HP Pavilion Elite HPE-400Y no video output.

[SuperDad01]

Hello,

I have an HP Pavilion Elite HPE-400Y computer that I had stored (unplugged) in a bedroom closet for almost a year.  It was working fine when I put it in storage.

This past weekend, I wanted to use it, so I plugged it in and connected it to a known good  analog VGA monitor on the motherboard integrated video analog VGA connector.  When I powered it up there was no video on the monitor.  I searched the HP support site, and found a statement that said "Either integrated graphics or the PCI Express x16 slot are usable at one time; they are not usable concurrently."  This computer came with a 5450 PCI express X16 video card installed. 

However, the 5450 PCI express X16 video card only has a digital DVI connector and I wanted to use a spare analog VGA monitor.  So I powered it off and physically removed the 5450 PCI express X16 video card.  Then I unplugged the power cord and removed the CMOS battery for a few minutes.  Then I replaced the battery, and re-applied power.

I still do not get any analog VGA video out of the motherboard, not even BIOS messages when it is first powering up.

I have also tried to the on board integrated DVI connector with a DVI equipped monitor.  It still has no video output.

So then I removed power and re-installed the the 5450 PCI express X16 video card which only has a DVI connector.  I connected it to a DVI equipped monitor and re-applied power.  There still was no video output on two known good monitors.

When I turn on the computer, the power supply fan runs,  the CPU and case fans run, the blue LED on the case switch is on and not flashing.  The green LED on the motherboard is on.  The Ethernet orange link LED and green activity LED is on.  There are no beeps.  I can hear the hard drive start working.  I just don't have any video output.

I am using a USB mouse and USB HP keyboard.  The red LED on the bottom of the mouse is not lit.  The caps lock and number lock LEDs do not light when the corresponding key is pressed.

This computer has spent more time in storage than it has been used.  Again it was working when put away in a bedroom closet.  I have checked all the cable connections on the motherboard, with no improvement.

I would like any suggestions to get this computer working.  I am wondering if the motherboard has somehow gone bad.

Thank you for your help.

[Big_Dave]

Hi,

Your symptoms sound recently familiar. hmmmm

Motherboards do go bad.

First try replacing the CMOS battery. It's a $4 item.  They are supposed to last 3-5 years but I have seen them fail in much less than that amount of time. It's a long shot.

It also possible that you have a weak power supply.  Try unplugging the power supply cables and replugging them back end to make sure that you are getting a good connection. You might need to have the PSU tested to ensure that all of the voltages are good and capable of supplying sufficient amperage to fully power up the motherboard.

If you remove the video card then you have two options for video from the back I/O panel.  See the below image:

The DVI port is strickly digital and it will not work with an analog monitor. If your monitor is digital then use a native DVI cable (no adapters). If you monitor is analog then you would need to use the VGA port and a native VGA cable to the monitor.  Be sure to test the monitor and cables on another PC to make sure that they are good.

[SuperDad01 · Accepted solution]

Hello Big Dave,

Thank you for responding to my question / problem. 

I am aware that I cannot use an Analog VGA connection on the motherboard to a digital DVI input on my LCD monitor and vice versa.  I tried two different montors to both the analog and digital connections on the motherboard.  I tried to communicate that clearly, but I guess I did not.

That is irrelevant now as I have  found that HP acknowledges that my model computer had a design or manufacturing defect that causes the exact symptoms that I am having.  Here is is a link to HPs extended warranty program which describes the models and symptoms:

http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c03199423

I have verified that my computer's 4th, 5th, and 6th digits of the serial number are in the range of the units affected.

I will call them tomorrow and see if they want to keep me as a customer.  If they don't want to fix my computer then I am done with HP. 

[Big_Dave]

Hi again,

If you get shutdown by the extended warranty replacement then let us know and we can try to have the issue escalated within HP.

It appears that you are only going to get an extra year added to your warranty which starts on the date of purchase.

Side note:

I once met a HPer who is now retired that had mentioned Alvorix mobo issues.  Great guy to talk with.  How quickly that I forget his wisdom.

[SuperDad01]

Hello,

I wanted to post an update.  Today I spent 54 minutes talking to HPs technical support.  I spoke to a man in India named
"Adam"  (not his real name).  I explained that I have an HP Pavilion Elite HPE-400y computer, and that I have no video
output.  I also told him about the HP Consumer Support North America Limited Warranty Service Enhancement Program
(similar to a recall for defective products)  as found

on the HP website with this link:

http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c03199423

After discussing this with "Adam" for 20 minutes, he told me that the there was "no such program".  I told him that I was
looking at the program right now on the HP website.  I offered to email a link to the program on the HP website, so he could see what I was talking about.  He told me that they did not have an email address, and therefore could not receive an email from me.

So I asked to speak with his supervisor.  After that Adam put me on hold.  A few minutes later Adam came back on the line and miracuously now told me that he found the program.  I told him that I still wanted to speak with the supervisor.

He put me on hold for approximately 20 minutes.  Then he came back and said that the supervisor was still busy.

After being on hold for 54 minutes and being told multiple times that I could talk to the hardware supervisor, Adam came back on the line and told me that I was NOT eligible for the North America Limited Warranty Service Enhancement Program.

I told Adam that I have been an HP Customer for 30 years.  In my immediate family, between my wife and kids we currently own 5 HP computers.

I also told him that I used to buy only HP printers.  But I had so many problems with HP ink jet printers that a couple of years ago I threw 4 of them away and bought Brother brand inkjets.  I have not had a single problem with the Brother ink jet printers, and HP has lost my printer business.

As a degreed engineer who works for an electronics and software company, I understand that bugs and problems do occur.  It is how a company resolves these problems for their customers that separates a good company from a bad company.  Bad companies eventually go out of business.  

[KittyK]

SuperDad01, I saw your post and forwarded it to the right people for their review. You should hear back from someone shortly via private message on this Forum.

[SuperDad01]

Hello,

Here is another update.

A person named Richard from HP called me, to discuss the situation with my computer.  He basically told me that my computers age is outside the time limit for the extended warranty.  I did not know the exact date, but Richard did, and I acknowledge that it is outside the date, so from a warranty perspective HP does not owe me anything.

Even though I am out of warranty, Richard did offer to have my computer repaired for half the normal out of warranty repair price, which was nice.  Richard also said the repaired computer will have a 90 day warranty.  I am still considering this, and have not decided what I am going to do.

Now from a customer perspective, I believe that the motherboard in this computer is a lemon (especially the units like mine which have serial numbers in the range described in the Warranty Enhancement program).  In my opinion there is a known problem with this Alvorix motherboard where the video chip on this motherboard runs very hot, eventually burning out the chip, and permanently self destructing the computer.  

Most HP computers I have owned continue working until I replace them. That is why I buy HP computers. I usually replace them because they are too slow relative to newer computers, not because they stopped working.  This computer died while having very little use, and still being relatively current from a speed perspective. In my home environment this computer was powered up a few hours a week. Many weeks it was not powered up at all. 

As I stated earlier I have not decided whether to have HP repair this computer or not. I am wondering if I have it repaired, will it be burned out again in a year from now? 

I want to thank all of you who attempted to help me.  I know it takes time, and I appreciate your generousity with your time in trying to help me.

[Big_Dave]

Hi,

Having the PC repaired is a choice.  You need to weigh the repairs cost verses obtaining another PC.

The video chip on the motherboard shouldn't be all that hot if a discrete video card is being used.

[SuperDad01]

Hi Big Dave,

I want to thank you, and I really appreciate you taking the time to try to help me.

I was very frustrated after I talked to "Adam" the HP support person from India.  But I have calmed down since then.

This computer came from the factory with a discrete video card (ATI radeon HD 5450 PCI express x16) installed by HP.

However, the ATI radeon HD 5450 PCI express x16 discrete video card only had a digital DVI connector on it.  It does not have the old analog VGA connector on this plug in board.

In my original post I explained that I wanted to use the computer with an older spare montior that only had analog VGA input.  So I connected the monitor to the motherboard's built in analog VGA port.  I still had no video ouput.

That is when I went to the HP support website and found a statement that said: 

"Either integrated graphics or the PCI Express x16 slot are usable at one time; they are not usable concurrently."

So I removed the HP installed ATI radeon HD 5450 PCI express x16 discrete video card, so that I could use the motherboard's built in analog VGA port.

In thinking about the history of this, I am now wondering if it was the removing of the ATI radeon HD 5450 PCI express x16 discrete video card that caused the failure.  When I had used the computer previously I used a newer, different, montior that had the DVI input, so I was connected to the  HP installed ATI radeon HD 5450 PCI express x16 discrete video card via a DVI cable.

It may be coincidence, or not, but the first time that I tried to use the the motherboard's built in integrated analog VGA port, the computer burned up and stopped working. 

Thanks again for the help.