Hey everyone! I recently picked up a DA0X36MBAE0 Rev E motherboard from an HP Spectre x360 13-ap laptop for only $10, and I'm hoping to turn it into a headless server like I did with another old laptop. The catch is that I only have the motherboard and a USB-C charger—no keyboard, battery, fans, monitor, or SSD. When I plug in the USB-C charger, the board seems completely dead. I've tried shorting pins on the power connector and switching USB-C ports, but I only get a 2V reading on one of the battery pins. Do I absolutely need a battery to get this thing running, or is there a way to set it up without one? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
2 Answers
I completely get where you're coming from! But seriously, I’d suggest not to short random pins—it can lead to issues. You do need a compatible charger with enough wattage, so double-check that. Also, if you want to get to the BIOS, an SSD is generally necessary for the system to boot properly.
First off, be careful with shorting those pins randomly—it's a quick way to permanently damage your motherboard. Also, make sure that the charger you’re using is actually strong enough to power the laptop; not all USB-C chargers are created equal. Lastly, you will need an SSD to boot from—just having the motherboard won’t get you anywhere without it.
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