HP Z Backpack not turning on from dock when power button pressed.

[wazzx]

I'm currently working with an HP Z backpack that I'm having trouble with. When the PC is docked it doesn't turn on when the power is pressed. If I attempted to hard reset by holding down the power button for 10 seconds (and sometimes press the power immediately after doing so) the PC will turn on, and the logo will light up for approximately half a second before turning off once more. When the PC isn't connected to the docking station and the power button is pressed normally nothing occurs, it doesn't light up etc.

Only when the backpack/PC is disconnected from the docking station, and is hard reset then powered on immediately after the hard reset procedure, will the desktop turn on without turning off. I let it run while disonnected for maybe 10 seconds, then I connect the PC to the dock and then it works as intended, showing me the log in screen. 

The PC isn't on sleep either as no lights are showing on the keyboard during these problems. 

Can someone help me with this issue so I don't have to  dock -> hard reset -> start up -> dock again everytime I want to turn on the PC?

[iMaxx]

This would be a case I would highly recommend send up the support chain.

I have two of these systems in the 3rd Level Support lab and have not seen this.

In the meantime, I'd recommend removing all USB devices, apart from keyboard/mouse and a display, to see if it behaves better.

[iMaxx]

Have you had any luck with your system?
Which BIOS are you on?

[wazzx]

Update: I wasn't able to figure out how to fix it but we discovered some things that might be useful. It wasn't turning on when docked to the station when the headset was connected at the same time. I did call in the IT support at work and they hypothesized that there must be something strange going on with the power circuitry when it's docked. Maybe some sort of internal battery is a bit faulty or something like that.

To be sure we tested another of the same backpacks on the same dock we were having troubles with and it started up fine with headset connected.

The start up issue first started occuring on BIOS .3 but continued to occur after we updated to .11 which I believe is the most recent one so I don't think it's to do with the BIOS, we couldn't find any settings that would relate to the problem when we looked at them either.

I called HP Support about the problem and they offered to replace the backpack due to them being unable to replace the motherboard so we will be getting a replacement backpack which I guess is my solution.

[iMaxx]

Ok thanks for that update.

I have the R&D folks working on this as we had another customer see this happen too.
We'll get it figred out. 🙂

[iMaxx]

Can you PM me the case number?

I'd like to reach out and see if I can capture your failing system.

[wazzx]

I don't think I am allowed to as it's not actually my case or backpack, I just happened to be working with it and trying to fix it.

[iMaxx]

Ok understood.
You can let your IT department know that you have contact in 3rd level support who works with R&D and we would like to see this system.

As a customer, you and your IT department can demand a case be escalated for situations like this.

[Godardth]

I’m having the exact same problem. My workaround used to be to hard reset outside of the dock, then after system started, dock again. That stopped working today. I’m just getting a CMOS Reset (502) message. Can’t access BIOS using ESC or F1 or F10.  The system seem to try to restart then goes off. Power button is unresponsive until a hard reset is performed again (holding for 10 seconds is what I’m doing). Then I have to press power quickly and sometimes doesn’t work.  Very inconsistent and frustrating and now it doesn’t even start. 

Any other way to perform a bios reset?

I’m an IT professional

[Godardth]

Update: I managed to reatart the system. It may have helped to switch  HDMI from dock to the station itself. I wasn’t sure about updating the BIOS but I went ahead and updated to F.23

the update was NOT smooth and I got the CMOS error again! I was scared the system was “bricked”. Tried restart again several times (was getting flashing light) until it finally finished the BIOS update. Just booted into windows again. Downloading diagnostics which I probably should have done before updating the BIOS! 😉

I will update on progress.