Powers off unexpectedly, CMOS Error 502

[bskhooten]

Hey, for about a year now, my laptop will power off on its own. Plugged in or otherwise. After what seems like a 1 hour minimum wait, it will reboot, giving me a blue CMOS error 502 Checksum Invalid. 

I can launch the laptop after that. And it will work again for a period of time, sometimes 3-4 hours, sometimes 15 minutes. It does reset date and time when this happens but a quick sync and it’s normal. 

in my independent research, I had deduced that replacing the battery was a good starting point, as the laptop is 5+ years old. I replaced the battery in September 2024, but the problem is persisting. 

I have downloaded HP Support Asst, run numerous tests and installed Bios updates. (Although each of the 3 times I’ve ‘checked for an update’ in the last week, it says that the Bios needs an update)

Is my update not saving? Is it not being applied after install? Are there any other fixes for this problem? 
TIA

[A_Gayathri]

Hi @bskhooten,

Welcome to The HP Support Community.  

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

I understand the issue you're experiencing with your HP Pavilion Gaming 15-dk10000 is likely related to the CMOS battery or BIOS settings, given the CMOS Error 502 and the behavior of resetting the date and time. Since you've already replaced the main battery and applied several updates, including BIOS updates, but the issue persists, let's go through a few steps to help resolve this.
 

1. CMOS Battery Check

• CMOS battery is responsible for maintaining BIOS settings, including date and time. If the CMOS battery is weak or failing, it can cause a CMOS Checksum error and reset the clock, similar to what you’re experiencing.
• Even though you've replaced the main battery, the CMOS battery is separate. Given that your laptop is over 5 years old, the CMOS battery might need replacing. This is a small, coin-cell battery (CR2032, for example) inside the laptop.

Action: Consider replacing the CMOS battery as the next step. If you’re comfortable doing it, or have access to a technician, open the laptop and replace the CMOS battery.
 

2. BIOS Update Issues

• It seems like the BIOS updates aren’t being applied successfully. There could be several reasons:
  • The BIOS update isn’t saving properly due to the failing CMOS battery.
  • The BIOS settings might be corrupt, or the update process is incomplete due to the power issues.

Action: Try the following steps:

• Reset BIOS to Defaults: Enter the BIOS (pressing Esc or F10 during boot), and reset the settings to default. This might fix any corrupt settings.
• Manual BIOS Update: Instead of using HP Support Assistant, download the BIOS update manually from the HP Support website and follow the manual update process through a USB flash drive. This might ensure that the update is applied properly.

3. Other Potential Fixes

• Check for Overheating: Sudden shutdowns might be caused by overheating issues. Since you mentioned that the laptop shuts down randomly, it could be that the thermal paste between the CPU and the heatsink has degraded, or the fans are blocked by dust.
• Run HP Diagnostics: Use the HP PC Hardware Diagnostics tool (available in the BIOS or through a bootable USB) to check for hardware issues. HP PCs - Testing for hardware failures

Action: Clean out the fans and vents, reapply thermal paste if needed, and make sure the cooling system is working properly.
 

4. Double-check BIOS Settings

• After the BIOS update or reset, ensure settings like Fast Boot, Secure Boot, or any power-saving features are configured properly. An incorrect setting could lead to power management problems.

Refer to this document: HP Pavilion Gaming 15-dk10000 Laptop PC (8VD49AV) User manual 

HP PCs - 500, 501, or 502 error displays on a black screen

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution.