HP Pavilion a6040a won't boot

[nemzit]

Hi guys,

My Pavilion a6040a desktop, running Vista home, won't boot. All I'm getting is a blank screen and a beep code (1 short, 1 long, pause, constantly repeating). I can't run any recovery CDs and I've got up to the part where I need to take it apart in the troubleshooting guides (http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&dlc=en&cc=au&product=3401207&rule=18306&lang=en&do...). However, I don't trust myself to take it apart, and so will have to send it out to a tech if there's nothing else I can do to resolve the problem.

What happened in the lead up to the crash:

Was operating normally, not trying anything too demanding (just updated the Java client but I don't think that would have been the cause?) 

Had a BSOD, restarted in safe mode, couldn't find the cause so rebooted in normal mode to connect to the net.

Another BSOD a few hours later, rebooted straight into the system recovery to run a diagnostic.

During the testing, the screen locked completely, and I had to force a shutdown.

Following this crash, the computer has been unable to reboot (as above).

The blue screens came up too fast for me to read, and the error code that came up after the first BSOD was saved onto the harddrive, which I can now not access. If there are any other details that would help, I'll try and provide them, keeping in mind I can't get the system running at all to check for info!

Any help is much appreciated. My partner has an assignment for his masters degree due in a week and really needs the computer back up and running

Thanks!

[1badGuard · Accepted solution]

Unplug the computer and Open the computer and remove and reinstall the memory. It is as simple as simple can get.

Simple How-to:

Opening the case.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c00968217&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=au&lang=en&rule=2531&p...

Installing memory.

 http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=bph03886&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=au&product=3401207&lang...

While you have the computer open make sure to blow out any dust around the CPU. Just look at the photos in the link I sent. It could be that a fan is not turning also. Before you replace the cover,plug it in and turn it on to see if all the fans turn.

Message Edited by dmhoo29 on 03-16-2009 01:13 AM

Message Edited by dmhoo29 on 03-16-2009 01:17 AM

Message Edited by dmhoo29 on 03-16-2009 01:20 AM

[nemzit]

Thanks very much. Reseating the RAM solved it. I had a good friend talking me through the process on MSN before I saw your post, but the links were still useful.

In the end, I managed to isolate the problem to one stick of RAM out of my three. So it's all up and running, and I'll upgrade the RAM when I get the chance.

Appreciate your help and all the best!

[1badGuard]

Glad to know it worked.

[jeffsvette]

Hi.  I read the response to the related issue and it worked for me, too.  I have an HP Pavilion Media Center m8307c running Vista 32 bit home edition.  My machine crashed Sunday night with a blue screen.  I was able to boot up again but only once, and when I tried to reopen the application I was running (Fantamorph), it crashed again.  All I got when trying to boot was the HP flash screen. F8, F9, F10, and F11 didn't work and I could not boot from the CD drive using a recovery disk.  I tried other suggestions (removing the internal battery & moving jumpers) but nothing worked.  Until I read this solution!  I removed the memory boards, cleaned the contacts & reinstalled them.  All is working as before!  Thanks!!!