HP Pavilion 17-ab306ng won't start, LED blinking constantly

[Q_Scherer]

When I try to boot my laptop by pressing the power button that one starts blinking. The light is on for 3 seconds and then off for one second before being on again for three seconds and so on. The happens constantly until I hold the power button for 15 seconds or I disconnect the laptop from power and take the battery out.

What I tried:

- Hard Reset as guided by the support side 

- open the case and removed SSD and HDD and put them back in

- removed RAM and put it back in 

- put RAM into the other slot 

- tried to boot without battery, with only battery and with battery and cable plugged in

Nothing seemed to work. I tried to get support on the website of HP but none of the given information could help me...

Maybe someone here has an idea what's happening...

EDIT1: After trying to reset CMOS as explained set another post by pressing windows + v and then the power button and then releasing Windows + v after five seconds, the lights link for five seconds now instead of for only three...

EDIT2: I forgot to mention that the orange charging light blinks in the same rhythm.

[Max3Aj]

@Q_Scherer, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

Thanks for the detailed description and the steps you've already tried. Based on your observations, especially the 3-second on / 1-second off blinking power LED and the orange charging light blinking in sync, this pattern typically indicates a hardware-level fault, possibly related to the CMOS, RAM, or motherboard.

Here’s a structured approach to further diagnose and potentially resolve the issue:

Confirm the Blink Code

HP uses LED blink codes to indicate hardware issues. The pattern you described doesn’t match the standard short/long blink codes, but it may still be a sign of a power delivery or motherboard fault.

Refer to HP’s official guide on interpreting blink codes: HP Notebook PCs - Computer beeps or a light blinks during startup | undefined

Perform a Full CMOS Reset

You’ve already tried the Windows + V method, which is good. Let’s try the more thorough CMOS reset:

• Disconnect power and remove the battery.
• Press and hold the power button for 30 seconds.
• Reconnect only the AC adapter (no battery).
• Try powering on again.

If your laptop has a CMOS battery (coin-cell type), consider removing it for 5 minutes and then reinstalling it. This requires opening the back panel.

Test with Minimal Hardware

Try booting with only essential components:

• Remove HDD/SSD.
• Use only one RAM stick in each slot (test both slots).
• Disconnect any peripherals (USB devices, SD cards, etc.).

If the laptop still doesn’t boot, it may point to a motherboard or power circuit issue.

Check the Power Adapter and Charging Circuit

The orange charging LED blinking could indicate a battery or power delivery fault. Try:

• Using a different compatible HP charger.
• Booting without the battery, just on AC power.
• Inspecting the DC jack for damage or looseness.

BIOS Recovery Attempt

If the BIOS is corrupted, you can try a recovery:

• Press and hold Windows + B, then press the Power button.
• Continue holding Windows + B for 10 seconds, then release.
• Wait to see if the BIOS recovery screen appears.

If none of the above steps work, the issue may be with the motherboard, embedded controller, or power IC. At this point, we suggest you please visit the nearest HP authorized service center, the service team will check and assist you. 
Kindly follow this link to locate the nearest HP service center: HP® Service Center Locator - Deutschland | HP® Support
(Select the country from the dropdown menu and enter the city name or pincode)

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. Select "Yes" on the bottom left to say “Thanks” for helping! 

Max3Aj

HP Support