My Laptop Won’t Turn On – 10 Ways to Fix It

Do you have a laptop that isn’t turning on? Don’t worry; you’re not alone, and there are ways to get it on again in no time!

It might happen to anyone. You press the power button of your laptop, but it just refuses to turn on even after multiple attempts. This can be frustrating, especially when you are at work and need your laptop to get started urgently. If you are facing such an issue, you don’t have to assume the worst that your laptop is dead and there is nothing you can do.

This is a common issue with laptops, and there are several ways to fix it. In this blog post, we will discuss the possible causes and some of the most common ways to fix laptop won’t turn on issue. We will also provide some tips on preventing this from happening in the future.

Why My Laptop Won’t Turn On

The reason why your laptop won’t turn on can vary from software-related issues to hardware problems. It is important to understand the cause of this issue before you start troubleshooting it. Some of the most common causes for laptops not turning on are:

• Low Battery: The laptop might not be turning on because it doesn’t have enough charge in the battery to start.
• Damaged Battery: It might be possible that the battery of your laptop is damaged due to overheating or overcharging.
• Bad Power Socket: The power socket might be damaged due to wear and tear.
• Loose Connections: Another possible cause could be loose connections, either at the power outlet or on the laptop itself.
• Drained CMOS Battery: The CMOS is the laptop component that stores system settings and information. If its battery runs low on power, your laptop might not be able to turn on.
• Overheating: Some laptops may shut down automatically if they get too hot. This could be due to dust accumulation inside the laptop, blocking its cooling fan.
• Corrupted Firmware: A corrupted operating system or BIOS can also cause the laptop to not start correctly.
• Corrupted Software: Another possible cause is corrupted software or applications. This can occur due to malware infection, viruses, or other malicious activity.
• Damaged Internal Hardware Component: It is possible that one or more of the internal components, such as the hard drive or RAM of your laptop, are damaged, causing it to not start.
• External Hardware Conflict: An external hardware device, such as a projector, connected to the laptop could be causing a conflict, resulting in your laptop not turning on.
• Display Issues: It is also possible that the display of your laptop has gone bad, resulting in not being able to see anything on the screen.

Now that you know the possible causes of why your laptop won’t turn on, let’s take a look at some ways to fix it.

How to Fix Laptop Won’t Turn On?

Now that we have discussed the possible causes let’s look at some of the ways you can fix this issue and get your laptop running again.

Disclaimer: Be aware that opening up your laptop may void its warranty, so proceed with caution and at your own risk. It is recommended to take professional help if you are not sure about what to do. The writer of this article will not be responsible for any damages caused due to following the instructions mentioned in this article.

Fix 1: Check the Power Outlet

The first thing you should do is check the power outlet. Make sure that it is providing adequate power to your laptop and that all the connections are secure. To ensure that the power outlet is the issue, plug in any other device, like a lamp or fan, and check if it turns on. If the other device works fine with the same power outlet, then you can be sure that the power outlet is not causing the issue.

Fix 2: Check the Battery

If the power outlet is working correctly, it could be a problem with the battery of your laptop. Make sure that the battery has enough charge to start up and is not damaged in any way.

To check if the battery is the issue, follow these steps:

1. Remove the battery from your laptop socket.
2. Plug the laptop directly into the power supply using the charger.
3. Check if the laptop is turned on.
4. If that is the case, the problem is with the battery.

If you suspect the battery might be damaged, replace it with a new one. It is recommended to purchase batteries from the official store only.

Fix 3: Check the Laptop Charger

If the power outlet and battery are in working order, then it is possible that your laptop battery might have drained out. In that case, you need to charge the battery to get your laptop up and running. However, if your laptop charger is not working, you cannot charge the battery.

So, check if your laptop charger is working correctly by plugging it into another device and seeing if it turns on. If not, replace the charger with a new one from the official store.

Fix 4: Change CMOS Battery

CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) is a type of memory that stores configuration settings, such as BIOS settings and time/date information. If the CMOS battery is not working correctly, it can cause your laptop to not turn on.

If the power outlet, battery, and charger are all working correctly, then it is possible that the CMOS battery is drained. Replacing this battery can solve the issue and get your laptop working again. To fix this issue, you will need to open up your laptop and change the CMOS battery with a new one. CMOS battery is easily available in any laptop repair shop or online platform such as Amazon.

If you want to change the CMOS battery on your own, here are the steps for that:

Note: If you are not tech-savvy or amateur with computers, it is recommended to take the help of experts as the following steps are too technical, and even a minor mistake can be fatal for your laptop.

1. Remove the battery of your laptop and start unscrewing the screws of the back cover using a screwdriver.
2. After unscrewing the screws, carefully detach the back cover using a scale or similar object.
3. Look for the CMOS battery panel at the corner of the motherboard area.
4. Carefully remove the current CMOS battery from its slot. Remember to be very careful as the slot is fragile, and you may break it.
5. After removing the battery, leave the slot empty for 15-20 minutes.
6. Now, after the break, insert the new CMOS battery, and screw the back cover properly.
7. Power your system and check if the laptop is turned on.

Fix 5: Check for Dust Accumulation

If the CMOS battery is not the issue, then it could be possible that dust has accumulated inside your laptop, blocking its cooling fan. This causes overheating and can eventually lead to your laptop not turning on.

To check if this is the issue, follow these steps:

Note: If you are not tech-savvy or amateur with computers, it is recommended to take the help of experts as the following steps are too technical, and even a minor mistake can be fatal for your laptop.

1. Open up your laptop and clean any dust that has accumulated inside it using a soft brush or canned air.
2. Make sure to disconnect the power cable before opening up the laptop to avoid any electric shock.
3. Once you have cleaned the dust out of your laptop, plug it back in and try turning it on.

Fix 6: Plug Out External Hardware Components

Sometimes, external hardware components such as a USB drive, a projector, an HDMI device, or an external GPU can prevent your laptop from turning on. It is because of a power overload at the time of booting. Also, one or more of the connected hardware components might be incompatible with the laptop.

Therefore, try disconnecting all of your external hardware components and then plugging them back in one by one. This should solve the issue, and you can use your laptop again without any problems.

Fix 7: Reset BIOS Settings

If none of the above methods works, then resetting the BIOS settings of your laptop might be the only solution. To reset BIOS settings, you will need to open up your laptop and locate the CMOS battery. Disconnect this battery for a few minutes and reconnect it again. This should clear all of your stored settings and get your laptop working again.

Fix 8: Hard Reset Your Laptop

Another way to solve the laptop won’t turn on issue is by performing a hard reset. This will restore your laptop settings to the factory defaults and clear any errors that may be causing the problem. To do this, you will need to follow these steps:

1. Power off your laptop and carefully remove the battery.
2. Remove all of the external hardware components from your laptop and disconnect the laptop charger.
3. Now press and hold down the power button for about 15-30 seconds to completely drain out any electricity (residual electric charge) inside the laptop.
4. Insert the battery in the laptop and reconnect the charger. DO NOT connect any external peripherals right now.
5. Press the power button to turn your laptop on.
6. The laptop will be turned on, and you will see the manufacturer’s logo (in this case HP).
7. Finally, you will get the option to Start Windows Normally.

Note: If your laptop has a non-removable battery, then also you can follow the above steps, except you don’t have to remove the battery by any means. However, since the battery is un-detachable, it might take a longer time to drain the power of the laptop.

Fix 9: Ensure It’s Not a Display Issue

Sometimes, it is possible that the laptop turns on, but there is no image display on the screen. Such a situation can be caused due to an issue with connecting cables or a faulty graphics card. To ensure this is not the case, try connecting an external monitor/TV and see if it displays any images. If it does, you will need to get a new screen for your laptop.

If the external monitor/TV also doesn’t display any images, there could be an issue with your graphics card or motherboard. In such cases, it is recommended that you take the help of experts to diagnose and fix the problem.

Fix 10: Get Professional Help

If all these steps fail, it could be a hardware issue with your laptop, like faulty components or bad connections. In that case, you need to take your laptop to a professional repair shop and get it professionally checked out. It is also important to keep in mind that prevention is the best way to avoid such issues in the future. So make sure to take proper care of your laptop and use it with caution.

Summing Up

If your laptop won’t turn on, there could be several possible reasons. The best way to solve this issue is by following the steps mentioned in this article. However, if none of them works, you will have to take professional help from a repair shop near you or from the official service center of your laptop manufacturer. Make sure to keep proper care of your laptop and use it with caution to avoid such issues in the future.

Finally, it is imperative to take the utmost care while working on your laptop yourself and use caution at all times. It is not recommended to open up or tinker with your laptop unless you are a professional who knows how to handle such things safely. Also, if you are not sure about any steps mentioned in this article, it is best to get professional help instead of trying to do something which could end up damaging your laptop permanently.

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