1. Check the power supply issues

             If there’s no power getting to your PC, it won’t start. The obvious signs of a loss pop power are that when you start it, nothing lights up and the fans don’t start.

  • If it’s a laptop, a loss of power could result from a battery that has completely run out of charge. So, the first thing to do is to plug it in and leave it to charge for a few hours. If that doesn’t work, it could mean the charger is faulty, so, if you can try a different charger. If the charger has a power indicator, check whether it lights up when you plug it in.
  • If your PC is a desktop computer and doesn’t start, check that it’s not the plug socket at fault by plugging it into a different socket. If that doesn’t work, it could be that the power supply in your PC has failed. If that’s the case, you’ll need to replace it. Before you do that, make sure that it is the power supply. If you can, remove the case and check that the power button is connected properly – a faulty button is much easier to fix than a power supply.

You should also try replacing your PC’s CMOS (or clock) battery. This tiny battery supplies power to the motherboard so that it can store BIOS settings. It’s essentially a watch battery and costs only around P25-50 replace. If your PC is more than three years old, it’s a likely cause of your PC failing to boot.

You should also check your PC’s power cable, by swapping for another one and trying again. Once you’ve ruled out the power cable, CMOS battery, and switch, and if you’re comfortable using a multimeter, you should test the power supply. If it’s faulty, have it replaced.

2. Make sure your monitor or display is functional

             If you can see that your PC has power, because the fans start up or the power lights come on, but nothing else happens, there are a couple of possible faults.

  • If you have a desktop PC connected to an external monitor, it could be the display that’s faulty. Check the power connection to the monitor and that it’s properly connected to your PC. Try disconnecting it and reconnecting it. If that doesn’t work, try connecting a different monitor, if possible. That way you’ll be able to either determine it’s the monitor’s fault, or rule it out.
  • If you have a laptop, or if you’ve ruled out the external display, it could be that your PC is in sleep mode and is having trouble waking. To check that, shut it down completely and restart from cold. To do that, hold down the power button for 5 seconds and then press it again to start your PC.

 

3. Reset memory modules and internal components

This step isn’t for the faint-hearted, especially if you have a laptop. But if you know what you’re doing, you can open the case and remove then replace memory modules, your graphics card, CPU and even disconnect and reconnect the power supply to ensure that a bad connection isn’t the cause of the problems. If you don’t feel competent enough to do it yourself, you should ask a friend or colleague or take your computer to a repair shop and ask them to do it.