Computer Guru's

When I open my laptop, it tries to come on, but eventually will shut down, then after a few seconds it will try to come back on again and after what seems like 2 or 3 minutes, it will try to come on but will not. Eventually, maybe after 30 minutes of this, it will boot up. I have googled this and all I can come up with is some company wanting to sell me a fix. Is this a hardware problem and will cost more to fix than it is worth? Or is this something a novice like myself can fix? I am just about ready to go get a new one. This one is a Compaq and I'm guessing it is 5 years old.
Please keep in mind I have dirt under my finger nails, LOL. So if you have any advice keep it simple!
Hopefully I can get back on later to read your suggestions.

It is probably a mother board issue, 5 yo, just get yourself a new one.

First thing I would do is removed the battery for a good 'power down'.. after 5 minutes, reinstall and try.

If you are leaving it "on" and just closing and opening it, you are letting it get so discharged that it takes a long time to recharge the battery. The battery is also suspect. If it is shut down after each use, and if it is left plugged in, I would get it running and backup all my data, then reinstall the operating system. Malware from on line activities can do that type of harm. If it does what you need a computer to do, cheap repair is reasonable. Jim

I would try booting it from CD or USB drive running Linux.
An older version of Ubuntu Linux would be perfect for this.
If it will boot that way and stay running, hardware is likely
fine with the possible exception of the hard drive.

It does take a little time and patience to create the boot disk,
but it is not all that complicated, its free and instructions are
everywhere on the internet. Even YouTube videos like this one.
Poke here

There is no need to install Linux. You wouldn't want to install
it for this test anyways, it will run right off the disk.
Keep the disk for use later. Booting from a boot CD is also a
safer way to do your online banking, etc since malware won't
be saved to it like it can be on your hard drive.

I will also second the backup if you don't have a recent one.

Boot from a CD to see if that works.
Do you have a Windows CD that came with it, or that you’ve bought since then?
You may have to “Press a function key" to boot from a CD or DVD.
This is just a test and doesn’t affect your data.

If it’s a hardware problem, you would likely have the same symptoms when booting.
If it’s something in the software installed on your hard drive, then:
When you boot from CD/DVD, then you’re bypassing your internal hard drive and booting from a “known good” Windows.
If it boots correctly from a CD, then the problem is probably in your Windows and you should reinstall Windows.

One thing you can try, at no cost:
Back up all your letters and documents on your computer (because the next step will erase everything)
Reinstall Windows on your computer, I would choose the step to format (erase) the hard drive, so you’re starting over.
This starts everything from the beginning.

Make sure you have a copy of Word, or whatever programs you use, before you do this, because you’ll have to reinstall them.

What’s it doing for that 30 minutes?
Are there messages that come up?
If you really wanted someone to help, you should write down any text that appears on your screen, and when it comes up.
Boot from CD/DVD

My computer is doing the same thing. I just leave the pictures to rotate on the screen so it don't go in deep sleep. Going to take it to Staples when I get back home from work.

(quoted from post at 15:06:19 01/18/15) My computer is doing the same thing. I just leave the pictures to rotate on the screen so it don't go in deep sleep. Going to take it to Staples when I get back home from work.

Click to expand...

Turn off sleep mode in Control Panel>Power Settings then it won't go to sleep.
Might also want to disable hibernation while you're at it.

It is not being shut down. You need to run the "Shutdown" procedure or it will simply be in the "Hibernation" mode all the time.