Not Running After Repair

I've got an HP Pavilion ZV5000 that I've had for a bit over a year, and it developed a problem with the power input jack. I took it all apart and replaced the jack, but now I cant get it working properly. When I turn it on the LEDs light up and it makes noise like it usually does at startup, but there's nothing on the screen. Do you guys know of anything I could do to get it to work? I dont have much expierience with this stuff and I cant afford to get it fixed proffesionally. Thanks in advance.

 

Ick, self repair is always a bit of a worry.

Few questions

1. Does ANYTHING display on the screen, any post or anything?
2. If not, do you have any external monitor you can use? Alternatively TV or something (with S-Video cables assuming your HP has them).

It COULD be that you left something unplugged (say the screen cable?) alternatively, you might have touched something significant when you took it apart and have shorted something (hopefully not, but it's possible).

 

There is nothing at all displayed on the screen, and I think everything is connected, but I'm not sure. There's one card that doesnt seem like it's in all the way, but I cant get it in any further and I didnt want to break it. It's in the center and there's two small cables that connect it to the screen. A little bit of the gold part at the end sticks out, and there's a notch in it so it will fit, but the piece that's supposed to fill that space doesnt go all the way into it. Sorry I dont know what it's called offhand, and I cant get to the maintenence manual since the computer I'm on now is old and cant even handle opening a PDF.

 

Uh is it the video card?

See if the card has a fan on it. Also, see if it says "ATI" or "nVidia" or "Intel" or "S3" or something. My guess is you didn't plug in the card correctly. Maybe you can take a few pictures with a digital camera and post the photos?

 

I believe the card you are referring to is the wireless card that has the two wires attaching to it. It is normal, in some instances, to still the "gold" connectors. If it is in place, do not force it anymore as you could cause serious damage.

As Arla suggested, try connecting an external video source to the computer to see if indeed the video card is working.

You mentioned that you "took it apart". Did you remove the screen and detach the cables for the LCD? If so did you re-attach all of the cables securely?

 

I think you're right, it is the wireless card. Could that be causing the screen to not work if it isnt plugged in all the way? I did remove the screen and detached the cables, there was one thick cable wrapped in tape, and the two smaller ones that plugged into the wireless card, I think I attached them properly. I tried using another monitor and that didnt work either. Thanks for the help so far.

 

If the other monitor is not working then I suspect the video card. Does your computer have an integrated graphics chip or a dedicated one? Its possible that it if it is a dedicated card that it some how could have come loose in the tear down and/or re-build process. Though I'm still under the impression that a cable is loose.

As much as I hate to say it, I would tear down the machine once again and re-check all of the cable connections.

The wireless card has no bearing on wether the video would work or not.

 

I'm not sure which type of video card I have, but I'll check to make sure everything is connected. I was told elsewhere that since it didnt beep when I turned it on, the BIOS isnt working. That would have nothing to do with the video card, right?

 

Actually, if your vidcard is funking up the PCI bus, then that could keep the system from even getting as far as the error routine in the bios AFAIK.

 

Usually its the video card. I have a few laptop with video card that overheated and died. Same problem couldnt get it to turn on, only LED is on. Then I open the laptop and found burnt mark on the card.

 

No, a computer doesn't neccesarily have to beep to comfirm it is on. The video card would prevent the notebook from turning on, if it not connected properly. Can you post a picture of the inside, so that we can see if anything is detatched.

 

I'll try to post a picture when I dissesemble it again later today. I feel like such an idiot, but which card would be the video card? Are they easily identifiable?

 

Wooo! I got it working again. I didnt have the processor in properly, and I messed with it a bit, and now it's working. Thanks for the help.