Member Avatar for porschaz

Hello, I have a HP ze4500, no matter what I try, I can not get it to power on. The battery light in front is flashing amber. I purchased a new power adapter and still will not power on. Does anyone know what the issue is and maybe have a fix for it?

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by anirudh.soni.7

Dani AI

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Given the symptoms you posted — flashing amber battery LED, adapter showing green, and no power-button light — this points away from an OS problem and toward a board-level power issue: the adapter is alive but the laptop never completes the hardware power sequence (DC‑in path, input fuse, power-switch wiring, or power-management circuitry).

Basic, practical steps to narrow it down (requires a multimeter and a bit of care):

  • Verify the adapter’s label for the expected DC output (many HP adapters are ~18–19V) and confirm that voltage with a meter at the barrel plug.
  • With the adapter connected (battery removed for safety), probe the DC jack or its board connector to confirm that the jack voltage actually reaches the motherboard. If it does not, the jack, jack wiring, or an inline SMD fuse is likely bad.
  • Look for a small SMD fuse near the DC input (usually marked F##). Test it for continuity; an open fuse is a common, inexpensive repair.
  • To check the power button: find the two pins for the front-panel power switch (labels like PWR or PWRSW). Briefly short those two pins with a metal tool to simulate pressing the button — if the unit powers, the external button or cable is the issue.

If you find correct adapter voltage at the board but no main rails (3.3V, 5V, etc.) after a power attempt, that indicates a failed power-management component and requires board repair or replacement. Visual clues (burn marks, bulging capacitors) help identify trouble. As noted, if repair isn’t practical the drive itself can be salvaged for data. If you’re not comfortable with soldering or live-voltage checks, photos of the DC jack/board area posted here will let others point to the fuse or damaged parts, otherwise a local repair shop can diagnose quickly and safely.

Recommended Answers

All 10 Replies

Member Avatar for frantechno

Could be the power socket on the laptop is broken - you would need to open it up to have a look. If you just need to recover the data, remove the drive and put it in an external USB enclosure to be able to read the data from another computer...

Member Avatar for porschaz

I don't think its the power socket, as I am actually getting a flashing amber light.

Member Avatar for StarBaseONE2

Have you removed the battery repluged in the power adapter and tried to boot that way?
I ask because sometimes a bettery issue will stop a boot process.

Member Avatar for porschaz

Yes, I did try that and still the same issue.

Member Avatar for Slavi

It sounds more of a hardware problem rather than software to me. Is it a new laptop or has it worked before? If we follow logic, if it doesnt turn on either from the battery nor the plug, then the problem should be located after the power supply and not in it. That leads me to the motherboard :( What if the power button itself won't work? Could you test that or your laptop still has warantee and you are not opening it?

Member Avatar for porschaz

The laptop was given to me, it did work at one time when my friend had it, he he just purchased a new one. It's no lnger under warantee. what's the best way to test the power button?

Member Avatar for Slavi

Um, do you actually see any light at all when pressing it? Does anything start working or its completely dead?

Member Avatar for chrism_sci

Yes, more of a hardware problem

Member Avatar for porschaz

The only light is the flashing amber light, which is on the front of the system and the green light on the pwr adaptor. The pwr button does not light up at all.

Member Avatar for anirudh.soni.7

seems like a hardware problem ..open ur lappy and replace hdd and try if not work change ur ram then test ..and first of all clean ur motherboard sometime dust and mousture makes prob. like that

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