Computer won't turn on: the 5-minute checklist
Dead laptop or desktop? Power, display and reset checks that rule out the simple stuff, and what the symptoms tell a technician.
Last updated 2026-06-12 · 4 minute read · Applies to: Windows laptop, MacBook, Desktop PC, iMac
'Won't turn on' is actually three different problems: no power at all, powers on but no display, or starts then dies. Five minutes of checks tells you which one you have, and gets you a much faster diagnosis when it does need the bench.
1. Prove the power path
Different power point, different cable/charger if you have one, and remove any power board from the chain. Laptops: charge 30 minutes before judging; a deeply flat battery shows nothing at first. Look for *any* sign of life: charge LED, fan twitch, keyboard backlight.
2. Separate 'no power' from 'no display'
Fans spinning, lights on, maybe a chime, but a black screen? That's a display/graphics problem, not a power one. Shine a torch at the screen on an angle: if you can faintly see the desktop, it's a backlight fault. Tell us which; it changes the diagnosis entirely.
3. Do the reset that fixes more than it should
Laptops: hold the power button 15–30 seconds, then try again. Intel MacBooks: SMC reset (hold Shift+Control+Option+power 10s). Apple Silicon: hold power 10s. Desktops: unplug, hold power 15s, replug. This clears wedged power states, a surprisingly common cure.
4. Strip it back to basics
Unplug every accessory: USB drives, hubs, external displays, even the mouse. A shorted USB device can hold a whole machine in a dead state. Desktops: re-seat the video cable and confirm the monitor input source.
5. Note the symptoms and bring it in
What happens when you press power (nothing / lights / fan-spin-then-stop / logo-then-restart) is exactly what we need to know. With that, boot troubleshooting is faster to diagnose. Quick quotes are free, and if bench diagnostics are needed, the fee is rolled into the repair when you go ahead.
Warning: Liquid: don't keep trying to power it. That's water damage first aid territory; the same rules apply to laptops. Storm/surge: unplug it and mention the storm at assessment; surge damage has its own pattern.
Frequently asked questions
It starts, shows the logo, then restarts forever. Same problem?
That's a boot loop, usually software or a failing drive rather than power. Don't reinstall anything if there's data you care about; we can usually save it first.
Is a dead machine's data gone?
Almost never. The drive usually outlives whatever killed the machine. Data recovery onto a new machine or drive is one of our most common jobs.
Is it worth fixing or should I replace it?
Depends what failed. A dead charger or power circuit on a good machine: fix it. A failed board on a 9-year-old budget laptop: we'll tell you straight, and can move your data to whatever's next.
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