HP NC6000 hard to start then locks up

[bclacquer]

I have an HP NC6000 from my work. I use it everyday, and usually have it plugged into an adapter in my truck. Today, I came home and tried to go online with my laptop. When it was loading firefox the computer froze and nothing I could do would unfreeze it. Finally I pushed the power button to turn it off. This did so. When I tried to turn it back on again the computer would not start up. I had the ac cord plugged in and the battery in. I tried about a dozen times to restart the machine. The charge light would come on, the fan would spin and 5-10 seconds later the machine would turn off. After a dozen times or so I pushed the sleep button while I pushed to power button for kicks and it started up. After booting up the computer froze and I was back to my original problem. This time I pushed the cd button after my sleep button did not work and again it stated up. I let it boot then before it could freeze I turned it off thru the windows menu. I called HP support and that guy had me pull the battery and unplug the ac cord then hold the power button down for one minute. After this it seemed to work but five minutes after I hung up, the computer froze again. I called back, and no surprise, this guy did not want to help me because the warranty expired back in April he told me to reinstall the os.

I am running windows XP with Service Pack 2.

Any ideas as to why the computer is now freezing up? It was working fine all day. And how am I to reinstall the os if the computer keeps freezing?

The computer is currently off and I believe will be difficult to start or will freeze upon restart. I have a HDD from my toshiba laptop that lost it's motherboard. The HDD still works. I could, maybe, use that?

[dean1962]

Hello,
I have the same problem. Reloading the OS and/or changing the memory chips did not help. Sometimes it doed start and run fine.
Where you able to resolve your problem?
Thanks

[E blackadder]

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but if you check the hp forums you will find that this has become quite an issue with the nc6000. Motherboard has gone bad. Problem is that all this version of board seem to develop this problem over time. I have been working on this problem for a couple of weeks. Have tried another board bought through ebay but of course with my luck this one also has the same problem. If you are having boot issues try pressing on the top right hand side of the computer just above the keyboard and almost guaranteed it will boot up. Problem is that it is very unstable, any wiggleing of the display will cut it out again. Seems to be a problem around the cpu socket area of the board.

[bclacquer]

I know. I found that forum the same time I posted on this one. I have a new motherboard on order, I am hoping it lasts a year or two. My referb laptop (original) only lasted about 6 months. I just will not be able to use it every day.

[E blackadder]

I am going to try a board from ebay from this member ltmcomptec They have a bunch of them guaranteed for 30 days. They also have a newer version of this board than mine. Mine is version 1.2 they have version 1.2 and 2.0. Hopefully the 2.0 is not as prone to failure. I am sure if we wait long enough someone will come up with a way to repair these boards. I think it all has to do with the flex in the boards when the lid is opened and closed. If you have the unit open you can see a considerable flex when the unit is opened. If you can run your unit for now, try taking the screw out of the right hand side hinge. Seems to help with the stress on the board. Makes the system a little less unstable.

[Suspishio]

Foergive me if this is a red herring - I can't be arsed to do a full search of the forum; but wasn't there a thread here where a so called "magnet piece" was becoming detached from its solder point on the motherboard and basically falling off onto the casing?

If it wasn't the same laptop - I'm sorry. But it's wotrth a look around the forum or a look inside the laptop for something loose. It's this pressing in the corner that's the clue - it appears to help make a circuit so something could have come adrift.

Me - I'm a Dell man/family for laptops! Ne'er a problem in 8 years and about 6 laptops passed through the family.

[dkaleky]

No advice for your lockup But I have had this piece of crap for 3 years, The mother been replaced at least 4 times.

Went into repair every 4 months

Last time as AFTER my warranty b/c I bitched what a piece of crap it was, where they completely gave notebook a once over.

This "repair" lasted 3 months.

The notebook is sluggish again, and the fan WHIRLS, one IE 6 window eats up resources.

It is a piece of junk. I wonder who was the morons that rated this a great notebook?

On a side note-- I wonder if those new motherboards will help?

Otherwise its Apple for me baby!!!

[jaxraj2007]

Does any one have a resolution for this problem ?

I faced the same issue last sunday and I am frustrated as my laptop is out of warranty and I had spent about 2,000 dollars 3.5 years back.

I can afford to spend another 200 on this computer before I leave this crap as dead.

Please let me know if changing the motherboard has solved this issue. Also, buying a motherboard from a site like ebay will be trustworthy ?

Thanks for reading this post and I will appreciate a prompt reply.

jaxraj2007

[dkaleky]

If you paid for the laptop on VISA they will give you extra year!

Or most any other credit card- I am in process of shipping the piece of crap back to HP to get fixed.

Courtesy of visa.

[shadowsack]

For what it is worth, I have managed to repair two of these so far, both the with the problem of only booting while pushing on or around the processor socket. I found that when not pushed on, the board lost the core voltage (1.4 V to the processor). This is controlled by a Maxim chip on the bottom of the board by the power input jack. Looking at the leads of this chip under a binocular scope, I could see several connections with hairline fractures at the chip. The Maxim chip is a core voltage control chip, and is unusually high off the boardwith very soft solder connections. The repair consisted of very carefully (under the scope with a very sharp tip iron) reflowing the solder connections that looked cracked. Both boards have been working perfectly since.

[nc6000]

i have three nc6000 all with air line cracks in the maxim chip thanks to this site ive saved myself around 3 hundred quid thanks to the one who wrote about the problem maxim chip if you have to push down on jkl keys to boot nc6000 i can more or less gurantee that the chips the problem thanks again

[yanike]

i have three nc6000 all with air line cracks in the maxim chip thanks to this site ive saved myself around 3 hundred quid thanks to the one who wrote about the problem maxim chip if you have to push down on jkl keys to boot nc6000 i can more or less gurantee that the chips the problem thanks again

For what it is worth, I have managed to repair two of these so far, both the with the problem of only booting while pushing on or around the processor socket. I found that when not pushed on, the board lost the core voltage (1.4 V to the processor). This is controlled by a Maxim chip on the bottom of the board by the power input jack. Looking at the leads of this chip under a binocular scope, I could see several connections with hairline fractures at the chip. The Maxim chip is a core voltage control chip, and is unusually high off the boardwith very soft solder connections. The repair consisted of very carefully (under the scope with a very sharp tip iron) reflowing the solder connections that looked cracked. Both boards have been working perfectly since.

Can anyone of you help me fix my laptop? I will send it to you and pay you to fix it. No technicians here or any other soldering companies (Not even HP/Compaq) will attemped the fix. Since you all have done it successfully, can I send it to you all for the repair?

[Josepharacri]

I am in the same boat I live in Thomasville, GA and need my laptop please help. Can anyone of you help me fix my laptop? I will send it to you and pay you to fix it. No technicians here or any other soldering companies (Not even HP/Compaq) will attemped the fix. Since you all have done it successfully, can I send it to you all for the repair?

[fruitella]

For what it is worth, I have managed to repair two of these so far, both the with the problem of only booting while pushing on or around the processor socket.

May I ask you to make a short guide on the fixing process with pictures? I mean I'd like to repair it myself if it is possible, but as a totally newbie as of circuits I will need every point of information. Even if you may write a little bit more detailed reply could help. :S
Please!

[shadowsack]

May I ask you to make a short guide on the fixing process with pictures? I mean I'd like to repair it myself if it is possible, but as a totally newbie as of circuits I will need every point of information. Even if you may write a little bit more detailed reply could help. :S
Please!

There is actually a very good discussion of this problem towards the end of the LONG thread at the HP user forum in the attached link. Several people have posted pictures of this. The link is below:

http://forums13.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/bizsupport/questionanswer.do?admit=109447627+1229706200628+28353475&threadId=1046903

[fruitella]

There is actually a very good discussion of this problem towards the end of the LONG thread at the HP user forum in the attached link. Several people have posted pictures of this. The link is below:

http://forums13.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/bizsupport/questionanswer.do?admit=109447627+1229706200628+28353475&threadId=1046903

Thanks for the link!
Merry christmas and happy new year!

[batteryfast]

I recently got a dell latitude x1 battery from dell latitude x1 battery. It works fine. Most of my friends like hp laptops. :)

[tsinc]

I'm a newbie to this. I've recently rec'd a refurbished nc6000 as a gift from brother who wasn't using it anymore. I now have the exact problem described above.. I will find someone to re-solder the chip. MY QUESTION ... What does the battery issue in the last post have to do with anything (dell latitude x1 battery)?

[FrankDV]

My nc6000 is alive again, thanks to these tips. Resoldering of the maxim chip (the square one with pins on each side) did the trick. You have to deassemble it completely to get to the bottom part of the motherboard, be careful not to damage the wirings. I used my macro lens to check of no short circuits were created as it is almost micro-solderings. I did it with a self made soldering pin, I used a 2,5mm2 copper wire (net elecetricity wiring) and made a sharp V shape of about 3-4 mm width. You solder multiple pins at the same time but when you just touch the pins - with very very little soldering tin on the pin - it's enough to resolder them and you don't create short circuits.