If your computer won’t boot, check power, display, and boot media first, then run built-in recovery to repair startup.
Your PC powers on, lights flash, fans spin, yet the screen stays blank. Or the logo shows, then a loop begins.
When a computer will not start, the fix often sits in a short list: power, display, storage, or software.
This guide gives clear steps in the right order, so you can move from quick checks to deeper repairs without wasting time.
Fast Checks Before You Open Anything
Start with the basics. A loose cable, a dead monitor, or a keyboard key stuck on can stall the whole session.
Work through the list below. Each row pairs a symptom with a quick nudge that rules out common blockers.
| Symptom | What You See | Quick Action |
|---|---|---|
| No power | No lights or fan noise | Try a known good outlet, reseat power cord, check switch on PSU or laptop charger |
| Display off | Fans run, screen black | Test with another monitor or cable, raise brightness, switch GPU ports |
| Beep codes | Short beeps at start | Count the pattern, then look up the board manual; many point to RAM or GPU |
| Boot device missing | “No bootable device” prompt | Open boot menu, pick your system drive, check that USB sticks aren’t first |
| Frozen logo | Brand logo stays stuck | Power cycle, then enter firmware and reset to defaults |
| Looping repair | Automatic repair repeats | Shut down fully, then run Startup Repair only once before moving on |
| Keyboard not seen | Cannot enter firmware | Use a wired USB keyboard in a USB-A 2.0 port on the back panel |
If a fast check solves it, stop there. If not, march ahead. The next steps sort hardware from software without guesswork.
You will touch power, firmware, storage, and the OS in that sequence.
Power And Display: Rule Out The Simple Stuff
Desk setups hide small faults. Unplug surge strips. Plug the power cable straight into a wall.
On a desktop, flip the switch on the back of the supply and watch for the board’s standby light.
On a laptop, remove docks and HDMI, then press and hold the power button for 15 seconds to clear a stuck state.
Test with a second monitor or a TV. Try a different video port. If the board has an integrated GPU, move the cable there.
Firmware Access: Get Into Uefi Or Bios
Press the right key as soon as the system starts. Common keys are Delete, F2, F10, F12, or Esc.
Once inside, load setup defaults, save, and restart. Then return and check that the time is sane and your system drive shows up.
If the firmware does not open at all, remove power, pop out the battery or use the clear-CMOS pins, then try again.
Boot Order: Point The Board At The System Drive
A thumb drive or old DVD at the top of the list sends the machine to the wrong place.
Open the one-time boot menu and pick the NVMe or SATA drive that holds the OS.
Then set that device first in the permanent list. If you see the disk in firmware but it fails to load,
move the drive to a different port, reseat the M.2 stick, and check that the drive mode matches your install.
Memory And Inside-Case Checks
Cut power and ground yourself. Reseat RAM: take each stick out, blow dust away, and click it back until both latches snap.
Try one stick at a time in slot A2, then B2. Reseat storage cables. For a desktop, check the CPU power plug and the GPU power plugs.
If beeps point to RAM, test with a spare kit if you can. A machine that runs fans but never shows the logo often points to RAM or the board.
Windows: Reach Recovery And Fix Startup
If the logo appears but Windows will not load, trigger the recovery menu.
Turn the PC on, interrupt the boot with a hard power off, then restart; repeat three times to force the repair screen.
Open Advanced options → Startup Repair and let the tool try once. If it fails, go to Command Prompt and run a file check with
sfc /scannow and a volume scan with chkdsk /f. Use System Restore if a recent change broke the load.
When no restore point exists, try Uninstall updates → Uninstall latest quality update.
If BitLocker prompts, you will need the recovery key tied to your Microsoft account.
Full paths for these tools live under the Windows recovery guide; that page lists Startup Repair, Reset, and image tools with exact clicks.
See the official recovery options in Windows.
Windows Safe Mode Paths
Safe Mode loads a bare set of drivers, which helps you spot a bad driver or startup app.
From the recovery screen, pick Startup Settings, then press 4 for Safe Mode or 5 for Safe Mode with Networking.
Once in, open Device Manager and remove any device with a warning sign, roll back a fresh driver, and disable apps that start with Windows.
Open Settings → Apps → Startup and trim the list, then restart to test a normal boot.
If Safe Mode also fails, you are likely past a driver fault and should scan the disk and system files again.
Mac: Power, Nvrd Ram, And Recovery
On Apple Silicon, press and hold the power button until “Loading startup options” appears.
Pick Options to enter Recovery. Run Disk Utility → First Aid on the startup volume, then restart.
On Intel Macs, use NVRAM reset with Option+Command+P+R at startup, then try Safe Mode with Shift.
If the Mac still stalls, boot to Recovery and reinstall macOS over the top; your files stay in place.
Apple documents exact steps for each chip type and key combo.
Read the official guide if your Mac won’t turn on or start up before moving past recovery.
Mac Notes On Storage
On Macs with APFS, the system volume is sealed. First Aid checks both the data and the system snapshot.
If First Aid repairs issues more than once in a row, move key files to an external disk in Recovery, then run the reinstall step.
Drives And Data: Check Health Before You Reinstall
A failing disk can still appear in firmware yet break during load. On Windows, open Command Prompt in recovery and run
wmic diskdrive get status for a basic view. Better tools live on a bootable USB: vendor NVMe tools, smartctl, or a Linux live stick.
If SMART shows reallocated sectors or pending sectors, clone the drive now. Use a second disk as a target and a tool that can skip bad blocks.
Once your data is safe, you can run a clean install without worry.
Clean Installs: When Repair Is Not Enough
When the OS is beyond repair, a fresh image resets the deck. On Windows, create media with the Media Creation Tool on a second PC,
boot from the USB, delete only the system partitions on the target disk, and install. On a Mac, use Recovery to reinstall the same version,
or use a USB installer made with createinstallmedia. After the first boot, install drivers from the board or laptop vendor site,
then bring the system current with updates.
Table Of Boot Tools By Platform
| Platform | Tool | Where To Start |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Startup Repair, Reset, SFC | Windows Recovery (Advanced options) |
| macOS | First Aid, Reinstall macOS | Recovery Options at startup |
| Linux | fsck, Grub reinstall | Live USB terminal or rescue mode |
When It Points To Hardware
After a clean image still fails, circle back to parts. Swap RAM first. Run a memory test overnight.
Then swap the system drive. Power supplies age; a unit that droops under load can pass a simple test yet crash during boot.
If the board shows a debug code, use the manual to read it. If the system only boots with the GPU removed,
check PCIe power and test the card in another box.
Data Safety: What To Do Before You Take Risks
Before you change partitions or run a destructive test, grab a backup.
Pull the drive and use a USB adapter on a second machine if the host will not boot.
Copy user folders first: Desktop, Documents, Pictures, and any email stores.
If the disk shows errors, switch to a cloning pass that can keep reading in short bursts, then try file-level recovery.
A Clear Order Of Operations
Set a timer and move step by step. First rule out power and display.
Next open firmware and fix boot order. Then reseat RAM and storage.
If you reach the logo, use recovery tools one by one.
Only after these checks should you reinstall or swap parts.
This path saves time and keeps data safe.
Keyword Variant: Why My Computer Is Not Booting And How To Fix It
Many search for the phrase “my computer is not booting.” The fixes do not change.
Power feeds, firmware, boot media, and the OS must line up. Use the quick table above to knock out the common snags.
Then move through recovery screens with a cool head. Write down each change so you can back out if a step does not help.
When To Seek Help
Seek a pro when you see burnt smells, coolant leaks, or visible damage.
Stop and get help when the only copy of data sits on the failing disk.
Take photos of cable paths before you pull parts. A local shop can test with known good power, RAM, and drives.
That isolates the fault without guesswork and saves a few weekends.
Label screws in small cups to make reassembly later easier.