Member Avatar for Dynamod

Hi,
I have an omnibook xe3 gf model with a problem which seems very common. The computer will turn on for about 20 seconds and then immediately power down. The fans spin up for about 5 seconds. Nothing appears on the screen and only very occaisionally do i hear the HD spinning. Unfortunately this seems to be a common problem with the omnibook xe3 models. I have seen many people with this problem but there are no answers that i can find. Does anyone have any idea what is happening?

TIA

Dynamod

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by steve.q

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A few targeted things to try beyond the general checks already suggested by , and a couple of ways to tell whether this is a simple fix or a motherboard-level failure.

The symptom you describe — power comes up for a few seconds, fans spin briefly and then everything dies — is usually the system detecting a critical fault and cutting power. Common culprits to inspect visually and with simple tests: the DC jack and its solder joints (wobble or intermittent contact will cause exactly this), cracked or bulging electrolytic capacitors on the mainboard, and visible burn marks or lifted traces. Gently wiggle the DC plug while watching the power LED; if it flickers or the laptop cuts out, that points to the jack or nearby board traces.

Try clearing the real-time clock/BIOS state by removing the small coin-cell (RTC) battery for an hour — this can recover systems stuck by corrupt BIOS/EC settings. Also listen for POST/beep codes (or watch any diagnostic LEDs) during the brief power-up window; a repeating beep pattern often identifies which subsystem is failing. If you have an external monitor or can disconnect the internal display cable and power on, that helps distinguish “no display” from “no POST.”

If you’re comfortable with a multimeter, watch the standby and main power rails when you press the power button: if standby voltage appears then collapses, the board is likely shutting down due to a short or a failed power-management IC. That test narrows the fault to the power circuitry rather than the CPU or display. For boards with obvious swollen capacitors, replacing those caps is inexpensive and often successful; otherwise sourcing a donor board or professional repair will likely be next.

Service manuals (mentioned by ) are useful for disassembly order and connector locations. Take ESD and safety precautions, avoid powering the board while touching components, and seek a shop if you’re unsure about voltage-rail or solder repairs.

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Member Avatar for BuggZ

Some basic troubleshooting procedures for all laptops:
Make sure the power supply is the correct voltage for your laptop and that it is working.
Remove the AC adapter, battery and memory and press and hold the power button for 30 seconds.
Try starting the laptop with the AC adapter connected but no battery installed, then try with the battery but no AC adapter.
Make sure the memory is the correct speed for your laptop.
Try reseating or swapping the memory with known good memory.
Try starting the laptop with the hard drive, CD, and floppy disconnected/removed. Reseat the processor if it is not soldered to the motherboard.

Member Avatar for steve.q

Hey if you end up having to open up your laptop and repair it yourself, there is a good resource here.

HP Omnibook 5500cs/ct
HP Omnibook 6000
HP Omnibook 7100
HP Omnibook XE2
HP Omnibook XE3
HP Omnibook XE4100,XE4500
HP Omnibook XT1500 series
HP Omnibook 5000c/ct
HP Omnibook 4100-4150
HP Omnibook 4100
HP Omnibook 300,425,430,530
HP Omnibook 500
HP Omnibook 600c/ct
HP Omnibook 800cs/ct
HP Omnibook 900 series
HP Omnibook 2000,5500,5700
HP Omnibook 2100,3000,3100

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