Summary
A computer “won’t turn on” most often occurs when the personal computer (PC) does power on but the monitor does not show anything. This is the most typical cause of the problem. In spite of the fact that you may see lights on the computer casing, most likely hear fans operating from inside, and perhaps even hear noises, there is absolutely no signal shown on your screen.
Fix a Computer
In the event that your computer is displaying information on the monitor but is still not booting up completely, a more comprehensive troubleshooting technique may be found in the article titled “How to Fix a Computer That Won’t Turn On.” We also offer one-of-a-kind remedies for the problem of a computer going off immediately after it has been turned on.
How to Fix a Computer That Is Turned On But Does Not Show Anything on the Screen?
We will offer these frequent fixes in the order that they are presented:
Give your monitor a test. Make sure that your display is functioning correctly before you go on to troubleshoot the remainder of your computer, which may be more difficult and time-consuming.
Ensure that the monitor is not connected to your computer before attempting to change its settings. In the event that the display displays any type of diagnostic information, you will be aware that the display is powered and has the ability to display content.
Check to verify that your personal computer has been entirely restarted and is starting up from a situation in which it was totally switched down. Find out how to restart your computer if you are in need of assistance.
It is possible for a computer to give the impression that it is “not on” when, in reality, it is just experiencing difficulties in reconnecting from either the Standby/Sleep or Hibernate power saving mode in Windows.
A Guide to Shutting Down Your Laptop and Making Use of an External Monitor
By depressing the power button for three to five seconds, you may turn off your computer when it is operating in a mode that conserves electricity. You should switch on your personal computer when the power has been fully turned off and check to see whether it will boot properly.
If you are fortunate enough to get a beep code, you should investigate the reason for its occurrence.
You will have a very good notion of precisely where to check for the reason of your computer going off if you have a beep code.
Perform a CMOS reset. Through the process of clearing the memory of the BIOS on your motherboard, the settings of the BIOS will be reset to their factory default values. A misconfiguration of the BIOS might be the cause of your personal computer not starting up completely.
You should make sure that any changes you make in the BIOS are done one at a time so that if the problem reappears, you will know which modification caused your issue. If clearing the CMOS does cure your problem, then you should make sure that you do this.
Check to verify that the voltage switch on the power supply is on the right setting. In the event that the voltage that is being entered into the power supply is not accurate, it is possible that your computer may not switch on entirely.
If this switch is not functioning properly, there is a strong chance that your personal computer will not turn on at all. However, if the voltage of the power supply is not calibrated correctly, it is also possible that your computer will not start up properly in this manner.
Reset everything that may be found inside your computer.
Reseating your computer will restore the numerous connections that are present inside it, and it is often a “magic” solution to issues such as this one being experienced.
Make sure that all of the wires are linked in the appropriate manner. If, for instance, the onboard video card has been deactivated, then putting a VGA connection into it will result in nothing being seen on the monitor, even if the computer is turned on. If this is the case, you will need to ensure that the VGA cable is plugged into the appropriate video card.
Do not reinstall the central processing unit (CPU) unless you have reason to believe that it may have become loose or that it was not installed correctly.
We only treat this component individually due to the fact that the likelihood of a central processing unit (CPU) becoming loose is very low and the process of installing one is delicate.
Within your computer, you should look for any indications of electrical shorts. You will need to conduct an investigation into the factors that led to those electrical shorts if you are successful in finding them.
Take a look at your power supply. It is not sufficient evidence that the power supply of your computer is operating correctly just because the fans and lights on your computer are operating. There is a tendency for the power supply unit (PSU) to create more difficulties than any other piece of hardware, and it is often the reason why the components of a computer operate selectively or infrequently.
If your power supply fails any of the tests that you do, you should replace it as soon as possible.
It is recommended that you wait five to ten minutes before turning on your personal computer after you have replaced the power supply, provided that you have done so. As a result of this delay, the CMOS battery, which may have been depleted, will have the opportunity to undergo some refilling.
It is not a good idea to omit a test of your power supply because you believe that the issue cannot be the power supply unit (PSU) since “things are getting power.” There are varied degrees of functionality that may be found in power supplies; a supply that is not entirely functioning must be replaced.
Only the most important hardware should be used to start your computer. The objective here is to eliminate as much hardware as possible while ensuring that your personal computer is still able to turn on.
For instance, unplug any peripheral devices that aren’t essential for the effective operation of your computer, such as storage devices that are linked by USB.
Continue on to Step 11 if your computer starts up properly with just the needed components installed.
Proceed to Step 12 if your computer is still not showing anything on your monitor after you have completed Step 11.
In addition to being simple enough for a beginner to do, this step does not require any specialized equipment and has the potential to provide you with a great deal of useful information. If, after completing all of the procedures that were presented before, your computer is still not turning on entirely, you should go to this step.
It is necessary to reinstall each individual piece of hardware that you removed in Step 10, one at a time, and to perform tests after each installation.
Due to the fact that your computer was switched up with just the critical hardware installed, it is imperative that those components function correctly. It seems that one of the hardware components that you removed is the root cause of your personal computer’s inability to start up correctly. You will ultimately be able to identify the hardware that was the source of your issue if you test each device after putting it back into your personal computer and then testing it again.
If you have found the hardware that is faulty, then you should replace it
Make use of a Power On Self Test card in order to examine the hardware of your computer. If your personal computer (PC) is still not showing information on your monitor despite the fact that you have installed all of the necessary computer hardware, a post-installation (POST) card may assist you in determining which piece of hardware is ultimately responsible for your computer not turning on entirely.
In the event that you do not own a post card and are not willing to acquire one, go to Step 13.
You should replace each critical piece of hardware in your computer with a spare piece of hardware that is either similar to or equal to the one you are now using. Do this one component at a time in order to identify the specific piece of hardware that could be malfunctioning. Following the replacement of each piece of hardware, conduct tests to identify the component that is faulty.
You are left in the position of not knowing which component of your critical personal computer hardware is malfunctioning if you do not have a POST card or replacement components that you may change in and out of. You have very little choice but to depend on the assistance of people or businesses that do provide these resources when you find yourself in a situation like this.
Am I at risk of my display going black if I utilize RAM?
Indeed. Without random-access memory (RAM), your computer will be unable to work, which means that when you switch it on, the display will be dark. If you believe that this is the reason for the display issue you are experiencing, you should attempt reseating the RAM or installing new ones.
When I switch on my personal computer, why does the display not get any signal?
In most cases, the cause of your monitor indicating that it does not have a signal is a cable that is either loose or defective. If your display has numerous source inputs, you should also check to make sure that you are utilizing the appropriate one.
In the event that the computer goes to sleep and then wakes up, what is the best way to repair a display that does not turn on?
It is quite possible that the display is not turning on because your computer is not coming up from sleep in the correct manner. You may attempt to wake up your computer by jiggling the mouse, pushing a key on the keyboard, or pressing the Power button in a rapid manner. It is possible to wake up the display by using the keyboard shortcuts Win+P or Ctrl+Alt+Del. This is useful in situations where the computer is awake but the monitor is still sleeping.
When the display is not visible, what are the steps to take in order to adjust the display settings in Windows?
Additionally, you have the option of activating the Narrator function, which is accessible in both Windows 11 and Windows 10. It is possible to go through the display settings with the assistance of this screen-reading application, even if you are unable to see them. By hitting the Win key, the Ctrl key, and the Enter key simultaneously, you may switch it on or off.