Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

Does HDD prevent BIOS to boot up

Oct 13, 2015 6:35AM PDT

dear all,

I ran into a problem a couple of weeks ago where after I finished formatting my laptop and went back to change the boot order on BIOS. My laptop didn't work anymore! In few words now when I press the power button I see only black screen and after 3 seconds my HDD Led instantly goes off. Now I tried to open my laptop and swap RAMs and remove HDD but still BIOS won't come up. So I would like to ask is it possible that if HDD is not working correctly it will prevent system to load.

P.S my laptop is Asus N56VZ

thanks!

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Clarification Request
Was the laptop doing this
Oct 13, 2015 8:41AM PDT

before you formatted it. What was wrong to make you format it ?

- Collapse -
Answer
It can. Here's how I test for that issue.
Oct 13, 2015 6:56AM PDT

I unplug the HDD and see if the BIOS screen shows up.

- Collapse -
Answer
Ahh, you already tried removing the HDD.
Oct 13, 2015 6:57AM PDT
- Collapse -
It doesn't work, black screen still!
Oct 13, 2015 7:54AM PDT

I tried to do the Generic Reset as described but I got the same result as previously.
I'm quite surprised because the laptop was in a good working condition no overheat problems or blue-screens previously!. I don't know if it worth to buy a new HDD and try it! or maybe check it to a working laptop!!

- Collapse -
STOP!
Oct 13, 2015 8:05AM PDT

No laptop to date required the HDD to show a splash or BIOS screen. I don't see why I would buy a HDD or even test the HDD when it's clear the issue is on the laptop.

Laptops can fail suddenly but here you seem to have no indications of any display. My next test would be external displays. But even if those work it would be a sure thing that the laptop needs repair.

- Collapse -
Serious problem!
Oct 16, 2015 4:32PM PDT

I was told at repair shop after a motherboard test that processor has gone 'dead' and replacement was quite expensive. ..But I'm not sure because the computer turns on the keyboard light. And processor gets hot if I leave it ON for quite a while. I checked it also with an external display but I don't get video signal. I'm still wondering why HDD turns OFF! exactly for 3 seconds after i press power button! even if I put a working HDD!!

please help!

- Collapse -
yeah, does sound like burnt CPU
Oct 16, 2015 4:36PM PDT

Did you try the BIOS test mentioned above? If you can't get into BIOS, then accept the CPU is burnt.

- Collapse -
Yes, I tried generic reset
Oct 16, 2015 5:12PM PDT

I didn't get any positive result after I applied that method. Both with long and short-press timing! Can you explain what are the symptoms of a burnt processor!
Because I see that cooler is working after I leave laptop ON for some time.... I guess processor is still working since it gets hot if burnt I would be in room temperature!!

- Collapse -
You have shared those symptoms.
Oct 16, 2015 6:00PM PDT

As to troubleshooting I have a video of what we do on desktops.

Notice how there is no HDD, ODD or much else? This method does work on laptops since I can pull out the HDD, ODD and 1 or zero sticks of ram and on some models unplug the WiFi card.

Video Follows:

- Collapse -
I guess Motherboard then...
Oct 17, 2015 4:54AM PDT

Thanks for this helpful video guide!, as I understood my problem is very serious and I guess motherboard might be defective!!..

I also did a Video (Link) just to take your opinions regarding this issue

- Collapse -
symptoms
Oct 17, 2015 11:28AM PDT

Simple. Anything requiring data processing won't work, but you may still have many other things connected to the motherboard "working" such as drives, spinning, fans spinning, memory LED on, even power on USB ports, etc.

The big tell is the BIOS not functioning at all, while power seems available to the motherboard, because it still requires the processor to work to run the BIOS program before it even gets to a boot process with the hard drive.