HP laptop when you press the power button the white LED at the top or base of the screen will flash. This is what you should do when your HP laptop doesn’t turn on and instead the white LED light flashes.
As a general rule, this is most commonly because the RAM is faulty. But, start by doing a static discharge. If it’s still not working, then the amount of flashes you get indicates what the issue is. The issue that the amount of flashes you get can be seen on this page of the official HP website.
There are two possible things that can happen when you get a white flashing light. You HP laptop can in fact be on but there’s a problem with an internal component that won’t let the screen display anything. When this is the case for your HP laptop you should be able to hear the fan going, or feel hot air coming out of the vents on the side of your laptop.
Also, after it’s been on for a minute or so, the ‘CAPS LOCK’ key will light up when you press it. This tells you for sure that your laptop is on, and it’s just an issue with the screen. If the flash code means one of the internal components needs to be repaired or replaced then it’s best to contact HP support.
Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on April 15, 2022.
They can advise you about whether the repair is covered by warranty and where to get it repaired. But, if you’re reasonably good with electronics, it’s possible you can do the repair yourself. However, this may void the warranty, so it’s a good idea to check with HP support first to see if it’s still under warranty.
Overall, if the caps lock light blinks you should do a BIOS recovery. If it’s any other light, the power cable or battery can be faulty and you need to do a static discharge, explained below. Also, certain blink light sequences have different meanings that can be referenced on the HP website.
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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on April 15, 2022.