Q: My Computer Won't Boot - Now What?

A: Hardware problems can be very intimidating - a computer that seemed fine just moments ago suddenly refuses to turn on or boot up properly. If you computer suddenly stops working and the symptoms are a "Blue Screen of Death" or not turning on at all, run through this quick checklist before you drag your computer to the repair shop.

(This first tip is mainly for desktop machines.  It is still interesting for laptop owners to read, but laptops are much more difficult to work on and generally should be left to a professional when it comes to hardware issues...) If the computer does not turn on AT ALL, you might just have a bad power supply.
First unplug the power key from the back of the computer and hold the power key down for 10 seconds.  This will fully discharge the power supply and "reset" some units.  Next, plug the power cord back in and make sure the power cord is firmly pressed into the wall and the back of the computer. Hit the power button again and closely observe for any activity - lights, fan whirs, anything at all.  Press the "CD Eject" button and see if the drive ejects.

If the computer is acting just like it would if it wasn't plugged in at all, chances are the power supply is bad. Power supplies are not difficult to replace.  Generally it involves just a few screws and connectors, and your manufacturer's website probably has documentation on how to replace it. Replacement power supplies can be purchased cheap online (eBay will have one for sure), or for a little more money, you can buy a generic power supply that will work at a computer repair store or even a retailer such as Best Buy.

If the machine has power but is still acting up, try this before taking it to a repair shop. If you have a desktop computer, unplug the power cord and hold the power button down for ten seconds. Remove the side cover and have a look inside. If it is really dusty, unplug everything and take it outside and blow all the dust out, either with a can of compressed air or the old fashioned way.

The next step is good to try for desktop and laptop computers. You want to find and "reseat" the RAM chips.  For a great tutorial on installing / reseating memory, check out the Crucial.com site. 

http://SelfGeek.com/Crucial.html

From the main page, just click "Free Support" to see tutorials and videos for both desktop and laptop computers.  Basically you are just removing each RAM chip and then gently but firmly making sure they are reinserted back into the slot.

Finally, if you have a desktop PC, it should have some slots in the motherboard. If all of your slots are empty, you can put the cover back on your computer and try to power it up again. If any of your slots have cards in them, such as a video card, Ethernet card, or modem,  you should reseat each card.  Carefully remove the screw or other mechanism holding the card in place, and then pull the card out.  Blow any dust off the card and out of the slot, then firmly reseat it back into place.  (If you have a card you know you are not using, such as a modem, you can leave it out of the computer if you wish.) Replace the cover, plug the computer back in, and see if it will boot.

Your mileage may vary, but I have found that these simple steps will fix a surprisingly high number of hardware errors!
 

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