elitebook 1040 g1 will not start - power and caps lock flashing - unplugged battery but still nothin

[Chris250356]

laptop will not start.

Power and caps lock buttons keep flashing (white) when ac power connected even after 8 hours.....cannot find in manuals or online what this flashing is meant to indicate beyond i have a fault.

With no AC power unit does nothing.

Battery is just over 2 years old and was working fine....getting up to 6 hours use.

No new hardware or software.

no docking station.

Have done all the reset functions below with no success:-

• removing ac power
• pressing the power button only for long periods of time
• pressing power button for 30 secs, 60secs, 120secs etc
• pressing both power and mute buttons
• opening up unit and disconnecting battery for long periods of time
• disconnecting both the main battery and the CMOS battery for long periods
• pressing windows button and B (or V)

any other further recommendations?

any idea what the flashing power and caps locks buttons mean?

have seen numerous previuos posts with the exact same issue but NEVER a solution.

[Chris250356 · Accepted solution]

PROBLEM FIXED.......nothing too technical, just used a toothpick.

the power supply cable connector to the laptop has a central pin inside it's round socket. this pin was bent and therefore not making proper connection with the laptop. once the pin was straightened using a toothpick, socket plugged easily into laptop and everything works again. Obviously a design problem with the power supply socket having such a small flimsy central pin....no wonder so many other people were experiencing the same problem.....and yet despite so many problem listings over the years, never a true solution.