Computer won’t turn on? What to check before you call

Before assuming the worst, work through these checks. They’re safe, take a few minutes, and fix a surprising number of “dead” computers. Stop if you smell burning or see damage, and don’t open a laptop or power supply.

If nothing happens at all

1. Check the outlet. Plug a lamp or phone charger into the same outlet. If you’re using a power strip, plug the computer straight into the wall.
2. Check the power supply switch. Most desktops have a small switch on the back next to the power cord. Make sure it’s on (“I”, not “O”).
3. Reseat the power cable at both ends.
4. Drain leftover power. Unplug the computer, hold the power button for 15–30 seconds, plug it back in, and try again.
5. Laptops: plug in the charger and leave it for 30 minutes before trying. Check whether the charging light comes on. Try a different outlet.

If it turns on but there’s no picture

• Check the monitor. Is it on, and is it set to the right input (HDMI 1, DisplayPort, and so on)?
• Check which port the cable is in. On a desktop with a graphics card, the monitor must plug into the graphics card’s ports, lower on the back - not the ports near the USB sockets.
• Try another cable or screen if you have one.

If it keeps restarting or shows a blue screen

• Write down or photograph the error message. The stop code on a blue screen tells us a lot.
• Think about what changed. A new update, driver, program, or part is often the cause.
• Check for heat. Loud fans followed by a sudden shutdown under load often mean dust buildup or a failing fan.

If you hear clicking or grinding

Turn the computer off and leave it off. A clicking hard drive can be failing, and running it can make recovering your files harder. See data recovery.

When to call

If you’ve worked through the list and it still won’t start - or you’d rather not open anything - that’s what we’re here for. We come to your home anywhere in the Madison area, find the actual cause, and explain it in plain English before anything is replaced. Diagnosis is $25 per hour, and you get the price of any repair before we do it.

Request a repair quote or read more about computer repair and laptop repair.