Notebook 15s-fq5015nl suddenly doesn't power on anymore. How can I solve?

[GUser8]

Kind HP Support and all Community,

I'm here to share an issue affecting the notebook in subject. This PC doesn't power on  in both the sceneries with and without PSU, and also the power/charging LED remains always off (also if the PSU is connected). I've other HP charges, and HP notebooks, so I'm sure that its charger is working fine.

Please note that this is the third time that this notebook is in this "apparent death" status. In the previous two times all these following actions failed: removing battery, SSD, RAM modules, and also motherboard. Always, the power LED was off and PC no power on.

Inexplicably for me, both the times, after about two months or maybe more (in this period no other tentatives to fix the  inused PC were done), trying to start the notebook, it really powered on again!

So I'm hoping this issue is already known at technical support level and/or to some end user. In this case, could you please suggest me a list of steps that I could follow to try to give life again to this HP 15s-fq5015nl notebook without waiting several months (because, maybe, after this period it could power on again)?

Sorry for my long text, and thanks a lot in advance.

Regards.

Giacomo

[Max3Aj]

@GUser8, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you. 

The behavior you described — sudden no power, no LED, and then mysteriously powering on after months — is very unusual but not unheard of. Here’s a targeted checklist to try and revive your HP 15s-fq5015nl without waiting months again:

Basic Checks

(You've probably done these, but just to confirm):

• Try another compatible charger (you did — ✅).
• Check for any physical damage on the DC jack/port.
• No LED when connected = likely no power reaching the motherboard.

Perform a Static Drain (Discharge Any Residual Power)

1. Disconnect the charger and all external devices.
2. Press and hold the power button for 30-60 seconds.
3. Release, wait 10 seconds, and connect only the charger.
4. Press power once to see if there’s any reaction.

Sometimes static build-up prevents booting. This is the first thing HP support would ask you to try.

RTC Reset via Emergency Keyboard Combo

Some HP laptops with embedded BIOS recovery have a reset method:

1. Plug in the charger.
2. Press and hold Win + V (or Win + B) and then press and hold the power button for 15 seconds.
3. Release all buttons and wait 30–60 seconds.
4. If it works, you’ll either see a black screen flicker, HP logo, or BIOS recovery.

Some HP notebooks try to recover corrupted firmware this way.

Internal Check – Reseat Components

Since you already have experience disassembling it:

• Reseat the following:
  • RAM (try with only 1 stick if there are 2).
  • SSD (or remove it to see if it powers on without).
  • CMOS Battery (if accessible – try removing for 30 minutes to reset BIOS).
  • Disconnect and reconnect the DC jack (power input board/cable).

If the DC-in cable is a separate part (common in 15s models), that could be a culprit.

Check for Short or Faulty Power Rail

While advanced, if you're comfortable:

• Use a multimeter to check the voltage at the DC input connector and the MOSFETs near the power input.
• If no voltage reaches the board, or if there’s a short to ground, it could be a faulty charging circuit, EC (Embedded Controller), or power IC.

Forced EC Reset (for newer HP platforms)

Some models have an EC controller that locks up (like a soft-bricked embedded controller):

1. Remove the battery and charger.
2. Wait 5 minutes.
3. Press power 10 times quickly, then hold for 30 seconds.
4. Reconnect charger only, and try powering on again.

Temperature or Humidity Related?

Since the PC magically turned on after long idle periods:

• Was it stored in a cool/dry place or low humidity?
• This could suggest moisture sensitivity, cold solder joint, or capacitor leakage.
• You can try placing the motherboard in a sealed container with silica gel packets or dry rice for 48 hours and try again.

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 

[GUser8]

Hello Max3Aj,

I hope all is good.

Thanks a lot for your time and tips.

I've performed both static drain and RTC reset with no success. So, I have to do the internal check and next steps. I will update you sharing the possible step that has solved for me, and in every case with a feedback.

Thanks and regards.

Giacomo

[Max3Aj]

Thank you for getting back @GUser8. 

Please do keep me posted. 

Take care and have a fantastic day!

Warmly,

Max3Aj 
HP Support

[GUser8]

Hello Max3Aj,

I hope all is fine.

I have a good news for my PC, even if I can really share an experience, but no a solution (that could be potentially useful for other users too).

Before to proceed with the next steps suggested in your previous post, I have waited some (4) days leaving the PC untouched. Then, I have pushed the power-on button, and I got a first sign of a "little life" (power led was blinking). So I've connected the notebook to the charger, pushed power-on button and PC has started and completed correctly the boot. Now the machine is working and is stable.

Only two things:

1)I noticed battery level was about 10% where notebook "has resumed to life".

2)I've seen that an updated (November 2024) motherboard BIOS release is available for download. So I will do this update in order to check (in next months) if this strange behaviour could be in some way software-, or better, BIOS-related.

Thanks, and regards.

Giacomo

[Max3Aj · Accepted solution]

@GUser8, That is fantastic news — thanks so much for sharing the update!It's fascinating how the notebook “woke up” after a few days of rest. Your observations are really insightful and might help others who encounter a similar “deep sleep” or "apparent death" issue. A few thoughts based on what you shared:

Battery Level at 10%

That’s a key detail. It suggests the issue could be power controller-related, such as:

• The embedded controller (EC) or power IC being in a stuck or locked state.
• A protection circuit preventing power delivery if the battery dropped too low or was giving faulty signals.

Leaving the system untouched may have allowed the capacitors to fully drain or a soft-faulty sensor to reset.

Power LED Blinking Before Boot

This might’ve been the EC or BIOS trying to re-initialize hardware or detect charge thresholds. Blinking LEDs often mean:

• Charging status
• Power fault codes (on some models)

BIOS Update Scheduled

Smart move. If the November 2024 BIOS includes:

• EC firmware updates
• Power management improvements
• Fixes for startup or charging behavior

…it might help prevent recurrence. Be sure to:

• Plug in the charger
• Keep the battery connected
• Let the update finish fully

Bonus Tip: Enable "Battery Health Manager" (if available in BIOS)

Some HP BIOS setups have an option to manage how the battery is charged. Try setting it to something like:

"Maximize my battery health"
This might avoid edge cases where the system gets confused by low or aging battery data.

I hope this helps!

If my response resolves your issue, please click “Accepted Solution” to help others find the answer. Also, don’t forget to click the “Yes” button to say thanks!

Take care and have a great day.

Max3Aj

HP Support