How to Recover From a No-Boot Situation

You've just pressed the power button on your computer, and nothing happens. There is no display or any other sign that the computer has turned on and is booting up. Follow these steps to troubleshoot the most common causes of a no-boot situation.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Check that the power cable is plugged into the power supply and the wall outlet or surge suppressor properly.

2. Make sure that the monitor cable is attached properly to the computer, the monitor is turned on and the monitor is receiving power.

3. Recheck all connections inside the case if any components have recently been replaced or removed and reinserted. Often, a connection can be jarred loose without notice, causing the system to quit responding.

4. Investigate to make certain there is no floppy disk in the floppy drive if the computer is equipped with one. This is a common occurrence; the computer won't boot up because a floppy disk has been left inserted and is causing the problem.

Tips & Warnings

• If after trying these suggestions the computer will still not boot, it could be a sign of a more serious problem. If so, then further testing and swapping of components might need to be done to fix the situation.

Resources

• For more troubleshooting information, visit Tom's Hardware.