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Your Laptop Won't Turn On - Causes & Simple Solutions
If your laptop no longer starts, you don’t have to assume the worst right away. Often the problem is just a minor issue – a defective power supply, residual current in the system, or a loose connector. With a few targeted steps, you can check for yourself what the cause is.
In the following report, you will learn about the 7 typical causes, their symptoms and simple test steps that you can use to perform an initial diagnosis yourself. In the end, you’ll have a better idea of whether a repair is worthwhile or whether a replacement part is the solution.
Table of Contents
Power supply or socket defective?
Symptom: Nothing happens after pressing the start button. No operating LED lights up, no activity is audible.
Assumption: Power supply failure. The power supply may be defective, causing the battery to be completely discharged.
Checkpoints:
- Test the function of the power supply by connecting a second or alternative power supply.
- Check the power socket for loose contact. Does the charging LED light up briefly when you move the plug? Then the socket is damaged and must be replaced.
- If neither the power supply nor the power socket are conspicuous, there is a high probability of a motherboard defect.
In this case, a professional diagnosis is necessary. We offer flat-rate motherboard repairs for many notebook models.
Hard drive defective?
Symptom: The operating LED lights up, the display briefly shows the manufacturer’s logo, but the start process stops.
Assumption: The boot process starts but is not completed – hard drive or operating system are affected.
Checkpoints:
- Observe whether the hard drive is being accessed. When the Windows logo appears, the HDD or SSD is working.
- Error messages such as “No operating system” or “Operating System not found” indicate a hard drive defect.
- You can check in the BIOS to see if the hard drive is recognized.
- Alternatively, you can try booting from an external medium (USB stick, DVD).
Typical signs of a defective hard drive:
- The notebook becomes increasingly slow or freezes.
- SSDs often only announce themselves through data errors or start problems.
Display defective - screen remains black – LED lights up
Symptom: The device can be switched on, the fans are spinning, but no manufacturer logo or image appears.
Assumption: Defect in the image output system – i.e. display, graphics card or BIOS.
Checkpoints:
- Connect an external monitor.
- If the display works, the internal display or the display cable is defective.
- If the external monitor also remains black, the graphics card or motherboard is more likely to be affected.
- In rare cases, the keyboard or a short circuit in the input module can also block the start process.
If no clear cause can be found here, a workshop should take over the graphics or motherboard diagnosis.
Fan dirty or defective? Laptop switches off suddenly.
Variant 1: The device still shuts down cleanly.
Assumption: Problem with the power supply, such as power supply or power socket.
Variant 2: The device switches off abruptly.
Assumption: Overheating – the thermal protection mechanism is activated.
You should check the following points:
- Check whether warm air is escaping from the ventilation slots.
- If the fan is running continuously or unusually loudly, the ventilation slots or cooling fins are probably dusty.
- If the device gets too hot, it switches itself off to protect electronic components.
The remedy here is often to clean the ventilation unit – ideally by opening the device and removing the dust from the fan and cooling fins. Alternatively, if the fan is defective, you should buy a new CPU cooler.
Graphics defective - image disturbances or stripes in the display
Symptom: The notebook shows stripes, flickering colors or artifacts.
Assumption: Error in the area of the display cable or the display panel itself.
Checkpoints:
- Does the error pattern change when you open or close the display? Then the display cable is very likely damaged.
- If the fault occurs regardless of the position, the fault lies in the display panel itself. You can better narrow down the cause by connecting an external screen.
RAM memory defective
Symptom: After switching on, an LED may light up, the fan runs briefly, but no image appears or the notebook beeps several times.
Assumption: A RAM module is defective or has no contact.
Checkpoints:
- Remove the RAM modules and test the device with only one module.
- Change the slot or carefully clean the contacts
RAM errors are a total loss if your notebook has the RAM memory permanently soldered. You can find out whether your notebook is affected here in this blog post: https://www.notebook-doktor.de/2025/11/laptop-ram-erweitern-fehlanzeige
Power button defective - notebook does not start.
Symptom: Power supply delivers voltage, battery is charged, but the notebook does not respond to the power button.
Tip: Also check whether the connection cable between the button and the motherboard is plugged in.
Assumption: The power button or the key module (power button board) is defective.
Modern keyboards are supplied together with the top case – the top of the keyboard. There, the power button is often integrated in the keyboard. So if the power button is defective, buying a new keyboard will help. Link to keyboards in the IPC-Shop.
Conclusion: First check, then repair
Many notebook defects can be narrowed down with simple measures – test the power supply, check the power socket, check RAM and hard drive.
If you do not have any spare parts at hand or do not receive any reaction despite all tests, we recommend a professional diagnosis in our workshop.
More information:
Motherboard repair service at notebook-doktor.de
Suitable power supplies and spare parts in the IPC-Computer Shop
