Victus stuck in boot loop after CMOS Issue(502)

[nayanajmera1234]

My HP Victus laptop got stuck in boot loop suddenly. I did not trigger any updates or anything. I tried opening BIOS but at first, it was also freezing showing date of 2022 and I wasn't able to boot to windows, after trying a lot doing hard reset and plugging in charger I somehow got to windows but it got shut off in 1-2 mins. I tried plugging in bootable pen-drive through rufus, I tried running Ubuntu through it, not installing Ubuntu, but it did not work. However, when I ran system extensive diagnostics(which included SYSTEM BOARD), they ran perfectly, and all showed PASSED in all the parts, but all these things were possible only when laptop was plugged in. As soon as I remove charger, it got shut off and boot loop started, but even in plugged in situation I am not able to get to windows or Ubuntu. My laptop had hinge issue previously somehow and for temporary fix, I used tape. 
Also I pressed WIN KEY + B and then power button, and something related to BIOS recovery opened and the fans spinned very fast and then "writing firmware" screen opened up, and it finished writing, but nothing worked and laptop is still badly stuck in boot loop. It is not even staying on BIOS or system recovery of windows, not even for a second.
Once Ubuntu did open up from bootable pen-drive but it got shut-off.

I think the issue is with BATTERY but looking at the videos sent by me a repair shop guy told me it might be MOTHERBOARD issue and will cost around 30-35k but I do not want such level of repair, it is beyond my budget and I will rather buy a cheap new one.
One person also claimed SSD issue, which might be the case because it is heating very much from that side, but on system extensive tests it showed SSD perfectly fine.

Please tell me is it MOTHERBOARD issue, and will it cost that much?

Please reply quickly if you know anything about this issue, I am badly stuck and will have to get it repaired quickly, any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Deep_World]

Hi  @nayanajmera1234 
 
Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for reaching out!

I understand your concern that you're facing issue with your Victus laptop and when a system suddenly enters a boot loop and won't stay powered on, don’t worry let me check and help you with this. 

Could you kindly confirm the below details :  

• Is your laptop still under warranty?
• Does the battery charging LED turn on normally when the charger is connected?
• When you run the Hardware Diagnostics, what is the reported battery health percentage?
• Does the laptop stay powered on while connected to the charger, or does it eventually shut down even when plugged in?

Based on the symptoms you've described the fact that the laptop immediately shuts down when the charger is removed suggests a possible battery failure, battery cable issue, or power delivery problem.

Since the Extensive Diagnostics (including System Board and SSD tests) passed, this is somewhat encouraging and does not immediately point to a motherboard failure.

While a motherboard issue cannot be completely ruled out, it's difficult to confirm without further testing. Based on your description alone, replacing the system board should not be considered until the battery, battery connection, and power circuitry have been properly evaluated.

In the meantime, kindly try the below steps and confirm :

1. Connect the AC adapter and leave it connected.
2. Press F2 repeatedly during startup to launch HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI. (Link for steps - Click here)
3. Run: 
   • Battery Test
   • Power Adapter Test
   • System Extensive Test
4. Note any Failure ID or error code displayed.
5. If possible, check whether the battery is detected in BIOS: 
   • Press F10 at startup to enter BIOS.
   • Look for Battery Information or System Information and note what is reported.

Since you already performed a BIOS recovery (Windows Key + B) and the firmware was successfully rewritten, it is less likely that the problem is caused by corrupted BIOS firmware.

If the Battery Test generates a Failure ID, please share it with us along with the results of the Power Adapter Test. That information will help determine whether the issue is related to the battery, power subsystem, or another hardware component.

I hope this helps. 

[nayanajmera1234]

Hey, THANKS a lot for helping me out.

I forgot to mention, that it was also showing 'Preparing Automatic Setup' when it was in boot loop.

1. My laptop is not under warranty.

2. Yes, the LED glows up normally when charger is connected.

3. It is showing :

A. full charge capacity : 70.07 WHr(77%) which I guess is battery health.

B. Remaining Capacity : 52.14Whr(95%), which I guess is battery charge percentage.

C. Adaptive Battery  Optimizer : Enabled/Activated

D. Warranty Type : 3

E. Cycle count : 1304

and other details are also there like SNo, Terminal voltage etc.

F. Failure status : OK

4. Even in plugged in state 

, it shuts down and enters boot loop. Then when I have to enter into BIOS, I hard reset it 2-3 times then plug it in and enter BIOS. However, time of BIOS is stuck and so is the screen and controls, they are also freezed when entered into BIOS.

But somehow, the BIOS works sometimes, on trying for a long time.

5. When connected to battery it also boots into boot loop and system diagnostics also run perfectly when run on battery.

Today, when the BIOS miraculously worked for sometime(charger was plugged in), I tried the option of selecting TPM state as 'Hidden', that is now opening a screen where I enter 'Bitlocker Recovery Key', but when I enter correct Key, it does not boot up and just shuts doen and asks the same question again.

I ran all the tests, but no failure was found, all extensive tests and fast tests, but no failure was found, all tests show PASSED.

One thing to note is BIOS is not opening up correctly and is freezing, the time froze and so does the controls but when I shut down the laptop and somehow enter BIOS again, it shows the frozen time but shows different time, ahead from previous one.

I heard in victus CMOS battery is present in battery itself(might be a rumour). 

If anymore information is required from my side, then please let me know.

[Deep_World]

Hi @nayanajmera1234,

Thank you for providing the additional details and test results.

Based on everything you've described, The fact that the System Board, SSD, Battery, and Extensive Diagnostics all pass and the system was able to start BIOS Recovery and successfully rewrite the firmware and the laptop occasionally reaches BIOS, Windows, or Ubuntu before shutting down these suggests that the motherboard is functioning . 
 

However about the BIOS freezing with an incorrect date/time and the unexpected power loss and continuous boot looping

These symptoms can be caused by a failing battery or power delivery circuit or by a BIOS issue

Because the laptop cannot stay stable in BIOS and experiences repeated power loss and has a history of hinge damage, the next best step would be to have the device inspected at an authorized HP service center. A technician can verify whether the issue is with the battery, power circuitry, connector damage, or the system board itself before any  motherboard replacement is recommended.

To ensure your device receives the appropriate care, we recommend visiting an authorized HP service center. Our certified technicians can provide a thorough diagnosis and offer the best solutions to address the issue.​

You can locate the nearest HP service center using our Service Center Locator:​

🔗 HP Service Center Locator

If you need further assistance or have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.​

Regards,

Deep_World