Laptop randomly locking up with a blank screen

[kflash08]

I recently purchased a new HP laptop, model FD0130WM. A few times already, usually several minutes after booting up, the laptop will randomly lock up with a blank/black screen, with no response from the mouse or keyboard. Toggling the caps lock key does not trigger the light, so this is how I know that the laptop is actually frozen. All I can do is hold down the power button and force the system off. Afterwards, the laptop will behave properly, and it can be days before this happens again. The only upgrade that I've done so far was max out the RAM at 16 GB, maintaining the original speed (DDR4 3200) of the factory supplied 8 GB module. After the upgrade, upon reconnecting the battery and powering on the laptop, there was a long delay until the HP logo appeared, then it complained that the CMOS was reset to defaults. Not sure if this is related, but it hasn't done that since. All drivers are up-to-date, as well as Windows 11. Haven't run the diagnostics yet, but that's next. Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks!

[kflash08]

I performed the following diagnostics scans today.

• Processor test
• Storage test - fast
• Memory test - extended
• Motherboard test

All tests passed.

[Garp_senchau]

@kflash08, Welcome to HP Support Community,

Thank you for posting your query; I’m here to help by guiding you through steps to resolve this issue

It sounds like you're experiencing a fairly specific issue where your HP laptop intermittently freezes after boot. Given that you've already upgraded the RAM, there might be some connection between the RAM installation and the problem.

Could you please verify the configuration of your unit and check the details below to ensure that the RAM has been installed correctly?

Models with N305, N200, N100 processors
One SODIMM slot supporting up to 16 GB of RAM
DDR4-3200, single channel support
Supports the following configurations:
● 8 GB
● 4 GB

Models with 13xxP and 13xxU processors
Two SODIMM slots supporting up to 16 GB of RAM
DDR4-3200 dual channel support
Supports the following configurations:
● 16 GB
● 12 GB
● 8 GB

I hope this helps.

Please feel free to reply here if you have any questions or if you need further clarification on any of the steps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!

Regards,

[kflash08]

The computer came with an Intel N305 processor. As you mentioned, and also in the service manual, it states that the computer supports up to 16 GB of RAM, though it's strange that it also states that the supported configurations are 4 GB and 8 GB, with no mention of 16 GB. The N305 specifications on Intel's website also state a maximum of 16 GB of RAM, and although it claims that you can install DDR5-4800, I decided not to push my luck and simply install a DDR4-3200 module instead.

The RAM module that I installed is a Corsair Vengeance 16 GB DDR4-3200.

Driver wise, the only thing that hasn't been updated yet is the firmware/BIOS, because the version that came with the system is currently newer than what is listed on HP's website. If the crashes are caused by memory incompatibility, hopefully a newer version will address this. I had a laptop years ago that experienced POST issues after upgrading the RAM, and was told that an updated BIOS version would resolve it. It did!

[Garp_senchau]

Hey @kflash08,

Thank you for the detailed explanation. 

It sounds like you're doing all the right steps, but I do have a couple of questions that could help pinpoint the issue.

Does your unit have one memory slot or two? If it has two slots, I would recommend trying a dual-channel configuration, such as installing two 8GB modules instead of the single 16GB stick. This could help with system stability.

In the meantime, I’ll check with my mentors to see if there’s any known issue related to this specific memory setup.

Let me know how it goes!

Please feel free to reply here if you have any questions or if you need further clarification on any of the steps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!

Regards,

[kflash08]

Unfortunately, the Intel N305 processor only supports one SODIMM slot at a maximum of 16 GB in single channel mode. Otherwise, I would have simply bought an 8 GB module to double up the pre-installed RAM. It would have been nice to have dual channel support, but I can't complain for the price point of the laptop. For my basic usage, I doubt that there would be much of a performance increase in dual channel mode. I just wanted more RAM as out of the box, the system was consuming close to 80% of that 8 GB.

[Garp_senchau]

Hey @kflash08, thank you for your response

  

This needs one-on-one interaction. 

Hence, I'm sending a private message to assist you with the next action. 

  

Please check your Private message icon on the upper right corner of your HP Community profile Next, to your profile Name, you should see a little blue envelope, please click on it or simply click on this link. 

  

I hope this helps! Keep me posted. 

Regards,

[kflash08]

Just an update, I haven't experienced any crashes since my initial post, and that's with the laptop being used on a daily basis for at least a couple of hours. I did enter the BIOS on one occasion to verify settings (didn't change anything), so I'm not sure if that had anything to do with it. I'll continue monitoring, and hope it was something related to the BIOS that eventually got cleared out.

Sidenote: Although I haven't upgraded the firmware/BIOS yet, my old Dell laptop experienced an issue after a BIOS update where it would cause Windows to blue screen after a few minutes, even in the recovery environment. After attempting to re-flash the BIOS several times, which it failed as it was already up-to-date, the system started working again, and hasn't crashed since then. That was back in 2023.

[Hawks_Eye]

Thanks for the update @kflash08 

It’s genuinely reassuring to hear that your laptop has remained stable with daily use. Sometimes, simply accessing the BIOS can trigger a subtle reset of internal states or clear out transient glitches, even without making changes. It’s possible that this brief interaction helped stabilize the system.

For now, it sounds like your current system is in a good place. If the issue resurfaces, you might consider:

• Checking for BIOS updates only if the symptoms return consistently.
• Running a full hardware diagnostic from the manufacturer’s support site.
• Monitoring for any driver conflicts or background processes that could trigger lockups.

Feel free to share your laptop model if you'd like tailored diagnostics or firmware guidance. I’ll be here to help you keep things running smoothly.

Regards,

Hawks_Eye