How to fix a laptop that won’t turn on

Updated: April 05, 2023
6 min read
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How to fix a laptop that won’t turn on
author
by Christine Tomas
Tech Expert & Writer
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Quality Control team

No one is safe from a broken laptop. All laptop problems are either software or hardware related. An accurate diagnosis of the malfunction will help to take all measures to eliminate it. You can immediately assume that the laptop isn’t turning on in different ways: the laptop may not respond to any commands at all, LEDs might be blinking inappropriately, etc. However, the device may respond to the power button, start loading the OS, and still give some errors.

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Frequent problems can be with the technical equipment of the computer. The motherboard, hard disk, RAM, and other components ensure the full operation of the laptop and are responsible for its stable functioning. In our guide, we will demonstrate step-by-step solutions on how to fix a laptop that won't turn on.

Check your power supplies

Check your power supplies

If at any time you find that your laptop isn’t turning on, you should immediately check for electricity. Make sure the network is fully functional and meets the requirements of the power source. The main reason why a laptop does not turn on is a broken power supply.

Check your AC adapter and power port for bent pins

If there is electricity, the plug is working and the network filter is working, but the laptop won't start, check the power cable.

Pay attention to the devices connected to the laptop, they may be the source of the problem.

  • Turn off absolutely everything, including the mouse, MFP, and adapters.
  • Try restarting the laptop.

Most laptop manufacturers install a reset button that you can press to reset the battery.

Change the CMOS battery

Change the CMOS battery

The following signs may indicate the need to replace the CMOS battery:

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  • The laptop won't power on.
  • Unstable indication of the date and time on the device, which causes the system clock to constantly lag or rush or reinstall.

To replace the battery, you need to unlock everything, remove the case, remove the battery and CMOS battery, replace it with a new one, attach the case and test the laptop.

Try a hard restart

If the computer has power but won't turn on, you can perform a hard restart. On most laptops, press the reset button (the curved arrow icon in the upper left corner of the keyboard) and hold down the power button.

Use a rescue disc to enable

Use a rescue disc to enable

If the laptop is not powering on, but there is power, you can use the emergency disk.

First, set the priority of booting a PC or tablet from a flash memory card.

  1. Press F2 or Del when the PC starts to boot (when the manufacturer's symbols appear on display).
  2. When the main EFI Setup window appears, drag the icon of the USB connector (or disk with a cord) closer to the lower left corner of the display.
  3. Drag the USB storage device to the far left edge and select the item "Exit / Advanced settings," and confirm EFI's request to save the PC startup sequence.

Bad hardware of the computer

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When the laptop doesn’t turn on, several components may not work properly, and the reasons that may cause their malfunction:

  • A faulty processor can cause the laptop to fail to boot. When the processor overheats, the laptop may show a blue display during boot;
  • When the video card overheats, it can cause the graphics driver to crash or cause the computer to freeze during boot.

Replace any newly installed components

Laptop hardware problems include:

  • RAM plans moved;
  • Connecting cables disconnected;
  • There are spots and blisters on the motherboard;
  • All or some fans do not turn on.

You can change all of these parts to improve and troubleshoot your laptop.

Check out your device for overheating

Check out your device for overheating

The reason why the laptop cannot turn on also can be overheating. There are common signs of a laptop overheating:

  • The laptop starts to make more and more noise;
  • The keyboard gets hot.

If overheating is detected, take the following measures:

  • Be sure to clean the dust cooling system;
  • Replace the thermal paste.

Boot the computer in safe mode

Boot the computer in safe mode

When the laptop doesn’t turn on, you can run it in safe mode. On the keyboard, press the Win button and, without releasing it, click the "R" button. In the window that appears, write the word msconfig.exe, and press Enter. In the window that opens, go to the Boot tab (in Windows XP - the "BOOT.INI" tab), and in the boot options, select the Safe mode option with the mouse (in Windows XP - the "/SAFEBOOT" option). Then Apply button, click the OK button.  Then the Restart button.

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Screen problem diagnosis

Incorrect screen frequency settings in the operating system include:

  • The driver being installed incorrectly or completely missing;
  • It works with interruptions, or the video card has failed;
  • The cable was damaged as a result of an impact or a fall of the laptop.

If this is a software failure, the user must first reboot the device.

Make sure all cooling vents works

If the laptop doesn’t turn on, there may be a malfunction with the cooling system. To remove the cooler, read the instructions for disassembling your laptop model. It is enough to free the wires so that you can test the fan on another device. If the laptop fan rotates, then the cause of the temperature increase must be looked for elsewhere.

F.A.Q.

Why does the indicator on the power supply not light up when connected to a laptop?

The charger may stop working for the following reasons: charging burnt out/burned out (smoke and smell appear, visible melting of the case), excessive heat and overload, or mechanical damage to the cable or connector.

How to avoid overheating the laptop?

Clean your house or office regularly. If possible, give up the cooling stand - it creates an additional airflow, which includes dust, thereby more quickly clogging the insides of the laptop with dust and other airborne "garbage".

Why does the laptop turn off?

It can be a laptop clogged with dust, ventilation holes blocked, or battery problems. The laptop can suddenly turn off in the event of any hardware failure. Examples of such malfunctions can be motherboard failure, failure of operational memory modules, breakdown of the central processor, and hard disk malfunctions.

Conclusion

In this guide, we have shown the most frequent cases of why your laptop won't start. But you can definitely contact the Howly experts for faster and better care. We'll find out why your laptop won't turn on and give you tips on how to prevent it from happening again. In our 24/7 chat, you can ask any question, and our operators will contact you. We will quickly determine why the shutdown occurs and offer an adequate solution to the issue.

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