laptop bios missing

[Teckienomore]

When computer is turned on (ssd / hdd removed) there is no sign of a bios screen.

led above mousepad on (white)

power slide switch led on (blue)

wifi on/ off switch is on (orange)

no display

bios battery removed / replaced (3V)

another computer (same model) had same fault, then mysteriously, BIOS came back to life, win10 re-installed and now works OK.

another computer (same model) still working OK

all three upgraded from win7 to win10

all suggestions welcome.

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @Teckienomore 

Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for posting your query! We're here to help you get back up and running.

It sounds like your HP Pavilion dm3-1111sa is experiencing a no BIOS screen issue, even after replacing the BIOS battery. Here are some troubleshooting steps to try:

1. Perform a Hard Reset

• Turn off the laptop.
• Disconnect the power adapter and remove the battery (if removable).
• Press and hold the power button for 30 seconds to drain residual power.
• Reinsert the battery, plug in the adapter, and turn on the laptop.

2. Try BIOS Recovery

• Turn off the laptop.
• Press and hold Windows + B keys, then press the power button for 2-3 seconds.
• Release the power button but keep holding Windows + B until the BIOS recovery screen appears.

3. Check for Display Issues

• Shine a flashlight on the screen—if you see a faint image, the backlight or inverter may be faulty.
• Try connecting an external monitor via HDMI or VGA:
  • If the external display works, the issue may be with the laptop screen or graphics driver.

4. Reseat the RAM

• Turn off the laptop and remove the RAM modules.
• Clean the RAM contacts with a soft cloth.
• Reinsert the RAM and power on the laptop.

5. Reset the BIOS

• Turn off the laptop.
• Press F10 repeatedly while turning it on to enter BIOS Setup.
• Press F9 to load default settings, then F10 to save and exit.

If my response helped, please mark it as an Accepted Solution! ✅ It helps others and spreads support. 💙 Also, tapping "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" makes a big difference! Thanks! 😊

Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye

[Teckienomore]

Thank you Hawks_Eye for you quick and comprehensive reply about my computer's bios problem.  I will be carefully following your suggestions in the next couple of days and let you know how it goes.

Thanks again

Regards

Techienomore

[Teckienomore]

Hi Hawks_Eye

Well,  I tried all the things you suggested and no further progress unfortunately.  The only signs of life are the power

led ,  the wifi led (orange) and the keypad led (white).  I tried everything without, and with, the ssd plugged in.

Would it be worth swapping the memory chips?

Regards,

Techienomore

[Hawks_Eye]

@Teckienomore 

You are most Welcome!

It’s frustrating when nothing seems to bring the system back to life. Based on similar cases, swapping the memory chips (RAM modules) could be worth a try, especially if the laptop isn’t showing any BIOS activity. 

Here’s why it might help:

 

Why Swapping RAM Might Work

 Faulty RAM can prevent booting – If the system isn’t detecting memory properly, it may fail to initialize the BIOS.
 Reseating RAM can refresh connections – Sometimes, simply removing and reinserting the RAM can resolve boot issues.
 Testing with a different RAM module – If you have access to a compatible spare, swapping it in could confirm whether the issue is memory-related.

 

Additional Steps to Try

🔹 Perform a Hard Reset – Disconnect the battery and power adapter, hold the power button for 30 seconds, then reconnect and try booting.
🔹 Check for Beep Codes or LED Blink Patterns – Some HP laptops indicate hardware failures through blinking lights or beeping sounds.
🔹 Try Booting with One RAM Stick – If your laptop has two RAM slots, remove one stick and test each individually.

If swapping the RAM doesn’t work, the issue could be motherboard-related. 

Let me know how it goes! 🚀

Regards,

Hawks_Eye

[Teckienomore]

one works the lh one has no bios

Hi Hawks_Eye

It's me again!  I swapped the memory between these 2 laptops as discussed.  I also made a rescue disc from the rh one and tested it by booting from both lh usb sockets.  I tried in vain to reach a bios menu on the lh machine.  I also tried just one memory stick as suggested as well.  I might try cloning the hdd on the rh computer and putting the clone into the lh one.  The strange thing is that both these computers had the same problem initially but at some stage one of them found it's bios and then accepted a win10 usb install.

Regards, Teckienomore

[Hawks_Eye]

Hey again, @Teckienomore! 

I can imagine how frustrating this must be—especially since one laptop managed to recover its BIOS while the other remains stubbornly unresponsive. 

You’ve already done some solid troubleshooting, so let’s explore a few more steps that might help:

 

1. Try a Hard Reset

• Disconnect the power adapter and remove the battery (if removable).
• Hold the power button for 30 seconds to drain residual power.
• Reconnect the battery and power adapter, then try booting again.

 

2. Attempt a BIOS Recovery

• If your laptop has a BIOS recovery key, try pressing Win + B or Fn + B while powering it on.
• If that doesn’t work, try Esc, F2, F10, or F12 repeatedly during startup.

 

3. Use an External Display

• Connect the LH laptop to an external monitor via HDMI or VGA.
• If the display works, the issue might be with the built-in screen rather than the BIOS.

 

4. Clone the HDD (As You Mentioned)

• If cloning the RH laptop’s HDD works, it could indicate a corrupted boot sector on the LH laptop.

It’s definitely strange that one laptop recovered while the other didn’t. If you’re up for it, cloning the HDD might be a great next step. 

Let me know how it goes—I’m rooting for you! 😊

Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye