dm4-2070us caps lock blinking 3 times

[seanferd]

savvy2,

Thanks for replying!

I've tried taking the RAM out and I still get the 3 blinks. I've put this ram into another machine and it works fine, used working ram from another machine in this one and it gives the three blinks.

I've taken the battery out and I've tried everything you and Jeet suggested; with the same result.

I can't get to the BIOS at all, nothing I've tried gets the screen to come on. Including using a VGA cable, there's just no output except for the 3 blinks on the caps lock light. 3 slow blinks, then a pause - repeating forever.

I've taken the CMOS battery out overnight and replaced it with a good one, same result.

I found the BIOS files on the support page, created a USB of the UEFI BIOS (not the other one, it didn't work per above) and I can't get it to load. Same with Win + B or Win + V keys to try and reset the BIOS.

I'd show a photo, but it's just a black screen with a blinking light. There is no boot past the fans coming on and the lights blinking.

[seanferd]

Exactly. Nothing I have tried has resulted in any different result.. just the blinking.

[savvy2]

if 100% sure the AC line  pack is good, 19vdc out, fully, is it?  we use a volt meter to prove that.  VOLTS MATTERS!

and bios DEAD

screen dead.  100%

then you must flash the BIOS,  my guess sometried this before and messed it up.

that is the trouble with handme downs, ANYTHING is possible

the BIOS btw will be dead if RAM is pulled, all RAM pulled.

do not pull all ram, (yes, to see if flash code changes sure) but do not expect any PC to process with no ram.

The Flash codes do work even with CPU missing because there is  tiny processor there $1 processor there that can do other odd fashing codes, CPU messing, i have a video of this  but they dont let me show my server,here.

The MOBO is bad, or  the BIOS is toasted,  I do not work for HP so do not have those specical secret reset files.

 but how can you burn BIOS with  dead screen,,

most PC now have  bios update page engine, in the BIOS, that is seperate so always works.

unless someone , killed that... all hope is lost.

why not just get a working MOBO

then leave BIOS alone.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hp-Pavilion-Dm4-2070us-Motherboard-636945-001-Genuine-/322396307818?hash=ite...

your dead board is worth $10?  or  less, so

i forgot to ask does your fan work, powered on, no batteries.(the big one, not COin cell)

do know that vast chips there have to work and for sure all those power  regulators, too.

[savvy2]

dont feel sad

my other LT , the DVD drive, chip on the MOBo blew up.  and new mobo time is only fix.

yes, lots of things can fail there.

if the BIOS loader is dead, i think that is end of line

but only REAL HP can answer this.......  im not;.

i highly recommend reading these pages. getting the correct BIOS flash binaries is NON TRIVAL

WRONG , SSID or wrong video chip version, ends in FAILED> dead  PC.

 read the HP site page on how to flash BIOS,  and how to find it then get the matching SSID, and all that.

then read this last page showing the lowlevel way to flash.  (there are 3 ways)

1: flash now on line ,this PC under windows. at HP.com

2; flash later, with this windows file, downloaded from helper PC then moved to good pc that needs flash.

3: below , low level;

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Hardware-and-Upgrade-Questions/DV4-1120us-bricked-by-HP-s-own...

that is why its never a good idea to flash any PC, unless, 1: its for sure needed, and 2: you know how and 3: the vast pitfalls if you do.

in your case, seems someone did it wrong.

Does WINDOWS'KEY + B do anything.  (this is  the USB + BIOS direct flash methoid

the other way windows now, or windows later flash cant work for you ever.

[savvy2]

if that 2 key BIOS entry point seems alive in any why there is hope.

other wise its,  new mobo  time, IMO.

[seanferd]

The fans and lights come on like a normal boot.

Win + B, Function keys, Esc., etc. No key press variation results in anything but the described behavior.

I have found the same motherboard on ebay that you mentioned, I just don't want to spend money on this to find out it's something else, which is why I opened this post.

I believe the power supply is good. Even if not, it charges the battery and nothing different happens when this is running on battery vs AC.

[seanferd]

Jeet,

Any further word from HP on this? Anything further I can do on the BIOS side, or am I looking at buying a new motherboard? Please let me know when you have a chance. Thanks!

[savvy2]

the blinks codes are like pulling teeth at HP, vast codes used, and many pages covering it contradictive,

this is the underbelly of HP, for sure, the weak area.

the charge chip is just that a charging battery chip , it does not run the pc, ever, , the main regulators do that.

for sure on A/C so if it fails on AC. the battery has no bearing on this at all. nor its silly lights on AC power

what matters is this.

1: 19vdc at the MOBO input..  if the pack is bad, then the new expensive mother board fails too.

2: ram sticks did you look and count sockets yet , mine has 2 top 2 bottom if you fail to find them all oops.......

3: now run 1 stick at a time.  RAM can fail. so 1 at a time is the only valid test. for RAM. (correct type too)

4: CPU good, if your new MOBO comes with no CPU, well you bad one cant fix that.  many MOBO are sold SLICK !

5: last is mobo. (of interna and external screens are dead, mobo dead., on mine the GPU can be removed.

6: why not remove all mobo modules first and put in the CPU only and see if the flash codes change,

as you add RAM,  then add modules,  what if the wifi module or any module for that matter is shorted,

I always (like this) with all things on the mobo missing, stripped naked then add parts.

CPU the ram, and watch the flash codes,

mine even flashes codes on a uSB external keyboard, try that too. 

one part is dead. or one part is shorted

if a parts shorts a main power feed rail , all things go dead.  they share the power feeds, see?

this is how all electronics complex works, if chips  act dead, out comes the meter and we chick all internal power feeds.

or strip it to a shorted module....

mine has like 6  modules to pull besided,  CPU/GPU RAM.

like my audio module

and my modem model (silly thing is useless)

wifi

or VGA

or USB3 outrigger card (im listing every one ive seen , not yours, i dont have your serviced guide handy.

secure card reader

finger printer reader.

see. pull  all parts that can short and kill the CPU or BIOS dead.

end the end. all you can do is GUESS or test.

one is cheap other is expensive.

and luck happens sure... or worse.   on mine id scream if this silly modem mini-pci module shorted,  mines now parked on a shelf.

[seanferd]

Did you read any of this post before replying? It clearly was not the battery.

[rmhutchins]

I experienced the same problem (Laptop wouldn't boot up, and the Blue Caps Lock Light was blinking).

I tried, many times, to boot my computer.

I removed the battery (and left it out), and my laptop booted right up (battery was dead).

Maybe there was an invisible lightening strike which hit my laptop, but I'm going with removing the battery.

THE KEY IS TO LEAVE THE BATTERY OUT AND USE AC ONLY!

(Run the laptop with NO BATTERY.)

Another user made the comment that he unpugged the AC and took out the battery, and tried to boot and nothing happened.

Since nothing happened, I presume he didn't plug the AC back into the laptop (without the battery).