What will YOU do when your computer won’t boot?
I’m sure that like me, you use your computer for many different reasons such as: listening to music, watching movies, checking email, working, and more. When Windows won’t boot, it seems like your whole life flashes before your eyes!
I’ve combined six of the most common problems that can cause your computer to not boot. Try these steps each time you experience this problem with your computer(s):
1.) Check your adapter or power cord
When Windows won’t boot, I always check the power cord located at the back of the computer (desktops). When my laptop won’t boot up, I always look at the power adapter first, to make sure the connection is correct both at the wall and at the cable from the wall that plugs into the unit. You may be thinking… “DUH”, but you wouldn’t believe the vast majority of people who have computers that won’t boot simply due to a loose cable! Once you have verified that power is flowing to your PC, you can proceed to check the following.
2.) Check the voltage switch on your power supply
Another possibility to troubleshoot when Windows won’t boot is to check the voltage of the power supply unit. The power supplies have voltage switches that can be changed to the appropriate voltage for your region of the planet. For example, here in North America, we use the 115V option, while in and around Europe, you must use the 230V option.
Believe it or not, I’ve seen several instances where a customer contacts us to “repair” their computer, only to find that ONE minute after arriving at the person’s location, the power switch needs to be changed! voltage and nothing else! Always be sure to check that switch on your power adapter (laptops) or power supply (desktops), before proceeding with troubleshooting.
3.) Are you seeing something on the monitor?
The first thing you naturally do when troubleshooting a computer problem is look at the monitor. Let’s get a little more involved in paying attention to the monitor (or screen), in this case. Do you see anything at all on the monitor or is it “black”? Do you see the “power light” lighting up? Is it blinking? Is it green or amber?
NOTE: A blinking power light on a monitor indicates several things that are not limited to: the monitor is in hibernate/sleep mode, is disconnected from video output, or has the wrong resolution set. Would you guess a lot of people complain that Windows won’t boot, only to find out that the monitor wasn’t turned on or connected to the computer properly?
In short, always pay attention to the clues your monitor may be giving you when troubleshooting.
4.) Do you hear or see fans spinning or lights flickering?
When you turn on your computer, are any of the fans spinning? Is the hard drive activity light on the computer blinking to show activity? If you notice no fans spinning and no hard drive movement (which you can hear or verify by looking at the drive activity light on your PC), you may have a hardware-related issue or problem. with your power connection (cord/adaptor), or your surge protector, or your AC outlet (or a combination of all of these).
Before you panic that Windows won’t start, check your power cables first, as they are usually the reason why computers won’t turn on properly. When your PC has no fan movement, it doesn’t make sounds and otherwise won’t boot; there is a hardware problem that should be inspected by a professional or experienced technician to prevent further damage.
5.) Pay close attention to the beeps (pretty loud)
When you have problems with your computer that are detected by the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System), there will be a series of beeps immediately after you turn on your PC. Beep codes vary in the intervals and duration of the beeps, but any beep that does not occur normally (such as a quick beep on startup), ALWAYS means a hardware problem that needs to be fixed.
Common reasons for hearing these beeps can include (but are not limited to):
- Bad memory (RAM)
- an overheated computer
- A processor (CPU) that is going bad or has already failed
- Incompatible BIOS settings (Setup menu settings)
- Additional card(s) that need to be connected more (video cards)
A general rule of thumb is to be on the lookout for any beeps when you turn on your computer. You’ll only hear “trouble beeps” when there’s a problem that needs to be fixed, so make sure you don’t drop or misplace your computer’s owner’s manual (or motherboard owner’s manual); It will come in handy when you need help deciphering those dreaded beeps!
6.) Does your computer turn on but not load Windows properly?
Shortly after turning on your computer, do you see any logos? All computers go through a POST; also known as Power On Self Test, when they start. At this stage, a computer detects all the necessary hardware to function, as well as other checks to ensure proper operation. During POST, you can usually only see a logo and text on the screen, usually in multiple colors or blank. If you get to this screen, your computer is at least booting – CONGRATULATIONS!
If your PC does not get past the POST screen and gets “stuck” before, after, or during the Windows logo display, it has started but Windows has not loaded. If your computer restarts, shuts down, freezes on a black or gray screen, or BSODs (blue screens), your problem is software (Windows) related and not necessarily hardware related. When a computer has a software problem, an experienced person can usually fix it, without having to order expensive hardware.
Did you know that if you have a Windows Vista or Windows 7 installation disc, you can run “Startup Repair” if you experience this problem? Also, if you have Windows XP, there is a “repair installation” feature that will allow you to easily repair your computer to load Windows successfully. If you don’t have the installation disk for your operating system, you can either borrow one or have an experienced person look at it to figure out the problem.