What is Wrong With my Computer?

Some people have probably seen a thread about my Sager's shudden shutdown and random booting issues. I'm going to sell machine, in pieces, or just as a dead laptop, but I really need some advice on what's wrong here.

The laptop is a Sager NP8690 with an i7 620m, ATI MR 5870, 4 gigs of RAM, etc. The computer's power button is unresponsive, it can plug it in and press it and nothing will happen. The computer turns on completely on its own after 10 - 30 seconds of being plugged in, but completely dies anywhere from 2 - 30 seconds later, sometimes after booting into the OS, sometimes before it's even past the boot screen. Right now I've plugged it in and can't make it boot. I should mention that all my tests have been performed on AC power without the battery plugged in. I'm trying to do some tests with a charged battery in the system, but right now the system just won't boot. What is my problem, I've tested on two different power supplies in two different outlets, so it isn't that. Is my motherboard shot? Is there any chance that it's my processor, I replaced the CPU heatsink 2 weeks ago, could a screwed up processor have anything to do with this? It's very important if I do sell the processor that it isn't defective. Thanks for any help.

 

Update: The system booted with the battery in and died. So it has nothing to do with there not being a battery in the laptop.

 

Do you get any beep codes when it's booting? That might help narrow down the problem. I could be that you damaged the CPU or the motherboard. Without looking at it, it sounds like a power problem (assuming you aren't getting any beeping) which could be a failed part on the board itself.

 

There is no beeping at all. Could it really be a CPU issue? I thought it might be too, since it happened just two weeks after I changed the thermal compound and I suppose I could have messed something up, but that seems really unlikely now, considering that the computer is turning itself on and the power button won't respond. I'll get into the OS and hit the power button and the computer won't respond to it. I don't understand how the CPU could cause the system to turn on without input and cause the power button to stop working. Is that possible? If it were a motherboard power issue, could I fix that myself?

 

If it's a motherboard power issue you could probably swap the board if you're technically-inclined - but unless you have access to another system to provide a donor, a replacement board outside warranty is probably prohibitively expensive. If you have access, you can test out components on another system, but repairing systemboard or LCD issues outside warranty are pretty expensive, and many decide to simply treat it as time to upgrade.

 

Pull the cpu and boot the pc. Pull the ram and do the same. If the board is getting powered up with you pushing the power button it most likely is the board at fault. I'd pull all devices, cpu, ram, wifi card, bt card, keep gpu installed only and try powering it on.. if still same behavior pull gpu.. if still same.behavior, pull cmos battery let sit for 15 minutes without power of any kind, reseat battery and trying powering up again.. if still same behavior... I would for sure say its your board