Windows 7 boots after normal restart but not after shutdown

[Chris C 1031]

Okay, the title may make it sound like similar threads, but I don't believe this to be the case.



I got my hands on an HP elitebook 8440p. Not a bad laptop, all things considered.



I installed windows 7 ultimate x64 on it and all was well.



Installed the drivers, ran a few tests to ensure the hardware was good, and restarted.



All was well! SSD, so windows loads insanely fast. Browsed the web a bit, and again all was well. It didn't feel hot to the touch or anything.



So I was like, sweet! Turned it off using shutdown command from start menu. Walked away and played ps4 for a bit (maybe 2 hours?)


Came back to the laptop. Turned it on. Post screen goes through and then....black screen. No cursor, no nothing.



Hmm, odd, I thought. So I tried again. Same thing.



So I went into the bios and checked a few things. Everything looked good, so I didn't make any changes, but still I saved and exited.



Lo and behold, windows started right up.



Hmmm...very odd, I thought.



So that's the problem. Windows will restart just fine. Go to sleep or standby just fine. But when I shut it down, I HAVE to load up the bios and save and exit or windows will not load.



I am very smart about computers, but this problem eludes me. Any suggestions?

 

[iko22]

Welcome to Seven Forums


Could be the battery life is at its end. Try replacing the CMOS battery on the motherboard.

 

[Megahertz07]

I was thinking same thing: CMos battery.
At night, shutdown the laptop and take the main battery out. Next morning, boot and enter BIOS. Has the clock changed?

 

[Chris C 1031]

I will give that a try.



Update - After a normal shutdown, still get a black screen. Ctrl+alt+delete for a restart at that point causes windows to boot properly. (This is before checking the cmos battery)

 

[iko22]

Update - After a normal shutdown, still get a black screen. Ctrl+alt+delete for a restart at that point causes windows to boot properly. (This is before checking the cmos battery)

This might be unrelated to the question in the Original Post. Try logging off before shutting down, and see if there is any difference.​

Give the CMOS battery a go anyway, and see what that fixes if anything.

 

[Chris C 1031]

This might be unrelated to the question in the Original Post. Try logging off before shutting down, and see if there is any difference.​

Give the CMOS battery a go anyway, and see what that fixes if anything.

- I removed the cmos battery and the same problem persists. I have already tested the SSD drive. No errors given. It loads windows insanely fast. I am trying to understand what the problem could be. For instance, loading bios and making no changes then exiting bios causes windows to load. When the screen turns black after a shutdown and power on, ctrl+alt+delete causes a soft reset and windows loads. If I boot into hirens boot cd after a shutdown and hit enter to boot from hard drive (windows) it loads right up.



This truly has me at a loss!

 

[Chris C 1031]

Trying the suggestion to log off before shutdown now.



Update - Still the same problem.

 

[iko22]

Follow what Megahertz07 suggested in post #3: Shutdown computer and leave over night. Next day power into BIOS and check that the time/date is correct. Then you can come back to the Forum and post your finds.

 

[Chris C 1031]

Ah. I did that yesterday. When I was done working with it I unplugged it and took the battery out and time and date were all saved as well as all bios settings. I'm ruling out the cmos battery based on that

 

[mrjimphelps]

When I was done working with it I unplugged it and took the battery out and time and date were all saved as well as all bios settings. I'm ruling out the cmos battery based on that

Did you actually test the CMOS battery? The only way you can know if it is the CMOS battery is to either test the CMOS battery or replace the CMOS battery. The CMOS battery might be very low with sufficient power to maintain the time and date.

 

[Chris C 1031]

I still don't understand how that would prevent windows from loading after a shutdown, when it loads after several other events take place. The first thing that comes to my mind is MBR. Still, I can't imagine a problem there when it does load normally and quickly any other time save for a shutdown.

 

[mrjimphelps]

Replacing or testing the CMOS battery is very easy, cheap, and fast. Therefore, you should eliminate that possibility.

 

[Chris C 1031]

Alright, thanks. I will replace it with a new battery and see if that fixes it, but in all my years of experience I have never heard of a low power or indeed, no battery at all causing windows not to load after a shutdown.

 

[iko22]

Alright, thanks. I will replace it with a new battery and see if that fixes it, but in all my years of experience I have never heard of a low power or indeed, no battery at all causing windows not to load after a shutdown.

The clue is in your question - you stated that the computer boots after restart but fails after shutdown power on. That makes us suspect the CMOS battery.

If the prblem was with the MBR then youd expect same problem after restart and shutdown.

 

[mrjimphelps]

I had a computer which according to all appearances had a dead motherboard. On a lark, I replaced the CMOS battery, and the computer came back to life.

 

[Chris C 1031]

The clue is in your question - you stated that the computer boots after restart but fails after shutdown power on. That makes us suspect the CMOS battery.

If the prblem was with the MBR then youd expect same problem after restart and shutdown.

That makes sense. Thanks for clarifying that for me hehe. My mind was so wrapped around the why and how, that I didn't stop to think of that as a cause. But, for suggestion sake, what is the next logical step to try and fix this problem if a new battery does not help?

 

[Chris C 1031]

I had a computer which according to all appearances had a dead motherboard. On a lark, I replaced the CMOS battery, and the computer came back to life.

Ahh I see. Perhaps the cmos battery is more important than I realized.

 

[mrjimphelps]

Here's an example of someone who was losing the BIOS settings, but not the time, because of a bad CMOS battery:

BIOS Setting's

 

[Chris C 1031]

Here's an example of someone who was losing the BIOS settings, but not the time, because of a bad CMOS battery:

BIOS Setting's

Ah I see. Thanks! I just got back from the repair shop with a new battery. The moment of truth has arrived and I will let you all know the results!

 

[Chris C 1031]

Update - replaced battery - same results as before. No boot to windows after shutdown, but restart or ctrl+alt+delete after black screen works.