A broken computer can mean many things.

However, unless you have dropped your laptop and completely shattered it, you could often fix it yourself.

your rig can stop working due to many reasons.

what to do when computer wont turn on

Here’s how to diagnose your system to determine the cause and fix the problem.

Laptop Wont Turn On

Press the power button, and nothing happened?

For a laptop, verify if it has enough charge to power on.

laptop being charged in a slanted position.

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Almost all the OEMs equip their laptops with a power indicator.

So, check the indicator to determine if your laptop is charging.

In a rear instance, you may see the power indicator blinking.

CMOS battery replacement

see to it the power button is lit and disconnect all the external devices connected to your machine.

If you hear fan noise, use the dedicated brightness keys on your keyboard to increase the brightness.

If the issue persists,connect your laptop to an external displayif available.

diagnose-hard-drive

Assuming the laptop is powered on, hit the space bar and punch in the credentials to get in.

Next, press theFn + F4 functionkey four times to switch the image fromPC Screen OnlytoSecond Screen Only.

If your external display shows an image, you may have a faulty display to repair.

check for hardware issues

That said, some display-related symptoms may require professional help, especially if your setup is still under warranty.

For a laptop, check your unit’s battery health.

Manufacturers like Lenovo allow you to analyze battery health through proprietary software.

If the CPU overheats, your system will shut down automatically to prevent further damage to internal components.

Related:How to Clean Your Desktop PC

3.

Check CMOS Battery and PSU

On older systems, the CMOS battery is a common cause of power issues.

High-pitched noise and ozone smell are usually a sign of your PSU going kaput.

If you have a substitute known-good unit available, use it and find out if the problem disappears.

Diagnose Hard Drive Failure

It is unlikely that your hard drive will fail without any signs.

If not, check the SATA and power cable connections to the drive and the motherboard.

Try connecting the hard disk to another computer.

you’ve got the option to use an external SATA-to-USB adapter to connect the drive.

Next, download a storage testing software such asHDDScanand scan for errors.

If it works there, you may have other hardware, such as a faulty motherboard to deal with.

If you determine the hard drive has failed and it is under warranty, communicate with the manufacturer.

Some companies can help you retrieve data from a dead hard drive and transfer it to the replacement drive.

A faulty keyboard can have many reasons, and on older devices, largely a hardware failure.

Refer to ourguide to troubleshoot and fix laptop keyboards.

Corrupt touch rig drivers and incorrect touchpad parameters are the common causes for this problem.

Refer to ourlaptop trackpad troubleshooting guideto diagnose and fix touchpad-related issues.

Often, bad software and faulty hardware can trigger these errors.

Since there are multiple versions of stop error, it does not have a go-to solution.

Additionally, look for corrupted unit drivers and faulty Windows upgrades that may have triggered the error.

Fortunately, dealing with a blue screen error is easier than it seems.

you might explore our comprehensive guide ontroubleshooting the blue screen of death error in Windowsfor more resources.

Check for Other Hardware Issues

If none of these troubleshooting steps worked, look for potential hardware issues.

If you have recently installed hardware like a RAM kit, remove it and check for any improvements.

Major issues with the motherboard can render your PC useless and often require a replacement.

Most computers come with a one-year warranty and optional extended warranty.

Reach out to your gear maker via call or email to get repair assistance.

The warranty, in most cases, cover damage to the internal hardware not brought on by the owner.

Most computer manufacturers have an online knowledge base to help users troubleshoot common computer errors.

Try all the steps in the article before you decide to take your box for service.