Student-Contributed Wiki
An awesome team of students from our education program made this wiki.
Laptop Will Not Power On
The PC will not power on under any circumstances.
Faulty Power Adapter
Ensure that the power adapter is correctly plugged in and the charge light on the adapter itself is on. If the light is not on and the adapter is plugged in correctly, it is highly likely the adapter itself is faulty. Consider ordering a replacement adapter. If the adapter light is on but the PC is still not powering on, it is possible that the charging port is not functioning. It is typically necessary for this problem to be serviced by a professional.
Faulty Battery
Check the battery to confirm that it is correctly connected to the computer. You may want to power the device down, remove the battery, and re-connect it to be certain. If the computer is only charging while the battery is connected to the power adapter, then it is probable that the battery itself is no longer working and requires replacement.
Display Not Working
If the computer itself powers on, but the screen remains blank, this may be attributed to a few issues.
Faulty Screen
First, confirm that your screen's brightness is turned up to a level that can display objects on the screen. If it is, restart the computer to ensure that this is not a singular issue. If the screen remains blank after restart, there may be concerns with the screen itself or its connection to the computer. Replacing the screen itself may be necessary. If the screen does not appear to be damaged , the LCD cable connecting the screen to the motherboard may be damaged or faulty and requires replacement or re-connection.
Graphics Card Issues
At times an integrated or external graphics card may not be working properly. If the card is failing, it will typically show signs by cutting the screen to black infrequently, showing bizarre visuals, or crashing the driver altogether. If the PC begins to make loud noises while running, it's possible that the cooling fans of the card may be congested with dust or debris. This is also possible in respects to the heat exhaust fans of the PC itself, causing the PC or otherwise the graphics card to overheat. To amend this, take a compressed air spray can and slowly spray any dust or debris from the ports and fans.
If the fans are unobstructed, ensure that the graphics card itself is properly connected to the motherboard and seated in its housing. If the above issues are not present on examination, the graphics card itself likely needs to be replaced.
"Blue Screen of Death" AKA Stop Error
Commonly when this screen occurs, the error is attributed to either the hard drive or RAM.
Hard Drive Issues
In cases of the hard drive, it is ideal to back up your files and format your hard drive if the operating system cannot start. If it can, attempt a disk cleanup, defragmentation, and error check to ensure the hardware itself isn't faulty. If both options fail, a replacement may be in order.
RAM Issues
If the hard drive appears to be working correctly, your problem may be related to the state of your RAM. In this event, try running the Windows Diagnostic Tool. If your operating system is functioning, type "mdsched.exe" in the start menu of Windows. Either restart the computer immediately or schedule it to run diagnostic at startup. After the test concludes, any memory errors will display. Once you have an error code, you may further troubleshoot the problem.
In the event that no error code is present and problems persist, consider replacing your RAM.
Device Turns on, but Does Not Boot
Hardware/Software Malfunction
To gauge a possible hardware or software failure, try using Windows Startup Repair. On startup, press your F8 key to navigate to the system restore screen. Here, you will be able to either initiate startup repair, conduct a system restore to a previous access point your computer created, or completely roll back your system to factory defaults.
Possible Malware
It's possible that these errors are also attributed to a virus or otherwise malicious software that made its way on to your computer. If you possess your installation disk for windows, inserting it will bring you to a page on startup with a list of options. One should be available to boot the system in safe mode. Boot the operating system into safe mode, and then use an anti-virus or malware tool to run a scan of your files and processes. If malicious software is detected, the tool should be able to remove it.
Overheating
Dust/Debris Buildup
Laptops may overheat due to excessive dust or debris buildup in its fans. This is easily addressed by using compressed air and lightly removing the grime from the fans and other parts of the computer.
Exhaust Vent Blockage
Sometimes if the fans are working correctly, the computer may not be able to expel its excess heat from operating. In this event, compressed air applied to the exhaust vents of the PC will clear any blockage and allow the extra heat from the computer to escape freely as intended.
Faulty Fan
If upon examination, the fan does not appear to be operating at all or appears damaged, it is best to seek a replacement immediately. Be sure to refrain operating the PC without a working fan, as this can cause heat damage to other parts of the computer and cause additional problems.
0 Comments