Black screen of death

[Kit_5]

I am having problems with black screen on my Spectre. I have recently installed a few utilities for testing. (past 30 days) I was unimpressed and intended to remove them.  My laptop had installed/updated windows within 24 hrs prior to suddenly not turning on. I do not know if the computer had any interruptions on it during the process.

The laptop has had some off and on heating issues, generally I use lots of tabs.  Sometime close down to cool it. I did notice that with higher volt chargers this happens if it’s left plugged in too long. I try to unplug once charged but did fall asleep when my computer died and don’t recall anything specific.

Replacing charger and battery did not help. I can not get boot. Screen is black no curser, nothing. I get flashing code 5 -3. Hardware? What else can I try? I downloaded a rescue disk (Windows 10) but my computer won’t read the thumb drive. I can’t access safe mode to change this.

This computer is less than 2 years old! HELP!

[WAWood]

@Kit_5 

Software failures will generate on-screen messages, usually about not finding an Operating System or not being able to boot. When the screen is blank, the PC is experiencing a major hardware failure.
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If the CapsLock key is blinking or there is beeping, read this HP information on the likely cause of the hardware failure based on the blinking or beeping patters.

For laptops, this HP thread describes the different blink and beep codes: https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c01732674?jumpid=reg_r1002_usen_c-001_title_r0001
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To determine the cause with hardware failures, you have to be able run diagnostics. We have no way of accessing your PC from here, so we can not do that for you. You have to do it yourself.

You do this by pressing the Esc key repeatedly when rebooting and then, when the HP Startup Menu appears, selecting Diagnostics (usually F2) and letting it run.

If it is NOT possible to run diagnostics, or if that does not work, then there is NOTHING more you can do by yourself -- and there is NOTHING we can do because we have no way of accessing your PC from here to run diagnostics or repair hardware.

You will need to have the PC physically examined in a service facility by folks that can run their own diagnostics to determine what is wrong with it.

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Since your PC is no longer under warranty, it will cost you up front to have HP examine your PC. If you want to do that, you will have to contact an HP Repair or Service Center to see if they can examine the PC to determine the cause(s) of the problems, if it can be repaired, and an estimate of the repair costs.

Since you live in the U.S., here is a link to the HP Service Repair Centers:
https://www.service-center-locator.com/hp-hewlett-packard/hp-hewlett-packard-service-center.htm

Good Luck

[Kit_5]

I’m not getting anywhere trying escape key. Still blank. Have tried other keys at startup that are supposed to access hidden Admin items to no avail.  It’s as if there is no safe mode . Curious if I can swap out SSD as a test diagnostic in some manner. (Have one already). I did take a system image some time ago.

I can’t access or use it without being able to boot from USB and I may need to adjust options to access tools and diagnostics.  Will an SSD exchange help me run diagnostics or access restore Image (on a separate drive) if the hardware failure is in the SSD?  At minimum, I need to enable safe mode and recognize  USB boot option. 

Thanks. I hope it’s not too much to ask. I ultimately need to recover recent unbanked-up files. I don’t want to spend 700 on a new motherboard just yet. It would be very disappointing to buy a new laptop.