My Computer Won’t Reboot | Quick Fix Guide

Guide / By

When a computer won’t reboot, start with power checks, safe mode, and recovery tools to restore normal startup.

Why This Guide Helps

You press restart and get a black screen, a looping logo, or no sign of life. This guide gives clear steps that work on Windows, macOS, and Linux. You’ll see fast checks, then deeper fixes. Each step saves data risk where possible. You don’t need special tools, just patience and a USB drive. Follow the order to avoid dead ends. Today.

Quick Wins Before Anything Else

  • Power cycle the machine: shut it down fully, unplug the cable or battery, wait 30 seconds, then power on.
  • Remove extras: pull USB hubs, printers, drives, memory cards, and extra monitors; boot with the bare minimum.
  • Check the display path: brightness up, correct HDMI or DisplayPort input, and a snug cable.
  • Let it cool: heat can lock a system; give it a minute and try again.
  • Try a different outlet or adapter: a weak brick or cord can block a clean start.

Fast Symptom Map

Use this table to match what you see with a first move.

For full procedures, see Windows recovery options and Apple startup steps for Macs. Both pages cover Safe Mode menus clearly.

Symptom What To Try Why It Helps
Stuck on logo or spinner Enter recovery; run Startup Repair or Safe Mode Fixes boot files; isolates drivers and apps
Black screen with fans Check display path; try one RAM stick Rules out GPU and bad memory seating
Reboots in a loop Uninstall last update or driver; System Restore Backs out breaking changes cleanly
No power at all Test outlet and adapter; pinhole reset Restores power path and clears latch states
Disk error message Run CHKDSK or fsck from recovery media Repairs file system and bad sectors

Windows: Safe Mode And Repair Tools

If Windows shows a spinning circle forever or reboots on its own, Safe Mode narrows down drivers and startup apps. From there you can remove a bad update or driver, run Startup Repair, or roll back changes with System Restore. If the login screen appears, hold Shift, pick Power, choose Restart, and pick Startup Settings. If Windows fails three times, it should open the recovery menu on its own.

Mac: Power, Safe Mode, And Recovery

If a Mac sits on a blank screen, try a ten-second power press, then a normal press. Unplug extras and retry. For Apple silicon, hold the power button until startup options appear, choose your disk, then press and hold Shift and continue in Safe Mode. For Intel, hold Shift after the bong. In Recovery, use Disk Utility on the startup disk and reinstall if needed.

Linux: Rescue Paths That Work

Live media saves the day. Boot a USB drive with your distro’s image, pick “Try” or “Rescue,” then run a file system check on the root volume. Review dmesg for failing disks, check fstab for a bad mount, and rebuild GRUB if the bootloader is corrupt.

The Big Causes In Plain Terms

  • Power or battery issues
  • Peripherals that hang the boot process
  • Display not showing a working system
  • Damaged system files
  • Driver or kernel faults
  • Disk errors
  • Firmware or BIOS/UEFI settings out of range
  • Failing hardware

When The Screen Is Black But Fans Spin

This points to display, RAM seating, or GPU. Try one stick of memory at a time. Move the monitor cable to the motherboard port if the CPU has graphics. If the board has a debug LED, note the code and check the manual. Laptop users can hold the power key to shut down, wait a moment, then start with only AC power, no battery, if the model allows it.

When Windows Starts Then Loops

A failed update or driver often triggers a loop. Boot to the Windows recovery menu. Pick Troubleshoot, then Advanced options. Try Startup Repair. If that fails, use System Restore to roll back. If the last update caused the loop, uninstall the update from the recovery menu. On BitLocker systems, keep the recovery key ready.

When macOS Shows A Symbol

A folder with a question mark points to a missing startup disk. Open macOS Recovery. On Apple silicon, hold the power button to load options. On Intel, press Command-R while starting. In Recovery, launch Disk Utility and run First Aid on the disk. If the disk mounts, reinstall macOS over the top. That keeps files while replacing core parts.

Computer Won’t Reboot: Fixes And Causes By Platform

This section gives a step-by-step flow for each system.

Windows Step-By-Step

  1. Hard reboot. Hold the power button until the system shuts down. Start again.
  2. Disconnect extras. Leave keyboard, mouse, and display only.
  3. Enter recovery. After three failed starts, Windows should load recovery tools. Or hold Shift and click Restart from the login screen.
  4. Startup Repair. Let Windows scan and fix startup files.
  5. Safe Mode. From Startup Settings, pick Safe Mode with networking.
  6. Roll back changes. Use System Restore to a date before the issue. Or remove the last driver or update.
  7. Disk check. Open Command Prompt in recovery and run chkdsk C: /f. If errors surface, run again after fixes.
  8. SFC and DISM. Run sfc /scannow then DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth if the offline path allows.
  9. Boot records. If the bootloader is broken, use bootrec /fixmbr, /fixboot, and /rebuildbcd.
  10. Reset or reinstall. If nothing works, back up files from recovery and reset Windows while keeping files when offered.

macOS Step-By-Step

  1. Power press for ten seconds, then a normal press.
  2. Remove accessories and retry.
  3. Safe Mode. Apple silicon: hold power to see options, choose your disk, press and hold Shift, then continue in Safe Mode. Intel: hold Shift at startup.
  4. Recovery. Apple silicon: hold power, choose Options. Intel: hold Command-R. Launch Disk Utility, pick the startup disk, run First Aid.
  5. Startup disk. If the disk doesn’t appear, the drive or cable may be failing.
  6. Reinstall macOS. This keeps user files while restoring the system.
  7. NVRAM/SMC resets on Intel. Use the standard key combos for your model. Many models no longer need these steps, but Intel boards still can respond.

Linux Step-By-Step

  1. Power off fully, then start again.
  2. Unplug USB devices and retry.
  3. Boot from a live USB. Pick the live session. Mount the root file system read only. Run fsck on the volume when unmounted.
  4. GRUB fix. From the live session, chroot into the install and run grub-install and update-grub.
  5. Logs. Review /var/log and dmesg for disk timeouts or driver faults. Replace or blacklist the suspect driver if needed.
  6. Kernel. Pick an earlier kernel from the GRUB menu. If it boots, keep that version until a stable update lands.

Data Safety During Repairs

Work with care. Startup repairs touch core files. Before resets or reinstalls, copy user folders to an external drive from recovery or a live USB. Cloud sync helps, yet a fresh copy adds peace of mind. If the disk shows clicks or stalls, pause and image the drive with a sector-by-sector tool before trying fixes.

When Reboot Fails After A Power Outage

File systems may be dirty. Let the system finish disk checks. If it restarts mid-check, boot to recovery and run the check manually. Surge strips can choke power; try a wall outlet. If the power supply whines or the fan doesn’t spin, test with another unit if you can.

Firmware And BIOS/UEFI Notes

Wrong settings can block a clean boot. Load defaults, then set only what you need. Set the right boot disk. Turn off fast boot while testing so you can reach menus. Update firmware only when you have stable power. A failed flash can brick a board.

Thermals, RAM, And Storage

Heat stops progress. Clean dust, spin fans, and change paste on old CPUs. Seat RAM sticks with a firm click. Test one module at a time. For storage, watch for SMART errors. If write counts spike or reallocations grow, plan a replacement. On laptops, a loose NVMe can halt boot. Reseat it and try again.

Signs You Need A Pro

  • Liquid spill
  • Repeated freezes after a clean install
  • Disk not detected in any menu
  • Burnt smell or bulging battery
  • Looping kernel panics or BSODs with fresh drivers

Boot Keys And Menus

Platform Shortcut Purpose
Windows Shift + Restart or power-cycle x3 to reach recovery Open Startup Repair, Safe Mode, and System Restore
macOS (Apple silicon) Hold power for startup options Enter Safe Mode or Recovery options
macOS (Intel) Hold Command-R; Shift for Safe Mode Disk Utility, reinstall, and Safe Mode
Linux Boot from live USB Run fsck, chroot, and GRUB tools

Prevention Tips That Save Time

  • Keep one recovery USB for each platform you use.
  • Turn on restore points in Windows.
  • Leave some free space on the system volume; file systems need room.
  • Update only one thing at a time when you can: drivers, BIOS, or OS, then test.
  • Keep a spare HDMI or USB-C video cable in your desk drawer.
  • Replace aging batteries before they swell.

FAQ-Style Myths, Busted

  • “A forced shutdown always harms the disk.” Not in most cases. Modern file systems handle abrupt power loss better than old ones. Frequent hard cuts can still add risk.
  • “Safe Mode fixes problems by itself.” Safe Mode only narrows the field. The fix often comes after you remove the cause.
  • “A fresh install always wipes files.” On Windows and macOS you can reinstall over the top. Data survives when the disk is healthy and you choose the right option.