In this post I explain how you can fix a known video problem on some HP laptops without actually taking it apart. Most likely the fix is not permanent but this will buy you some time, enough to backup personal files or even use the laptop until you get a new one. There is no guaranty this fix work 100%.
Here are some HP models affected by this known video failure problem: HP Pavilion dv2000, dv6000, dv9000, tx1000 tablet PC, Compaq 700, v3000, v6000 and probably some others.
If you know more models, please mention them in comments after this post.
CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM:
As I know, the video problem somehow related to NVIDIA chip located on the motherboard. Overtime the NVIDIA chip separates from the motherboard and the laptop video fails.
SYMPTOMS OF THE PROBLEM:
When you turn on the laptop, all LEDs light up but there is no video on the laptop screen or external monitor. The laptop screen remains completely black and blank. The cooling fan spins as normal, on some models it stars spinning right away on other models after some time.
I found this trick mentioned by Walliot (comment 85) in this post. This trick called “towel fix” and used to fix “no video” issue in xbox360.
HOW TO FIX:
1. Remove laptop battery and hard drive.
2. Plug the AC adapter and turn on the laptop. Make sure the laptop is actually on, all LEDs should work.
3. Wrap the laptop with towels so all air intakes are closed.
4. Keeps the laptop wrapped in the towel for about one hours.
5. Unplug the AC adapter from the wall the let the laptop cool down (do not touch it for a while).
6. Unwrap the laptop and try tuning it on.
I didn’t really believe that this trick might work and tried it just because of curiosity but… IT WORKED!!!!
LAPTOP #1. HP tx1000 Tablet PC.
First, I tried this fix on a failed HP tx1000 Tablet PC.
I didn’t have paper towels at work but I had plenty of bubble wrap.
I closed the laptop in a tablet mode (with hard drive and battery removed), plugged the AC adapter and wrapped the laptop properly in bubble wrap.
After that I just waited for about two hours and unplugged AC adapter from the wall.
Waited for about 30 minutes and tried turning it on.
Success!!! The laptop started with video.
I just couldn’t stop and tried the fix on another failed laptop.
LAPTOP #2. HP Pavilion dv6000.
This is a different model with very similar failure symptoms. It turns on, all LED lights work but there is no video.
This time I didn’t something extra. To make sure there is no cool air coming into the laptop though bubble wrap, I closed all air vents with sticky tape.
After that I turned on the laptop from AC adapter (again with hard drive and battery removed) and wrapped the laptop base with bubble wrap.
The laptop was running like that for about 60-70 minutes but then I noticed that all LED lights went off. Not sure what happened, maybe the laptop overheated too much and shut down on its own. Anyway, I didn’t touch it for about 30 minutes and let it cool down.
My fix was successful again! The laptop turned on with video and booted to the desktop.
HOW THIS FIX WORKS:
Here’s my understanding of how this fix works.
When you run a laptop wrapped in towels (bubble wrap in my case), it gets very hot because there is no air circulation inside the heatsink. The heatsink and GPU (NVIDIA chip) run so hot that it melt solder between the chip and motherboard and the video chip gets resoldered to the motherboard.
Now I have to test for how long this fix last. 
RELATED POSTS:
In one of the previous posts I explained how I fixed failed video chip by backing the motherboard in an oven.
In one of the following posts I explain how to reflow failed NVIDIA graphics chip with a heat gun.
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February 12th, 2011 at 12:07 pm
Kevin,
Why did you replace the motherboard. Was it giving you same problem on the external monitor?
I think this LCD screen problem.
February 11th, 2011 at 11:27 am
I have a HP Mini Model 1035NR. My problem is I cannot get full screen video, and it seems to double whats above at the bottom. I checked the bios, and it’s the same, only part screen. I have replaced the motherboard but same thing. Any Ideas
February 11th, 2011 at 11:04 am
This is what I do.
Power down and remove the battery. Wait a minute or two, the refit the battery and power lead, restart.
All is good again.
Lead solder needs a much higher temp than you are talking about!!!
Brian
February 9th, 2011 at 2:53 pm
David,
Here’s how I baked the motherboard: http://www.laptoprepair101.com.....deo-issue/
I did it a few months ago and the laptop still works fine.
February 9th, 2011 at 2:49 pm
shean,
First of all, I would test the AC adapter. It’s possible the AC adapter is dead and the battery doesn’t have enough charge to start the laptop.
If AC adapter is good, try reseting memory modules. Try removing memory modules one by one.
If the laptop still fails, most likely this is motherboard problem.
February 4th, 2011 at 4:41 am
So you’re effectively doing an ‘in-situ’ reflow of the graphics chip, very clever! If this doesn’t work, you can take the more extreme measure of baking the laptop motherboard as described here http://www.computerrepairtips......therboard/
Thanks for this tip.
February 3rd, 2011 at 4:16 pm
hi I have a compaq preserio F700 laptop an when I turn it on it stays on for a few seconds an turrns off lights all on the sceern black the fan starts for a sec can someone tell me wats rong
February 1st, 2011 at 8:22 am
SAN,
1. Try removing the hard drive. Does your laptop start with video when hard drive removed? If yes, probably the hard drive is bad.
2. Try removing memory modules one by one. This could be memory failure. One of the modules could be bad. Test your laptop with only one (either one) memory module installed.
February 1st, 2011 at 4:21 am
hello experts. i have problem in compaq cq60-101au . no display on screen. hdd like blinks afer 5 sec. pls help me. some body says its nvedia chip is burnt .
January 31st, 2011 at 10:16 pm
Dave,
Well… the problem is still there with different memory modules, so we can assume it’s not memory related failure.
It’s really hard to tell what is causing the problem.
The following troubleshooting technique require laptop disassembly.
You can disassemble your laptop to bare bone system: motherboard, CPU and memory and test it in this basic configuration. If it still fails intermittently, most likely this is motherboard related failure. If it works, start adding parts one by one and test the laptop after each part. This way you can find the part which is causing the problem.