Laptop won't turn on at the first press of the power button?!

So, my old (2004) HP COmpaq nx7010 has started acting a bit wonky with the power button. Sometimes, it starts on the second press, sometimes, it starts on the 30th press. Sometimes, on the tenth. It's just random. Could the power button be wearing out, or has this thing just started to show it's age? It tends to work better when the charger is connected, but there's nothing wrong with the battery, which, still, after four years, works just like new, four hours battery time. Everything works to 90% (Some small issues since it got dropped down some stairs, nothing major, the power button-issue arose months later), except for the power button. Which, frankly, is a quite crucial part It tends to work better if I remove power and battery for 30 seconds, yank in the power cable, and turn it on, without the battery in. Usually works on the second or third press.

Anyone got any ideas that could help me power up this thing? I can't afford a new laptop, and this one does everything I want it to do, five times over.

Specs, if they would matter:

HP Compaq nx7010 (15.4")
Pentium M Banias 1.6GHz
512MB (2x256) DDR333 (Haven't gotten around to buying more)
40GB IDE HD, from 2004 (Dying, but I haven't gotten around to buying a new one)
ATI Radeon 9200 64MB, 128bit, AGP2X (Oh yeah!)

'Some small issues since it got dropped down some stairs"

Well some small things have become dislodged. Do you know how to crack the case (open it up)?

If you can open the case check the mount point for the power button, if I remember correctly it has two screws that go in to small plastic stand offs. If one is broken loose from the case then when you press the power button it may be moving just enough to not make contact. Some of the older cases were made of a type of plastic that was felexable so super glue didn't always work on repairing the broken parts. Sometimes if you take a low wattage soldering iron you can melt the plastic back together.

If you can't repair the mount and still want to use the computer you could find something that is non conductive and put it between the power button and what is under it, be careful that it is not to solid, the pressure may break what is supporting your spacer. Or you could look on eBay for a old non working computer of the same make and transfer the good parts in to it.

Good luck...



'Some small issues since it got dropped down some stairs' I love it!

Rider200 said:

'Some small issues since it got dropped down some stairs"

Well some small things have become dislodged. Do you know how to crack the case (open it up)?

If you can open the case check the mount point for the power button, if I remember correctly it has two screws that go in to small plastic stand offs. If one is broken loose from the case then when you press the power button it may be moving just enough to not make contact. Some of the older cases were made of a type of plastic that was felexable so super glue didn't always work on repairing the broken parts. Sometimes if you take a low wattage soldering iron you can melt the plastic back together.

If you can't repair the mount and still want to use the computer you could find something that is non conductive and put it between the power button and what is under it, be careful that it is not to solid, the pressure may break what is supporting your spacer. Or you could look on eBay for a old non working computer of the same make and transfer the good parts in to it.

Good luck...



'Some small issues since it got dropped down some stairs' I love it!

Click to expand...

Heh, those small issues are a buckle on the lid, and a minimal crack in the screen.

I've been into this computer before, after a tea incident (On the opposite side from the power button), and I'm not planning on going in there again. It was over a hundred (131 to be exact) screws, just to get the case off. The power button is a piece of grey plastic, connecting directly to a switch on a circuit board. The button clicks every time, and it doesn't make any difference if I press harder, or on different parts of the button, so I doubt it's the button itself that's bad.

I'll take a look around for easier ways to get in, once I get home. Who knows, maybe the PCB of the button is broken. Thanks for the input.