I have an HP Pavillion 420n. I noticed a smell like wires burning and then noticed that my display monitor had shut down (power to cpu and display still on). I pushed the power button on the monitor, it came on and before it could display my desktop, it shut down again almost as if in sllep mode. I looked inside and on the motherboard there are some discolored spots that you can tell got hot and some solder is bubbled, but there does not appear to be any connections burnt through. I would like to fix it if possible, but if I can't, can anyone give advise on how to access this computer with my laptop and possibly transfer the information from my hard drive to an external hard drive. Thanks. Stuart

Remove the Harddrive from the desktop computer.

BEFORE you start:

A) Unplug the computer from power.
B) Observe Anti-Static Precautions.

Anti-Static Precautions:
Your body carries Static electricity.
Static WILL fry out (Short Circuit) the delicate hardware components inside a computer.

Relieve your body of Static before working on the computer.

Computer unplugged from power, computer on a table, computer case open, TOUCH the metal frame of the open computer case.
This action will relieve your body of Static.

Should you leave your computer in the middle of working on it, upon your return be SURE to Touch the metal frame again.

The HP Pavilion 420n desktop computer has a 160GB Ultra DMA harddrive,

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c00054872&tmp_task=prodinfoCategory&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&lang=en&product=388431

Ultra DMA is a form of IDE. (IDE is also referred to as PATA,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_ATA#IDE_and_ATA-1

I suggest you obtain an IDE (PATA) external enclosure, and install the Pavilion 420n's harddrive in it.

The external enclosure has a USB cable, that simply plugs into any available USB port on your laptop.

After the laptop is turned on, and Windows is loaded, (external enclosure already plugged into the laptop), click on Start>My Computer.

Double-click on the drive letter that corresponds with the external enclosure. (It has now become an external harddrive)

This is one example of an economical decent IDE (PATA) external enclosure,

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1337267&CatId=2779

For further questions, or to clarify anything I have stated, please post in a Comment.

Regards,
joecoolvette

(To Add:
Motherboard specifications, photo, and illustration,
(Bottom of page),

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c00063254&tmp_task=prodinfoCategory&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&lang=en&product=388431

In computer Hardware Field major problem occur in Display and there is lots of reason behind it.May following list help full to you. 1) May be virus problem is occurred, Do perform boot level scanning by prober antivirus. 2) Display IC burn out. 3) Data cable may be burn out. 4) Problem in motherboard. 5) Any problem in RAM. 6) Any Problem in Hard Drive 7) May over heating processor.Use proper heat sink FAN. 8) Remove Dust from all the ICs , components , Processor , Because of dust more Heat is occurred. 9) Some time because of confliction , Because of any device like keyboard, mouse , Display problem has occurred. 10)Check out all capacitors , Resistors , Ics on the motherboard, It any burn out then replace it.