Why does my laptop not turn on?
If your laptop does not turn on, even when it’s plugged in, you could have an issue with the video card, motherboard, power supply, battery, or RAM, which prevent the laptop to turn on or even boot when powered on. Also, there may be a problem with an internal component.
You should start with the basics when your laptop does not turn on. There are various things that you can try to overcome the problem, such as Check the Power Cord, Watch Out for Overheating, check out the Connections and Battery to make sure the connection hasn’t come loose. If your laptop still will not switch on, follow the troubleshooting steps below to figure out what might be causing it to turn off.
Disconnect all devices connected to your laptop, such as a mouse or a USB thumb drive, before beginning the troubleshooting processes.
Connect the power cable
You can connect the AC adapter if your laptop is exclusively powered by battery, connecting AC adapter may cure the problem; although, this may seem apparent. Make sure the adapter is not loose, and it is connected correctly on both ends securely. Your laptop battery is defective or dead if the laptop begins work with the adapter plugged in.
Check AC adapter and power port for a bent pin
At the end of some AC adapter, a pin is included that is plugged into the laptop. Ensure that the adapter’s connector is plugged correctly into the laptop and the pin is not bent or broken. If it is like, power is not moving to the laptop from the AC adapter; therefore, you need to replace the AC adapter to resolve the issue.
Also, inside the power port, some laptops contain a pin that creates a strong connection to the AC adapter. If this pin is broken or bent, the laptop cannot get any power and will not turn on. In this situation, you are required to replace or repair the power port on the laptop to solve the problem. However, you may also need to replace the full motherboard on the basis of the type of laptop.
Disconnect from the docking station
Disconnect the docking station, also known as a universal port replicator, from the laptop and attach the power cord straight to the laptop. Then you should attempt to turn the laptop on.
Watch out for overheating
Internal thermal protection is included with most laptop processors that led to turning off the laptop. Until the system gets cools down, it will not turn on again. If you are using the laptop on a soft surface like on a bed or pillow where its vents can be blocked, ensure that the computer’s vents are not blocked. Also, make sure that the hot air is being displaced properly. A laptop could have a faulty fan if it is not venting correctly; you may need to replace this fan. Examine if your laptop is getting hot first; let the laptop cool down properly, then try to turn it on. Once your laptop cooled down and turns back on, there are most likely chances to have an overheating problem with this laptop.
Remove and reconnect the battery
Many laptop manufacturers are designing the laptop in a way that they do not allow the users to remove the batteries from the laptop. If you have a laptop that does not have a replaceable battery, you can go ahead to the following section.
Check the power connector on the laptop when you have ruled out a faulty power supply. Over the time, power connector can be loose and stop working. Remove the battery and disconnect the power cable from the laptop, then try to switch it on with only the power supply connected. If your laptop turns on without the battery, there is a problem with the battery. As a result, you should replace the battery to ensure that it charges and powers up properly. Also, after removing the battery, leave both the power cable and battery disconnected from the laptop for a while. After that, replace the battery in the laptop, attach the power code, and attempt turning it on.
Drain the computer of electricity
Sometimes, the laptop does not turn on due to a residual electrical charge, which can be thought of as an “electricity clog.” You can effectively drain your laptop of any electricity with the help of following the below steps and can start over; consequently, it powering up.
- Unplug the AC adapter and, if possible, remove the laptop’s battery.
- In order to drain any residual power from the laptop, you need to hold down the power button for thirty seconds.
- Now, plug the AC adapter back into the laptop without replacing the battery. There is a need to focus if you have a laptop from which you cannot remove the battery, still plug in the AC adapter.
- To turn on the laptop, press the power button and make sure it starts up correctly.
- Next, turn off the laptop normally if the laptop powers on.
- If you had removed the battery form the laptop, connect the battery back to the laptop again.
- Then, turn on the laptop, and ensure that it boots properly.
Unplugging USB drives or memory cards
Ensure that everything is correct with the screen and power supply; if it is not ok, the laptop may be encountering problems or getting stuck before it loads Windows.
A USB drive or memory card is a classic culprit, which is inserted into a card reader or USB port. Generally, an error message will be shown on display like “Operating system not found,” which causes unnecessary panic. The BIOS is usually set to try starting from external USB devices first, rather than the internal storage drives. It might also be a CD or DVD disc; thus, double-check those as well.
Check for faulty or incompatible hardware
If you have followed all the above-suggested troubleshooting steps, you are still unable to turn on your laptop; the issue may be in your laptop’s hardware. There are most chances to be faulty a processor or motherboard. Unluckily, determining the reason for the laptop not working needs more in-depth troubleshooting. After finding the culprit hardware, you are required to repair or replace than specific hardware.
Although you can go to a computer repair shop to repair your laptop, they can overcome your problem or replace the defective hardware as required. You can, however, contact the laptop’s manufacturer for assistance in repairing the defective hardware.