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My HP laptop stopped working today. When turned on the power light is lit, but the screen is black. The Caps Lock key light flashes in the following sequence - 5 long and 3 short flashes. HP website shows a possible system board issue. There is nothing displayed when connecting a secondary monitor. Any ideas on how to fix?

Hi @taf As you say a 5.3 blink code is a system board problem - “The embedded controller times out waiting for the BIOS”. Try resetting the BIOS by removing the coin cell RTC battery as well as disconnecting the main battery from the system board. Here’s a link to the service manual taken from this webpage. Use it to gain access to the systemboard so that you can remove the RTC battery. (Note the orientation of the battery before removing it so that you put it back in the correct way). Ensure that the main battery has been disconnected as soon as it can be accessed. Once the RTC battery and the main battery have both been disconnected do the residual battery discharge procedure i.e. hold Power button for at least 30 seconds to hopefully restore the BIOS to default values. While the RTC battery is out you may as well test it to ensure that it is still OK. If it isn’t replace it. Here’s the part number for the battery 741976-001 Once you have replaced the RTC battery, re-assemble the laptop (don’t forget the main battery do it as late as possible to prevent any problems while the laptop is still open), connect the charger and try to turn the laptop on.

Hi @Bradfords random channel, Try shining a torch at an angle close to the screen to check if there are any images at all on the screen when the laptop is on and there are images on the external display. They will be very faint if they are there so trying this in a darkened room may help. If you can see images then there is a backlight problem. You would need the schematics of the motherboard to determine whether the problem is on the motherboard, the video cable or in the LCD panel. Try searching online for (insert motherboard ‘board number’) schematics to hopefully find the schematics. If you do find the schematics then if the problem is on the motherboard you may be able to fix it. If it is in the LCD panel then the panel will need to be replaced as it cannot be repaired. If you can’t find any schematics for the motherboard then as a DIY repair all you can do is to replace the LCD panel and check if the replacement works OK Here’s the maintenance and service guide for your laptop series. Go to p.91 to view the necessary pre-requisite steps and then the procedure to remove / replace the display assembly. The procedure will allow you to gain access to the display panel cable on the motherboard so that it can be checked that it is secure and also that it is not damaged where it passes through the hinge to get to the lid etc. The LCD panel part number is found at the top of p.91. Search online using the part number only, appropriate to your particular laptop, in the search term of your browser to get results for suppliers of the part.

Have you tried a Hard reset ? Turn off your laptop. Remove the power, and the battery Press and hold the power button for 60 seconds and release. Put your battery in and plug the charger. Boot your laptop again to see if it works now.

Hi @Amy Martin What is the model number of the laptop as shown on the information label on the bottom of the laptop? Try starting the laptop in safe mode and check if there is a display. If there is there is a driver problem with the laptop. Try the following: Turn on the laptop and when it boots into Windows, force stop the laptop by holding the power button until it shuts down. Then release the button Do this 3 times in a row i.e. start > boot > force shutdown > start > boot > force shutdown > start > boot etc. On the 3rd attempt it should boot into the Windows Recovery Environment menus. If it does, go to Troubleshoot > Advanced > Startup repair and follow the prompts. Do not select “Reset this PC” because if you select the wrong option after this all your data will be erased as Windows will be reinstalled.

@Ege Gaming HD, I don’t know what you’ve tried when you say “I tried every method but it didn’t fix it.” but try the following if you haven’t done so already: Try removing the RTC battery from the motherboard as well as disconnecting the battery (and the charger if connected) and then press the Power On/Off button for a full 30 seconds to dissipate any residual power from the motherboard to hopefully reset the BIOS back to factory default. I’m not sure if your model even has one, as the closest maintenance and service guide to your model that I could find was for this this one. Here’s the Ifixit HP Pavilion 15-au123cl CMOS Battery Replacement guide which may also help. If there is a RTC (aka CMOS) battery on the motherboard then when it is out measure its voltage. If it is <2.5V DC replace it. Usually they are a CR2032 Lithium non rechargeable and are commonly available. They last about 5 years. If this doesn’t work then it is a motherboard problem and the schematics would be needed to find out what the problem is.

Hi @Ms Mandy, Your model laptop has not got a RTC battery. According to this, a 5.3 (blink) pattern indicates a problem on the System board - The embedded controller times out waiting for the BIOS. You say that “I tried every method. I can’t fix this.”, but this doesn’t say what exactly you have or haven’t tried Have you tried disconnecting the main battery from the motherboard and then pressing the Power button for 30 seconds, to try and reset the BIOS? If you haven’t: Disconnect the charger if connected and then open the laptop and disconnect the main battery and press and hold the laptop’s Power button for 30 seconds and then release the button. Reconnect the main battery, reassemble the laptop, connect and switch on the charger and try to turn on the laptop. Here’s the maintenance and service guide for the laptop, taken from this webpage. Go to p.29 to view the necessary pre-requisite steps and then the procedure to remove the battery. If you have: Then you have a motherboard problem

Welp it was the backlight I’m going to link a video from YouTube that I uploaded showing what it does https://youtu.be/Mjs0ukUhFe4

@Stephanie Rew A 3:2 error code is a memory problem Search online for “HP Pavilion 15 CC (insert model number) service manual” to find the manual, This will show how to correctly remove the modules from the motherboard. Remove the modules and then reinsert them again and see if this restores the laptop. Follow the instructions especially about disconnecting the battery before starting further inside the laptop If there are 2 modules and it still doesn’t work try installing only one and try. If still no good try the other. If still no good try the different slots in case one is faulty. Try each module in each slot etc.

Hello, I have a Hp 15-au110nt laptop.  I’m getting a 5.3 blink code, I tried every method but it didn’t fix it.  Can you help me.