I just got this laptop from a friend and was working fine. now i cant get it to power on after i shut it down using the normal shut down. I didnt cut off by using the button. Now i cant get it to cut back on using the power button. Is there another button i should be pushing also when try to power back on???

A 17 year old Laptop , 99.9% now in the dumpster.
are you going to spend cash on this? if yes why?
if it was a horse it be in the glue factory.
a dead laptop
step 1: is remove that old shorted huge battery now.,
step 2: then that 17 year old useless as a brick RTC coin cell.
replace it now. or BIOS will be DEAD.
strep 3 , a working power pack 19vdc,65watts up. and does the PC fan work now?, if not, it needs lots more cash !!!!
ask if you can get this far.?
above can be done for $10 (8buck pack and 2 buck coin)
leave that main battery out , until the PC runs like new.
do not buy a battery main, do not. unless cash dont matter.

if this far, and the power button fails, then we must strip the PC down, to find out who is shorting the power buses !
or fan is bad, or just packed fully in lint , as all are that old.


do the HP hard reset yet,
?
see line 6 here, to the HP page on , hard power reset.
http://pcdied.com/black-screen.html#Laptop


and then the other tests. after that.


here are the goals
1: power seems to work (the switch)
2: the fan works, and actually blow air, not packed up
3: screen shows text of any kind, like, "hit F10 to enter HP setup"
as seen for 17 years but not todaY?
4:BIOS key works. F10 key works as prompted . and BIOS screens all work.
5: more, get this far say so... lots more its not a toaster