Laptop doesn't turn on, fan only spins 1 second and shuts off. What is the issue?

[Syncz]

My HP Pavilion 16 Gaming laptop won’t turn on. The fan spins for about a second and then stops. The screen remains blank. (This happens with and without the battery )

I’ve noticed that when I plug in the charger, the power light blinks white in a pattern: 2.5 seconds on, 2.5 seconds off, repeating continuously.
Previously, it showed orange when the laptop wasn’t charged. This only happens when i have the battery on and when im charging. I’ve tried reseating and removing the RAM, disconnecting the SATA drive, hard disk, keyboard, touchpad, internet cables, display, and DC/AC port — basically everything — but it still won’t power on.

This issue first happen for over a month. About a week ago, I tried the same steps after letting the laptop rest for over a month, and it worked temporarily — I even got into the “Boot Device Not Found” screen and the laptop functioned normally for a day. However, after I unplugged the charger and went outside, it stopped working again. Now, I’m back to square one and nothing happens.

Could someone please help or suggest a solution? 

Thanks in advance!

[Max3Aj]

@Syncz, Hello and welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for posting your question. I'm here to help you get things back on track.

I’m sorry to hear about the trouble with your Pavilion Gaming Laptop. Based on your description, fan spins briefly, screen stays blank, and the white power LED blinks in a 2.5s on/off pattern, this behavior typically points to a hardware-level fault, often related to the system board, power delivery, or embedded controller (EC).

You've already done an excellent job isolating components (RAM, SATA, keyboard, etc.), which helps narrow things down. Here are some targeted steps to try next:

Perform a CMOS Reset (BIOS Clear)

Since the laptop briefly worked after a long rest, it’s possible the EC or BIOS is stuck. Try this:

• Disconnect battery and AC adapter
• Hold the power button for 60 seconds
• Open the back panel, locate the CMOS battery (coin-cell type), and disconnect it for 5–10 minutes
• Reconnect everything and try powering on

Check Power LED Blink Codes

The 2.5s white blink is unusual, HP typically uses blink codes for diagnostics. If it were a battery or adapter issue, you'd see amber/orange blinks. Since it’s white and consistent, it may indicate a system board fault.

Try powering on without the battery, using only the AC adapter. If the behavior changes (e.g., no blink or different pattern), it could point to a battery fault.

Inspect for Short Circuits

Since the laptop worked briefly, a thermal or electrical short may be causing shutdown:

• Remove the Wi-Fi card, SSD/HDD, and keyboard ribbon again
• Try powering on with only the motherboard, CPU, and RAM
• If it still fails, try one RAM stick at a time in different slots

External Display Test

Even if the internal display is disconnected, try connecting to an HDMI monitor to rule out display failure.

BIOS Recovery Attempt

HP laptops support BIOS recovery via key combos:

• Connect AC adapter
• Hold Windows + B, then press and hold Power for 2–3 seconds
• Release Power but keep holding Windows + B for 10 seconds

If successful, you’ll see a BIOS recovery screen.

I hope the information shared has been useful and resolves your concern.

Wishing you a smooth and hassle-free experience ahead!

If this solution helped, please click “Accepted Solution” so others can benefit too. Don’t forget to hit the “Yes” button if you found this helpful!

Warm regards,

Max3Aj

HP Support