I am having a problem with my HP ze4610us laptop. It started one day when I went to turn it on and after only a couple of seconds, it shuts itself back off. I have tried re-seating the cpu as well as applying new thermal compound but to no avail. I did have a problem booting up all the way a time or two in the previous months before it died completely where it would begin to load windows then freeze but like I said it only did that once or twice. But now no matter what it will not stay powered on now for more than 1 or 2 seconds. Please help! I'm not sure if the CPU is fried or if it is the motherboard but I don't want to go throw money at these parts if they are not the problem. Where should I go from here and how can I diagnose this problem? Thanks.

I know next to nothing about laptops, but the following may be useful:

Sylvander’s Diagnostic Flowcharts
Download a copy of my diagnostic flowcharts from here
www.erniek.eclipse.co.uk/downloads/sylvanderdiags.zip
and print them to leaf through.
Begin on the STARTUP chart.
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NO POST, NO BEEP, NO VIDEO
www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=39685
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A typical and successful startup sequence
1. Start of Boot Troubleshooting Walkthrough
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/index.htm
2. Yes: The system power supply is functioning
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/power1.htm
3. Yes: Something is being written to the screen during boot up [This may be only a flashing cursor]
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/video1.htm
4. The video BIOS message is displayed on the screen for a few seconds and then clears from the screen, or more messages display under it
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/vbios1.htm
5. Yes: The system BIOS startup screen is appearing
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/bios1.htm
6. The memory test completes successfully
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/ram1.htm
7. The BIOS accesses the floppy drives and the boot continues
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/seek1.htm
8. The system is able to autodetect IDE devices successfully
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/auto1.htm
9. The system is not Plug and Play compatible, has no Plug and Play devices, or has PnP devices but identifies them properly
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/pnp1.htm
10. Boot sequence is A: before C: (floppy disk first)
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/seqAC.htm
11. The floppy disk makes a noise and the light comes on
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/fd1.htm
12. The floppy disk light goes off and the hard disk light comes on as it starts booting
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/fd1hdd.htm
13. The hard disk boot process will continue here, if you want to follow it.
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/hd1.htm
14. The system continues booting from the hard disk and the message "Starting MS-DOS" or "Starting Windows 95" is displayed
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/boot/walk/hd1os.htm
15. Operating System Loaded From Hard Disk. The system has found a boot sector on the hard disk and is now starting the load of the operating system. The hard disk is working. You have successfully completed the hardware part of the boot process. Any problems encountered after this point should be diagnosed by looking for a more specific problem with a component, or under the section that contains run-time error messages.

Do you normally hear a single short beep indicating the successful completion of the POST, and is that no longer being generated?

To update, I removed the CPU from mine and tested it in my desktop system and it worked fine. When I powered it back up, since it had not been touched in several months, it stayed on for a little over 15 seconds this time before going back to the 1-2 second shutdown. I am now leaning toward fan/heatsink. I don't hear it coming on at all during that time like it used to, and without a working fan, a cpu can overheat in a matter of seconds which would cause the shutdown. That's my next test. I'll post my results.

Sounds like its tring to run off dead battery.. Check the adaper output for roughly 19V dc and if its ok you most likely need the DC jack resoldered..

No, it doesn't seem to be a problem with the power actually. I had already checked the adaptor and it is putting out properly. I have even used a spare adaptor just to be sure. And I also let it set long enough to fully recharge the battery which it did and the battery seems to be holding the charge well. I was thinking that if there was a problem with the DC jack, then it would not be able to provide a good charge for the battery and then once the battery was recharged it should work fine if that was the case, correct?

I really don't see any other possibility other than the motherboard, since it seems I've tested everything else I can think of. I wish this wasn't the case since I can't afford a new motherboard at the cost of about $300 which is half of what I paid for this laptop, and it only to work for 9 months!