HP 15-ac142dx Troubleshooting

Your laptop is either completely dark that it is black, or there are images on the screen but they are so dark that they are hard to see.

If the battery is dead then the screen will remain completely black. If the battery has run so low that the screen displays nothing simply plug in the power adapter. Make sure that it is securely plugged into the power jack on the laptop as well as the wall outlet. If that does not work please see “Laptop will not Charge” on this page.

If you are barely able to see the images on the screen but you can see that they are there then the brightness is on too low. In order to resolve the problem press the key on the keyboard that will be on the top row that resembles ☼. Hold down this button until the image on the screen can be seen. You can also go into the settings and search brightness and turn it up from there

When trying to go onto the internet you are unable and a message reading that you are not connected displays

If your WiFi is not connected then you will not be able to access the internet. To remedy this go to the “start” icon and search WiFi. Once there there will be a button for you to press in order to turn on you WiFi. You will see the possible wireless connections and choose the one you want to be connected to. Keep in mind some connections are password protected.

If you go to the “start” icon, search WiFi, and it shows that your WiFi is on but does not show any possible wireless connections then that means that there are no connections near you. If you are somewhere, such as a house, and know that there should be WiFi, move closer to the router. If this is not the case then you will have to wait until you are somewhere with wireless connection. You could also try plugging in an ethernet cord as a second option for internet connection. If the WiFi option doesn't show up at all or cannot be turned on, check Device Manager to see if you have the appropriate drivers. If not, they'll need to be downloaded and installed from the manufacturer's website.

When laptop is plugged in to get charged it still does not turn on

If the charger is not fully plugged into the power jack on the computer or the wall outlet then no power will be able to go to the laptop. Simply double check that everything is connected and power is able to get to the laptop.

If the power outlet itself is not working then the laptop will not be able to charge. If the adapter is old or overly bent then there is a good possibility that the wires inside are damaged. To check that this is the case plug the adapter into a wall outlet that you know for a fact works and then plug it into the power jack on the laptop and make sure everything is connected. If at this point it still does not work then you need to replace the adapter. Another option is to look in the power jack and make sure nothing is interfering with the connection.

The volume is either inaudible or not working at all

If something is playing that should have sound but you can not hear anything then your volume may be muted. Locate the button on the keyboard that resembles a speaker with a cross through it or the key that looks like a speaker with a + next to it. Either one will unmute your laptop. You can then use the latter of the two buttons to adjust the volume.

If you can hear sound but it is very quiet or muffled then the volume may not be turned up all the way. Locate the button on the keyboard that resembles a speaker with a + next to it. Hold the key down until you have reached your desired volume. You may also check the volume icon on the video itself to make sure it is all the way up because that could be the case other than a problem with the device itself.

If you can not hear sound or maybe there is a faint sound, then it is possible that there are headphones in the audio jack. Check the side of the laptop to where headphones plug in and unplug them. The sound should immediately be restored to normal

Despite running your finger on the touchpad the cursor won’t move

If your cursor won’t move even though you are using the touchpad it is most likely due to it being dirty. All you have to do is take a clean rag, if you choose to use a moist one due to the touch pad being overly dirty make sure it is only a little wet because if moisture gets into the laptop it has the potential to do more harm. With the rag clean the pad so there is no more dirt, dust, etc.. If this method does not work there may be an internal issue that will most likely have to be replaced with a new touchpad all together.