My computer won’t start — both the screen and the power button are flickering

[mucanos]

A couple of weeks ago, I experienced a problem where my computer’s monitor started flickering and going black (it was going black and coming back and going black again) about 1–2 minutes after launching a game. The screen kept flashing on and off, and the power button was flickering rapidly. At that moment, I couldn’t shut down the PC because it wouldn’t respond to any commands.

A few days ago, the same thing happened again. This time, I decided to leave the PC as it was, planning to let the battery drain completely and then try turning it on after charging because it did not answer to any keyboard command. However, now it won’t turn on at all. What could be the issue? What do I need to do?

[Max3Aj]

@mucanos, Welcome to the HP Support Community – it’s great to have you here!

I appreciate you taking the time to share your question. I'm more than happy to assist with this and provide a solution that works for you.

Based on your description, flickering screen and power button, unresponsive system, and now complete failure to power on, this could be related to a hardware fault, possibly with the power delivery system, battery, or motherboard, especially since the issue worsened over time.

Here are some steps to help diagnose and potentially resolve the issue:

Perform a Hard Reset

This helps clear residual electrical charge and reset hardware connections.

• Disconnect the AC adapter.
• Press and hold the power button for 15 seconds.
• Reconnect the AC adapter (without battery if removable) and try powering on.

If the laptop powers on, immediately enter BIOS by pressing Esc or F10 repeatedly during startup.

Check for Signs of Power

• Power LED behavior: Is it blinking in a pattern (e.g., 3 blinks, pause, repeat)? This can indicate a hardware diagnostic code.
• Fan noise or keyboard backlight: Any signs of life?

If no signs of power, proceed to the next step.

Try a Different Power Adapter

Use a known working HP adapter with the same wattage (usually 200W for Victus gaming models). If the laptop powers on, your original adapter may be faulty.

Attempt BIOS Recovery

Victus laptops support BIOS recovery via key combo:

• Turn off the laptop.
• Press and hold Windows + B, then press and hold the power button for 2–3 seconds.
• Release the power button but continue holding Windows + B for 10 seconds.

If successful, the BIOS recovery screen should appear.

Inspect for Overheating or Internal Damage

Since the issue started during gaming, thermal stress may have affected internal components.

If you're comfortable opening the laptop:

• Check for dust buildup or loose connections.
• Inspect battery and motherboard for burn marks or swelling.

If none of the above steps work, this may require service. In that case, please visit the nearest HP authorized service center, the service team will check and assist you. 
Kindly follow this link to locate the nearest HP service center: HP® Servis Merkezi Konum Bulma - Türkiye | HP® Destek
(Select the country from the dropdown menu and enter the city name or pincode)

I hope your issue is now resolved. If not, feel free to reply and we’ll continue helping until everything’s sorted!

If the post helped, please click “Accepted Solution” to help other users easily find it. And if you’d like to say thanks, just tap the “Yes” button!

Cheers,

Max3Aj

HP Support

[mucanos]

Dear Max3Aj,

Since the computer does not power on or start under any circumstances, I had to send it in for service. I would like to state that all these problems occurred while my warranty was still valid. I am certain that all driver and system updates were properly installed, so the issue must be hardware related, most likely a Hall sensor and/or a motherboard issue. It is not even 2 years.

Unfortunately, this model of Victus seems to be problematic, and I believe serious adjustments or even a market recall should be considered.

[Max3Aj]

@mucanos, Thank you for your response,  

I'm sending a private message to assist you with the next action. 

  

Please check your Private message icon on the upper right corner of your HP Community profile Next, to your profile Name, you should see a little blue envelope, please click on it or simply click on this link. 

  

I hope this helps! Keep me posted. 

  

Max3Aj

HP Support