HP a6000n Frozen on HP bootup screen

DumNDuMMerDumNDuMMer New
edited August 2012 in Hardware
Ok, this computer is a bit old but it was working fine. It's a HP a6000n who just a few days ago started to freeze at the HP logo upon initially booting up, doesn't beep, nothing. It initially came with (2) 512MB sticks of RAM and a few months ago my brother added (2) 2GB sticks of additional RAM (new not used). I read around and for what I've seen, I thought it could be some bad memory so I tried pulling out all the sticks and trying each one individually but nothing happened other than the frozen screen at the HP bootup screen, I can't press any of the "F" keys or whatnot, it's just frozen. If I boot it up without any of the memory sticks, it will beep... one short beep followed by a long beep repeatedly over and over. If it's not the memory, what else could the issue be? Like the motherboard/cpu.. etc? I want to weigh my options whether to fix or just gut it and buy a new one, and see which would me more cost effective.

Comments

  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    It might need two sticks of RAM to boot at all. Does it work with the two old sticks in it?
  • TushonTushon I'm scared, Coach Alexandria, VA Icrontian
    It should boot with just one stick in the "primary" slot (if there are two slots stacked, the further back one) but probably either. If you try it with either pair (not mix and match), does it have the same behavior? If so, probably looking at mobo issue. The beeps w/o memory are just indicating that computer gets that it is missing a critical component. Can you get to the BIOS setup screen by hitting the appropriate F button or Del before the freeze? What about if you remove HDD then try to get to setup?
  • DumNDuMMerDumNDuMMer New
    I can't press any keys, I unplugged the HD and nothing, just a frozen HP screen. I can't get into the BIOS, and I can't get into setup. I've alternated between the 2 sticks and the old and nothing.
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    Have you tried swapping the keyboard for another keyboard?
  • TushonTushon I'm scared, Coach Alexandria, VA Icrontian
    You are actually powered off while doing all that, correct? I.e. battery out, power cord out
  • DumNDuMMerDumNDuMMer New
    @Tushon yes, it's powered off while I've been doing all that. @Straight_Man I gotta try another keyboard. The one I currently have is wireless, I'm going to try a wired one and see if I get any results.
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    Some computers will not boot without a keyboard, so yes, a wireless one might have a dead battery and not work and keep the computer from booting. So, yes, try a wired one please (USB if you can, if you get a PS/2 one to try, be sure to try both ports).
  • TushonTushon I'm scared, Coach Alexandria, VA Icrontian
    Possible but unlikely cause, given that it freezes rather than erroring out. There may be a way to do an "emergency" BIOS flash that could remedy, if you get the service code (7 digit alphanumeric, I think)
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    Um, I have had about 20 computers freeze on boot due to computer having no keyboard that BIOS can find, and/or PS/2 mouse plugged in keyboard port. Changing a stuck keyboard or defective keyboard cured 6 or so, changing port PS/2 keyboards were plugged into cured 3 or so, getting a PS/2 mouse plugged into the mouse port cured 5-7, and dead mouse batteries on coredless mice killed 3 computers errorlessly. 2 were HPs, but in the cases other than that, the BIOSs each simply proved to have no automatic bootup diagnostics for no keyboard and no mouse when they had PS/2 ports for same-- because they froze and refused to boot until mouse and keyboard were supplied. Yes, lower probability, but easy to test so one of the things I test early on in troubleshooting.

    Something else to explore if it freezes on ALL RAM attempts, is that of a dead CMOS battery on mainboard, but let's take it step by step, easy to fix first. Other than that, overheating due to dust-clogged heatsinks-- but BIOS should heat alarm then.
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