after replacing fan and added new thermal past my HP Pavillion dv6 will not turn on.

[dgosain]

after replacing the fan, on HP pavilion dv6 it doesn't boot up, oh I also decided to take old thermal paste off and I added new paste. the fan is good i tested it,,, I also checked all the wired connections on board and they are properly inserted. the laptop was working fine before I changed the fan and thermal paste? This laptop is my main machine and I need it to work.  Now I regret adding the new paste.  I don't see any burned micro chips on the board either. One more thing I'm a dell certified technician.  I also know how to work on HP.  But that was a long time ago 1999-2005.

[NonSequitur777]

@dgosain,

This sounds to me like an issue that could be caused by one of the following:

Possible Causes & Solutions (from most likely to least likely):

1. CMOS Battery Reset

   • Since the laptop was disassembled, the CMOS battery may have been disturbed or have been completely discharged.
   • Solution: Try a CMOS reset:
     • Disconnect the main battery and AC adapter.
     • Remove the CMOS battery for about 10 minutes.
     • Hold the power button for 30 seconds (to discharge residual power).
     • Reinsert the CMOS battery and power up.
     • Replace the CMOS Lithium CR2032 battery and restart your laptop.

2. Thermal Paste Issue (Over-application or Contact Problem)

   • Too much thermal paste can cause short circuits, or if it's applied unevenly, the CPU may not make proper contact with the heatsink.
   • Solution:
     • Remove and reapply the paste, using a thin, even layer.
     • Ensure the heatsink is properly seated and screwed in firmly but not overly tight.

3. Loose or Misaligned Heatsink & Fan Assembly

   • If the heatsink is not sitting flush on the CPU/GPU, it may cause overheating or failure to boot.
   • Solution:
     • Check if the heatsink screws are tightened in the correct order (usually diagonally).
     • Ensure the fan is plugged into the correct header.

4. Short Circuit or ESD Damage

   • If thermal paste got on the motherboard or there was an electrostatic discharge, it might prevent booting.
   • Solution:
     • Inspect the board under good lighting and clean any excess paste with isopropyl alcohol (90%+).

5. RAM / Other Components Not Seated Properly

   • The RAM may have been disturbed during disassembly.
   • Solution:
     • Reseat the RAM sticks by removing and reinserting them.
     • Try booting with one stick at a time if there are two.

6. Power Drain Issue

   • The laptop may need a hard reset.
   • Solution:
     • Disconnect the battery and power cord.
     • Hold the power button for 30-60 seconds.
     • Reconnect and try booting.

7. Keyboard or Other Peripherals Causing a Conflict

   • Sometimes, a misaligned keyboard ribbon cable or a USB device can cause boot failure.
   • Solution: Try booting without any external devices and double-check the keyboard ribbon connection.

 

Final Steps:

If none of these troubleshooting steps appear to work, try checking if the laptop responds to an external monitor (in case the display isn’t working). If still no success, look for any error lights or beeps when powering on.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[dgosain]

Hey, thanks for the advice.  I was a DELL certified technician.  Everything you mentioned I’ve done all those steps.  I have taken a magnifying glass and have checked all the joints.  My old eyes did not find anything burned or broken.  I’m getting a new magnifying glass which I don’t have to hold in my hands with the light.  However, I do appreciate your replies.  I was in IT for 21 years.      

[dgosain]

after replacing the fan, on HP pavilion dv6 it doesn't boot up, oh I also decided to take old thermal paste off and I added new paste. the fan is good i tested it,,, I also checked all the wired connections on board and they are properly inserted. the laptop was working fine before I changed the fan and thermal paste? This laptop is my main machine and I need it to work.  Now I regret adding the new paste.  I don't see any burned micro chips on the board either. One more thing I'm a dell certified technician.  I also know how to work on HP.  But that was a long time ago 1999-2005.

[NonSequitur777]

@dgosain,

It is very unusual for a working PC to go belly up just like that.

One more thing: do you see any sign that your motherboard is actually receiving power?  Usually there is a green LED or something like that to indicate that there is power.  If not, see if you can try out a different power supply.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[dgosain]

the dell power supplies work on my hp laptop.  I have tried those as well.  The hp power supply was testd and it's fine.  I don't think I've ever seen a green light on a laptop motherboard.  I know that bords for desktops usually have one...unless they don't anymore.  I agree with you a working laptop stops working after changing the fan and thermal past.

I should have just change the fan and put the dam thing back together!

[NonSequitur777]

@dgosain,

Yes, my friend, been there, done that: seldom a good deed goes unpunished, I'm afraid!

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[dgosain]

You know that's true.  I wanted to say elier that I have a black cloud over my head.  I have bad KARMA.  I can give you a list of things that happen to me and no one else.  I'm cursed, and god just keeps punishing me.

If you come up with something with my laptop, please let me know.  Paying for my sins...

[NonSequitur777]

@dgosain,

One possibility is that whilst you were doing your thing, a freak electrical (static) discharge zapped your motherboard good enough to make it go bye-bye.

If that is the case, you'll have to look for a replacement motherboard, which, I believe, shouldn't be that hard on your wallet: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=+HP+Pavilion+dv6t-6c00+motherboard&_sacat=0&_from=R40&_sop=15.

I am having a difficult time on my end to come up with motherboard part numbers -specific information regarding your laptop is challenging to come by, but perhaps you can retrieve your motherboard's p/n for me.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[dgosain]

I’ve bought 3 dell latitude e5540 mb from ebay in the past and they were all bad.  I was having a hard time getting the correct board.  So, the 3rd board I bought in haste because it came available.  I still need to get new cables/ribbons because mine were trashed.  So, when I had all the parts I assembled the laptop.  Take a guess, NO start at all… I tried to call the place where it came from and explained the situation to them and it was like talking to the walls.  They wouldn’t take it back.  After all that explaining and being honest with them, nothing. So, now I have two laptops that don’t work.  You didn’t know that LOL… I am so frustrated. 

I was trying to learn electronics to fix other thing that need fixing but you need the schematics.  I cannot find them any ware.   I bought all the resistors, copastors, etc.  I wanted to learn about electronics and you know fix stuff.  It would help me with the mb and other things.  But nothing seems to work.