HP Compaq 515 Troubleshooting

The laptop will not activate when the power button is pushed.

If the laptop is not responding to the power button, it may be out of charge. In this case, connect the laptop to the charging cable and wait at least 30 minutes before attempting to press the power button again.

If the laptop still does not respond to the power button, there may be an issue with the power cable, inspect the cable for any frayed wires or loose connections. These may be indicators that the power cable is faulty and would need replacing.

If the power cable seems to be intact and not damaged, there may be an issue with the battery, this could also be the case if the laptop runs with the power cable plugged in but does not turn on without the power cable. In these cases, the battery may need replacing. For help replacing the battery click here

When running multiple programs at once such as an internet browser and Microsoft Word, everything runs really slow and takes a long time to load in.

Some computers simply don't have the ability to handle a large amount of tasks at once. This is only an issue in cases where a very large amount of programs are open at the same time. In this case, simply close any unnecessary programs and see if the computer begins to run faster.

If the above step fails to fix computer sluggishness, or if the computer suddenly failed to handle as many tasks as it was able to beforehand, there may be a faulty RAM card. In this case, one or more of the RAM cards has possibly failed and would need replacing. For help in replacing the RAM click here

When you go to save something such as a file or picture the laptop is unable to store it.

To determine whether or not there isn't enough space on the hard drive, click on "My Computer" on the desktop, and in the window, look at your hard drive. If the bar is red and full then there may not be enough storage for additional data. If there isn't enough storage space left on the hard drive, empty the recycling bin as that will free up space. Next is to remove any unnecessary data; a tool that may assist with this is an external hard drive, as some data could be ported to that and provide you with more storage in your laptop.

If these are not viable options or do not free up enough space, it may be necessary to purchase a hard drive with more storage space and replace the current one. For help on replacing the current hard drive click here

Your laptop won't connect to the WiFi.

One of the major causes of WiFi problems is the router, and it should always be the first place to look before replacing any parts. The easiest way to attempt to fix a router is to simply unplug it from power, and wait 5 minutes before plugging it back in. This will reset the router so that it hopefully finds your laptop.

Make sure that WiFi is enabled on the laptop, as this may have been disabled by accident at some point. Press the Fn + F2 keys at the same time, and allow the computer to scan for approximately 30 seconds.

If there are still issues connecting to WiFi, or the WiFi is irregularly slow, there may be an issue with the wireless card. In this case it may be necessary to replace the wireless card. For help replacing the wireless card click here

The keys on the keyboard don't respond when they are pressed.

The keyboard may simply be dirty, or there may be debris under the keys. In this case, make sure the laptop is fully turned off, and tilt it so the keyboard is vertical. Then simply shake the laptop very gently while looking to see if any particles drop out. Another solution would be to used a compressed air can to blow out any debris.

If one key specifically is not responding, or if it feels like there is an object underneath it when pressed, the key may need to be removed. In this case, simply use a plastic spudger to gently remove the key from the keyboard. Then either use compressed air, or the method above, to remove the debris.

If there is no debris under the keyboard, or if the keyboard completely does not respond, the keyboard may need to be replaced. For help replacing the keyboard click here

Laptop is overheating, shutting down suddenly and making a very loud whirling noise

If the laptop is shutting down suddenly, there may be an overheating issue. To test this, feel the underside of the laptop; if the bottom is extremely hot it may be overheating. This is often caused by dust being trapped inside of the fan. To fix this, take a can of compressed air and blow it into the fan grates on the side of the laptop.

If the laptop is making a constant whirling noise, the fan may be working more than it otherwise should be. This is also often caused by dust inside the fan. To fix this, take a can of compressed air and blow it into the fan grates on the side of the laptop.