Solved! ASUS laptop will not boot

[joeyc100]

My ASUS X541N laptop won't get past the splash screen logo. It won't boot and it won't respond to F2 so as to enter bios. A hard reset (holding the power button down until it clicks and the screen turns off) does not help. The battery appears fully charged. Any advice?

 

[Prostar Computer]

Try pulling any storage drives out, whether HDDs or SSDs. Faulty drives can cause really long delays during POST, sometimes lock it up altogether.

If not that, it could be memory related. Try the same; pull one stick out if you have multiple and test again (or replace it, if you only have one stick).

 

[joeyc100]

Thanks for your response.
This is an ASUS bottom of the line laptop. Almost everything is welded-in. The entire unit has to be disassembled to access the hard drive. But would just pulling it out allow the unit to enter the bios? Or must another one be put in its place?
I will try the memory stick if it has two.(at least it is accessible).

 

[joeyc100]

My mistake: the memory is not accessible. Nor is the battery. The whole unit would need to be disassembled and cables pulled.

 

[Prostar Computer]

My mistake: the memory is not accessible. Nor is the battery. The whole unit would need to be disassembled and cables pulled.

By the looks of it, it doesn't look so terrible to disassemble. The hard drive is easy enough to access. Memory is a little more involved, requiring you to remove the board and flip it over, but I've seen worse.

Tear down guide: https/www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZDd6VbTKfA

It's only one memory module, but it is, at least, modular/removable.

 

[joeyc100]

According to one of the comments to this video (x541ua,x541na), the x541n does not have a removable memory. But I will disassemble it so as to remove the battery and maybe reset the cmos.

 

[Mustangace]

According to one of the comments to this video (x541ua,x541na), the x541n does not have a removable memory. But I will disassemble it so as to remove the battery and maybe reset the cmos.

I would first just remove the HD or SSD (whichever you have) and reconnect it. Sometimes that works to get a laptop to boot up, but even if it does it could be a sign that the drive may be starting to fail and so, needs to be replaced. Anyway, that's the easiest thing to do first.

 

[joeyc100]

Ok, I will try to reseat the hard drive. I'm hoping that the keyboard can be propped-up (after the cables are connected) to try any of the other ideas.
Joe.

 

[mikef845]

Can you do a hard reset with a paperclip? Somewhere on the laptop might be a small hole. It should be documented in the user guide.
I usually turn on the laptop and wait 10 seconds. You might have to gently turn the laptop on its side to get to the small hole. Inside the hole is a small switch. Gently poke the paperclip in the hole and press the switch for 10 seconds. After a few minutes the computer might boot.
You might have to press the switch in the small hole several times.

 

[joeyc100]

No, no small hole (other than the cd/dvd drive release hole).
I've contacted ASUS but they seem more preoccupied with the unit's provenance, having been purchased from an Amazon "marketplace partner", and it's serial number not aligned with Amazon's sales description.
In any event, I don't care about booting. I just want into the bios.
But, thanks for your response.

 

[mikef845]

Does the unit have a CMOS battery? They are well known for dying and stopping the laptop from working properly.

 

[joeyc100]

No, it uses the main battery to maintain the cmos variables.

 

[mikef845]

The battery could be faulty. The only way to tell is to replace it.

 

[joeyc100]

The hard drive was faulty and, after replaced, the unit entered the bios.
All is well.
Thank you all for your responses.
Joey.