HP Omen laptop won't start without the bottom cover

SkyTerran · 2024-11-07T23:06:27+0000

This is the first time I'm seeing such a behavior. I have an HP Omen Transcend 16 2024 and I thought I'll change the thermal paste it came with with KryoSheet. I open the laptop, disconnect the battery, remove the factory thermal paste (as usual they put too much of it), put two CryoSheets on, connect back the battery and try to turn it on. The laptop would not turn on. I though I've fried something (the KryoSheet is electro conductive). Tried a few more times with and without charger connected - won't turn on.

I tell myself I don't really need a gaming laptop. Put the bottom cover back on, so I don't loose the screws. Try to turn it on one last time and it does turn on. So my hypothesis is there is a sensor that detects if a bottom cover is attached and the laptop doesn't start without it. Does that make sense? Have you seen something similar on other laptops?

5abr3 · 2024-11-07T23:16:41+0000

Is the power button on the motherboard or a daughter board?

Might be that there's flex in the PCB that the cover is reducing? Or maybe the board the power switch is on might be slightly loose so the plastic you are pressing isnt hitting the switch unless the back os on to push the button back up to where it will work?

SkyTerran · 2024-11-07T23:17:49+0000

The power button is part of the keyboard - it's next to the Delete key.

5abr3 · 2024-11-07T23:23:17+0000

I would guess it needs the cover to provide pressure under the keyboard switch/membrane and is probably an unintentional effect.

The service manual would probably point out where any sensor would be, assuming HP make them available like Dell do (and I can't see HP putting that kind of thing in from a cost perspective tbh).