What to Do If Your Computer Won’t Start

  

What to Do

When we press the power button on a computer, we expect that the operating system will appear on-screen. And when the expected does not happen, we . . . well, some of us freeze, some of us panic, and some of us gather our wits and prepare to fix the problem. The first step in restoring an expectation is to figure out specifically what went wrong. It’s not enough to say the lights won’t work or the car won’t start or the computer is on the blink. We have to determine whether a light bulb has burned out or a fuse is blown, whether we’re out of gas or the battery is dead, whether a cord is unplugged or the hard drive has crashed. Fortunately, making this kind of determination is rather simple, even when it involves a PC.

Finding the specific cause of a failed boot involves some detective work. Take note of everything that happens during the failed boot from the moment you press the power button to the moment the boot routine grinds to a sudden halt. Write these details, including the full text of any error messages you see, on

a piece of paper so that you can refer to them later.

No Power at All

As grave as this may seem at first blush, a computer that refuses to start isn’t usually all that serious. Oftentimes, something outside the computer itself is to blame for a powerless computer.

Power cord. A loose power cord is usually the problem that prevents your computer from starting.

Check each end of the cord to make sure it’s firmly in place. Also be sure to check the cables that run to your monitor.

 

Some power supplies have switches that let you

cut power to your system. Make sure you haven’t

turned off your power supply.

 Power supply switch. See if your computer’s power supply has an on/off switch that lets you kill

power to the PC without removing the cable. This button, located on the back of your computer, can get accidentally bumped.

Surge protectors, outlets, and fuses. Make sure the surge protector is firmly plugged into the wall outlet and that the power button on the surge protector is in the on position. If that checks out, see if the devices plugged into other outlets on the power strip are functioning. If not, the surge protector might be to blame.

Another likely culprit is a faulty wall outlet. Plug your computer directly into the outlet, sans surge protector. Ensure that the GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) hasn’t been tripped. If your PC still won’t turn on, plug something else, such as a lamp, into the socket to see if it works. Finally, check your fuse box or circuit breaker to make sure there isn’t a blown fuse or tripped circuit.

There are also a number of factors inside the computer that could prevent it from starting.

Motherboards and power supplies.

Most motherboards have a tiny light on them that lights up when the power supply is connected, even if the PC is off. If this LED (light-emitting diode) is lit, your PC is getting power, and your problem lies elsewhere. Power supplies can sometimes go bad, and if you’ve followed our troubleshooting steps to this point, you may have a dead PSU (power supply unit). To figure out whether this is the case, use a power supply tester. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to check the well-being of your PSU.

Power button cables. If you’ve recently performed any repairs to your system, it’s quite possible that you accidentally pulled the power button cable free from the motherboard. If you spot an unplugged cable, check your motherboard for labels that indicate the prongs that support the power switch. In the event there are no such labels, check your motherboard’s users manual