Computer Won't Boot? Causes & Fixes for PC Not Turning On [Full Guide]

Do you know what to do when your computer is having one or two of the following listed symptoms:

• Computer has power but won't turn on
• Computer won't turn on or charge
• Power supply green light but the computer won't turn on
• PC won't turn on, but the motherboard light is on
• Computer won't boot up with black screen
• Computer won't turn on even though it's plugged in

When you are with this issue on your PC, stay calm and follow this quick guide to see if the issue gets resolved:

• Step 1. Shut down the computer, unplug external devices, and recharge the computer with power.
• Step 2. Reboot the computer and wait for the computer to load.

• If the computer boots up, congratulations. And you may stop here.
• If the computer still won't turn on, continue reading and find the full guide here.

Why Won't My Computer Turn On - Causes

So what is preventing your computer from booting up? Or, do you know what caused your PC unbootable? The causes of computer not turning on or won't boot could be divided into two types:

• - Physical Reasons
• - Logical Reasons

Here is a list of reasons why your computer won't turn on:

Note that it doesn't matter if you tried but failed to figure out the specific causes of why your computer isn't booting up. You can directly check the listed symptoms, follow respective tutorials to fix this error, and make your computer work normally again on your own. 

• 1. Computer Won't Turn on But Motherboard Light Is On/Plugged In
• 2. Computer Won't Boot After Windows Update or Rebuild (Dead Gaming PC) 
• 3. PC Not Turning on with BSOD + Black Screen
• 4. Dell, HP, Lenovo, ASUS/Acer Computer/Laptop Won't Turn On 

Fix 1. Computer Won't Turn on But Motherboard Light Is On/Plugged In

Applies to:

• Power supply green light but the computer won't turn on
• My computer does not turn on even though it's plugged in
• PC not turning on the motherboard has power
• Changed the power cable, but the computer is still not turning on

Suppose you restarted the computer and found the Power connection cables are fine and the power cable is correctly plugged in. In that case, your computers are probably having issues with the Power supply, battery, monitor, or virus infection.

Follow the tips below to fix this issue and reboot your PC into a healthy state:

#1. Restart PC

• Hold the power button to shut down the computer.
• Press the power button to start the computer.
• Repeat the process 3-5 times and see if your computer turns on.

If yes, stop here. If not, try the next tip.

#2. Charge Computer

• Change the plug and recharge the computer.
• Charge the computer for 10 minutes.
• Then, press the power button to see if you can boot up the computer.

If yes, stop here, and you just need to charge the computer battery to full. 

If not, take out your laptop's battery and directly plug it in to see if it works. For yes, the problem exists with the battery. For no, try the next trip.

#3. Check Motherboard Light (For Desktop)

• Plug in and charge your computer.
• Open the computer case and check if the motherboard light is blinking.

If yes, the problem is in the battery, and you just need to replace it.

If not, continue with the next tip.

#4. Check and Change Monitor

This method requires you to prepare a second healthy monitor at home or your office. Here is how to do so:

• Unplug your computer from the display monitor.
• And connect a new health monitor to your computer.
• Press the power button to see if the computer boots up.

If yes, you can stop here. And you just need to replace the problematic monitor with a new one.

If not, try the next tutorial guide.

#5. Boot Into Safe Mode and Scan Virus

• Shut down the computer and press the power button for 10 seconds.
• Turn off the computer and re-hold the power button for 10 seconds.
• Again, shut down the PC and reboot it by pressing the power button for 10 seconds.
• Repeat the process until the computer fully restarts and enters WinRE environment.
• Select "Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart".

• Sign in computer with your account and password.
• Run antivirus software to scan and remove viruses from your PC. 

Fix 2. Computer Won't Boot After Windows Update or Rebuild (Dead Gaming PC) 

If your computer happens to not turn on after installing the latest Windows update or you rebuild the computer, but it won't boot, it doesn't matter. You can also apply solutions here to fix the gaming PC won't boot issue.

Applies to: 

• Press the power button on my computer nothing happens
• Computer won't boot after Windows update.
• Computer won't boot after Windows rebuild or reinstallation.

So how do you fix Windows computer, not boot or dead gaming computer unbootable issue? Follow the methods below, and you'll revive your computer back to life:

#1. Explore BIOS and Configure BIOS Settings

Sometimes, when you install a new Windows update, but the computer is not turning on, it could be the BIOS setting issues. You can explore BIOS and configure BIOS settings:

• Press the computer power button to restart the computer and hold the F2/F8/F11 or Del key.
• Wait for the computer to enter BIOS settings.
• Go to the boot menu, confirm and set the OS drive as the boot drive.

Note that if the operating system is Windows 11, you'll also need to enable UEFI and Secure Boot Modes in BIOS:

• lGo to the Boot tab, select UEFI/BIOS Boot Mode, and configure if the boot mode is UEFI.
• If not, switch to UEFI and save the changes.

• Go to the Security tab, select the Secure Boot option, and switch the mode from Disabled to Enabled.
• Save the changes and reboot the PC.

If this doesn't work, stay close to the next method.

#2. Rebuild MBR

The other issue that may cause your computer not to turn on could be the corrupted MBR table that works to load operating system files and information. The only way is to rebuild MBR. 

Experienced Windows users can apply CMD to rebuild the MBR boot table. However, this seems to be complex for most Windows beginners. Reliable partition manager software - Qiling Partition Master stands out to help.

• Free Download
• Windows 11/10/8/7, 100% Secure

Its Rebuild MBR feature enables all levels of Windows users simply fix this issue in only a few clicks:

Step 1. Create a WinPE bootable disk

• Launch Qiling Partition Master, click "Create bootable media" on the tools page. Select to create the bootable disk on a USB drive. If your computer has a CD/DVD drive, you can also create the bootable disk to CD/DVD.
• Click "Proceed" to finish the process.

Step 2. Boot Qiling Partition Master Bootable USB

• Connect the bootable USB or CD/DVD to your PC. 
• Press F2 or Del when you restart the computer to enter the BIOS screen. Set and boot your computer from "Removable Devices" or "CD-ROM Drive". And then Qiling Partition Master will run automatically.

Step 3. Rebuild MBR

• Right-click the disk whose MBR is damaged. Choose "Fix Boot" to continue.
• Select the type of MBR with the current operating system.

• Click the "Proceed" to build the MBR. After that, your computer can boot normally again.

#3. Roll Back a Problematic Windows Update

When you get a buggy Windows update, such as an unstable Windows 11 update, you can roll back a problematic update to an earlier build with the guidelines here:

• Go to Windows settings, click "System > Recovery". 
• Click "Go Back" under Reset this PC section.
• Answer these questions: "Why are you going back" "Check for updates?" "What you need to know" "Don't get locked out".

• Click "Go back to an earlier build".

Follow the onscreen guide to complete the process.

#4. Reinstall Windows

When the rolling back method doesn't work well, you can also reinstall Windows to get rid of the computer won't boot issue after Windows update or rebuild:

• Download Windows 11 or Windows 10 ISO files.
• Create a Windows installation creation media to an empty USB (8GB or bigger).
• Reboot the PC from the USB by setting the bootable USB as a boot drive in BIOS.
• Enable UEFI and safe boot mode if you need to install Windows 11. 
• Once the PC boots up, select to choose USB flash drive as the media to use.
• Click "Install Now", configure the product key, version, language, etc.
• Follow the on-screen guidelines to finish installing Windows.

Fix 3. PC Not Turning on with BSOD + Black Screen

Another typical symptom of a computer that won't boot is the BSOD error. It seems like nothing happens after you boot up the computer.

Applies to: 

• My computer turns on but the screen is black.
• Reboot the computer but nothing happens
• Computer is not turning on with BSOD error

When you get a black screen of death error after rebooting the PC, you can first revert to the methods in Fix 1 and get rid of some battery, power supply, or monitor issues.

If the BSOD error still exists, you can then apply these methods here: 

#1. Reset Hardware 

• Unplug all connected storage devices and reboot the PC.
• Press F2/F8/F11 to enter the BIOS settings. 
• Go to "Save and Exit" section, click "Load Optimized Default".
• Save the changes and exit BIOS to reboot the PC.

#2. Check the Beep - Loading Sound

• Reboot the PC and check the beep sounds coming from the motherboard.

• - Single beep indicates that everything is alright.
• - Long continuous beeps mean that the power supply is not stable or wrong.
• - Series of short and long beeps means that the computer might have serious problems.

• For the single beep, just reboot your computer.
• For long and continuous beeps, check power cables and recharge your computer.
• For short and long beeps, shut down your computer and take it to a local repair center for further checks.

#3. Check and Fix Corrupted Hard Drive

When a computer hard drive contains corrupted file system errors or bad sectors, it may be unable to boot. To fix this issue, you can check disk errors with the Scan Disk feature in Windows:

• Reboot the PC several times with the Power Button to enter the Safe Mode.

You may follow this guide to boot PC into Safe Mode. 

• Open Windows File Explorer, right-click the problematic drive, and select "Properties".
• Go to the Tools tab, and click "Check" under Error-checking.
• Click "Scan drive" or "Scan and fix" to fix all corrupted file systems on the drive.

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#4. Upgrade and Migrate OS to New Disk

The most serious problem could be Windows computer won't boot issue caused by a probelmatic hard drive issue. When a hard drive contains too many bad sectors, corrupted file system errors, or other unknown mistakes, the computer may not be able to access and boot the operating system from it. 

In this case, you'll need to migrate and migrate the OS to a new disk. Here is the complete process of upgrading the OS to a new disk guide on a computer that won't boot:

1. Install a New Hard Drive or SSD

• Prepare a new hard drive or SSD that is equal to or bigger than the used space on the old OS disk.
• Install the SSD or HDD to the computer.  

2. Create WinPE Bootable Disk with Qiling Partition Master

• Free Download
• Windows 11/10/8/7, 100% Secure

Step 1. To create a bootable disk of Qiling Partition Master, you should prepare a storage media, like a USB drive, flash drive or a CD/DVD disc. Then, correctly connect the drive to your computer.

Step 2. Launch Qiling Partition Master, find the "WinPE Creator" feature on the top. Click on it.

Step 3. You can choose the USB or CD/DVD when the drive is available. However, if you do not have a storage device at hand, you can also save the ISO file to a local drive, and later burn it to a storage media. Once made the option, click the "Proceed" button to begin.

When the process finishes, you have successfully created an Qiling Partition Master WinPE bootable disk. Now, you can manage your hard disks and partitions through the bootable drive whenever the computer fails to boot normally.

If you have RAID drives, load the RAID driver first by clicking Add Driver from the menu bar, which can help you add the driver of your device under WinPE environment, as some specific device cannot be recognized under WinPE environment without drivers installed, such as RAID or some specific hard disk.

3. Boot PC from Qiling Partition Master WinPE Bootable Disk

• Press the computer power button and hold the F2/F8/F11 or Del key to enter BIOS.
• Set the computer to boot from the bootable disk.
• Wait for Qiling Partition Master to boot up.
• Right-click the new disk and select "Initialize Disk" and set it as them as your OS disk - MBR or GPT.

4. Upgrade and Migrate OS to New Disk

Now, you can migrate Windows OS to the new disk with the help of Qiling Partition Master.

Steps to migrate OS to HDD/SSD:

• Run Qiling Partition Master, select Migrate OS from the top menu.
• Select the SSD or HDD as the destination disk and click Next.
• Check Warning: the data and partitions on the target disk will be deleted. Make sure that you've backed up important data in advance. If not, do it now.
• Then click Continue.
• Preview the layout of your target disk. Then click Proceed to start migrating your OS to a new disk

Note: The operation of migrating OS to SSD or HDD will delete and remove existing partitions and data on your target disk when there is not enough unallocated space on the target disk. If you saved important data there, back up them to an external hard drive in advance.

5. Set New Disk as Boot Drive and Make Computer Bootable

• When the OS Migration process completes, close Qiling Partition Master and shut down the PC.
• Reboot the PC and enter the BIOS settings. 
• Go to the Boot menu and set the new disk as the boot drive.
• Save the changes and reboot your PC.

Now, all you need is just to wait for the process to complete. Your computer would be able to boot up again with everything on the desktop.

Troubleshooting: Dell, HP, Lenovo, ASUS/Acer Computer/Laptop Won't Turn On 

On this page, we explained the possible logical and physical reasons why your computer won't turn on, and we provided multiple fixes for different issues:

• 1. Computer Won't Turn on But Motherboard Light Is On/Plugged In
• 2. Computer Won't Boot After Windows Update or Rebuild (Dead Gaming PC) 
• 3. PC Not Turning on with BSOD + Black Screen

If these issues happen to occur on your Dell, HP, Lenovo, ASUS, Acer, or other brands of computers, you can all revert back to the respective tutorial guide and fix the problem on your own.

To sum up, here are some normal fixes that you can try toward Windows computer not turning on the issue:

• Check Power Supply
• Replace CMOS Battery
• Fix Overheating
• Check Monitor
• Scan Malware or Virus
• Set Safe Mode
• Unplug External Devices
• Check or Replace with a New Hard Drive

Here are other two troubleshooting tutorials that you can follow to fix your computer not booting error:

Troubleshooting 1: Boot Device Not Found

Error Cause: The bootable storage device is not detected or not enabled.

Fixes:

• Check BIOS Settings and Boot Order
• Reset Primary Partition as Active
• Check Internal Hard Drive Status
• Create Windows Bootable Media

Step-By-Step Guide: How to Fix a No Bootable Devices Found Error

Troubleshooting 2: Your PC Ran Into a Problem and Needs to Restart

Error Cause: 

• Changes in Registry
• Corrupted system files
• Problematic driver
• Virus or malware infection
• Loosen hard drive connection
• Improper shutdown of the system

Fixes: 

• Boot into Safe Mode
• Check Disk error
• Extend C drive
• Check System Log
• Perform System Restore
• Restore Registry Configuration

Step-By-Step Guide: 10+ Fixes for Your PC Ran Into A Problem in Windows 11/10

If your problem gets resolved here, congratulations. Also, it doesn't matter if you tried all solutions on this page but your computer is still not turning on.

Our technical support team also supports fixing PC not turning on the issue with customized services. Please visit our remote assistant page and request online support. Our tech support team will be ready to help anytime.

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