Introduce the topic of laptop problems and how they can be fixed.
You press the power button on your laptop... and nothing happens.
There
are few more frustrating technological hiccups than when your laptop
won’t turn on. However, you don’t have to resign yourself to the idea
that your laptop has met an untimely death. We’ll show you some ways to
assess what’s wrong and fix it.
If
your laptop won’t power up, a faulty power supply, failed hardware, or a
malfunctioning screen could be to blame [1]. In many cases, you may be
able to resolve the problem yourself by ordering replacement parts or
adjusting your laptop’s configuration.
1. Check the power supply and battery
If
your HP laptop won’t turn on even when plugged in, start by checking
the power supply. There are quite a few issues you could have with the
power supply.
For
example, the problem could be as simple as having the wrong charging
cord which means you aren’t getting the proper voltage, or it could be
that the power supply has failed [2].
1. To test if the power supply is the issue, completely remove your
laptop battery. 2. Then, plug your laptop into a functioning outlet.
3. First, confirm the outlet is functioning properly by plugging another device into it - if it works, the issue isn’t the outlet.
4. If you can power on your laptop without the battery installed, the issue isn’t the power supply, it’s your battery.
5. You’ll need to buy a new one but, in the meantime, you can simply use AC power only.
6.
It’s perfectly fine to use your laptop without the battery installed,
it just means you’ll always have to be plugged into an outlet to use it.
CMOS battery
One
other possible solution to test out is to replace the CMOS battery
which stores the BIOS settings in the motherboard [3]. This is
especially true if you're running an older laptop that is off a lot or
used with the main battery removed. A new CMOS battery is very
budget-friendly to replace.
Pro tip:
Make sure that the cables are all properly connected. This might seem
simple and obvious but most issues with a laptop that won’t turn on stem
from a power supply issue. A loose or unplugged power cable means your
computer isn’t getting the juice it needs to run.
2. Diagnose screen issues
If your power supply is working, you will need to troubleshoot further.
1. First,
disconnect all of your nonessential external display devices like
projectors and monitors to make sure they’re not interfering with the
startup processes of your laptop.
2. If
the power button is lit and you can hear fans or noises but there isn’t
an image being displayed, turn out the lights to see if there’s an
image being displayed very faintly.
3. If there is a very faint image once the lights are off, the screen’s inverter has failed and you’ll need to replace it [4].
4. Alternatively, your brightness button may be broken.
If
your laptop starts up but there isn’t an image, the LCD panel could be
broken. It’s not impossible to fix a broken screen, you can read our
article here about how to do so. But if your laptop is an older model it
might make more sense to simply replace your entire laptop.
3. Remove all devices from your laptop
If you have left a memory card, DVD, or USB drive in your notebook, this could be a reason why your laptop doesn’t power on.
It
might be getting “stuck” because the BIOS may be trying to boot from a
removable storage device. Remove all USB drives and other devices and
try to boot up your computer.
4. Use a rescue disc
A
rescue disc allows you to boot your computer and fix any issues you may
be having with a Windows operating system [5]. If a virus is the
culprit behind your computer problems, the rescue disc will find it via
scanning tools so you can remove the offending malware.
5. Boot in safe mode
If
your HP laptop won’t turn on you might still be able to get your laptop
working in safe mode [6]. Safe mode allows you to uninstall new
programs or drivers that could be affecting your laptop. It also allows
you to create a new user account if your original account has been
corrupted.
6. Check hardware
The
last step when diagnosing power issues is to check your hardware. If
you’ve recently installed hardware like a new RAM kit, that could be the
cause of your boot issues. Remove and reinstall your new hardware and
try to boot again.
Unfortunately,
sometimes the hardware in your laptop such as your hard drive simply
fails and there is no easy fix. If you hear a clicking noise or the
drive spinning but then powering down, this is a telltale sign your hard
drive has failed [7]. In most cases, this means you’ll need to simply
replace your hard drive.
In instances like this, it is smart to have an
external hard drive so you can back up any files you may need.
Diagnose, repair, or replace
Answering
the question, “Why won’t my laptop turn on?” might seem intimidating to
figure out at first. Laptops make our lives more convenient by
providing us with mobile computing options that fit any lifestyle.
But
if you rely on a laptop for your work, school, and daily multitasking,
any major issue can throw a wrench in your productivity.
If
you find that your laptop won’t turn on, don’t panic. It’s likely a
power supply issue that you can troubleshoot and fix. Even if it’s a
more complicated issue, there are still budget-friendly ways to test and
assess the problem.
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