/ Laptop Won’t Start

Laptop Won’t Start

My laptop won’t start. I turn it on and it starts to start up and you can hear the fan and then it goes down and the power lights flashes off and on and the fan goes out. Can you help? I tried loading the recover disk and it acts like it is going to start running than just stops. Nothing comes up on screen. Celeste Stewart

Common Laptop Startup Issues

Unfortunately, a number of issues could be preventing your laptop from starting up ranging from power supply problems, bad connections, or failed hardware such as the motherboard, video card, or hard drive. The trick is to figure out what is causing the problem and then addressing that issue.

Power / Battery Problems

Let’s take a look at the power supply itself. Are all of the cords secure? Does the power light on the “brick” turn on? Have you tried using a different electrical outlet? You can also try powering on the computer with the battery fully removed. If the laptop powers on with the battery removed, then the battery may be bad or interfering with startup somehow.

You may want to do a “laptop reset” at this point as well. With the laptop off, its battery removed, and the power cord plugged in, press and hold the power button for a full 60 seconds. This “resets” the laptop by clearing any retained power within the computer that could be interfering with startup.

Bad Connections

Bad connections can also cause startup failures. For example, if the internal power connector is loose, then the laptop will have power problems. It could be a faulty switch or a connector that needs to be soldered to the motherboard. Similarly, connections to video cards or even the hard drive could be to blame. Inspecting the internal components of a laptop is trickier than opening up a desktop’s computer case. Inspection ports are usually located on the bottom of a laptop though these do little to address components hidden under the keyboard. This is best left to an experienced computer technician.

Failed Hardware

Another common cause of laptop startup errors is failed hardware including the motherboard, hard drive, or video card.

In short, if resetting the laptop doesn’t revive it, a trip to the computer repair shop is your best bet. Technicians can try a different AC adapter, check for loose connections, and test your hardware.