Cloud investments. Business continuity. And SaaS usage. Top-level executives are concerning themselves with high-level priorities to ensure the business continues to deliver on targets amid the pandemic securely and efficiently. Meanwhile, you’re at home praying to the tech gods to turn on your laptop.
Signs of Life
You’ve pushed the power button repeatedly and with all the force that your finger can muster. Then, you figured it’s probably your screen; maybe the brightness is turned all the way down, making it black as the depths of deep a gorge. But fixing your screen doesn’t make your laptop come to life. It is as still as death.
You’re not alone in this problem. It’s one that may be compounded by the need to use the device more than you used to because you’re working from home. It may not be a big problem if the laptop comes from the company, and you can simply email to request another one. But replacing your computer will cause you more anxiety if you’re a freelance professional or run your online business.
In most cases, the problem of booting correctly may not be as complicated as malware. In some instances, the problem could point to a lack of power. Before you launch into a complicated fix or spend wasted energy, make sure your laptop’s getting power from the wall or the battery.
Start with the Basics
It sounds like the beginning of a joke, but an unplugged laptop may be causing the booting problem. Your laptop won’t turn on if you forgot to charge the battery and if there’s a problem with the electricity flow in your home.
Check if your outlet has power by doing the lamp test. It’s the simplest way to check for power.
- Unplug your laptop.
- Get a small lamp and plug it into the outlet.
- If the lamp turns on, then you’ve got no problem with the outlet.
- If the lamp doesn’t turn on, call an electrician.
Will this solve your dead laptop problem? If the lamp turns on, but your laptop isn’t still powering up, it could be an issue of voltage. You could get a multimeter to test for voltage. If not, then electricity flow in your home isn’t the issue. The problem may be a component, like the battery.
If that’s the case, try removing your battery and using AC power to work on your laptop. If you’re using a Mac, you can’t take out the battery on your own; you’ve got to go to a service center. If your laptop turns on, then you need to replace the battery.
Another source of the problem could be the wires on your adapter. Laptop adapters tend to get overused, and wiring at the brick and the plug connecting to your laptop get frayed easily. If you can already see the wires inside, you may need to buy a new adapter.
Now, what if you’ve done all the checking where power supply and batteries are concerned, and still the laptop gods have not smiled upon you?
You may be dealing with more complex internal problems.
Beyond the Hardware
Laptops sometimes don’t just turn on; some ominously shut down while you’re working on them. That can occur when your device is overheated. Thermal stress isn’t only probable for affordable gaming laptops that have been running nonstop.
Regular laptops can also overheat when the vent is blocked, forcing the hot air to displace incorrectly. Your device could also feel hot to touch if the fan needs a replacement. An overheating laptop doesn’t just have to feel like a pot on the stove.
The following signs reveal your laptop’s scorching when:
- Lines start to appear on your screen.
- You get nonspecific messages about errors.
- It fails to run basic tasks.
- The fan whirs and makes loud noises.
- You get the blue screen of death.
Those things sometimes happen before your laptop shuts down on its own. So when you’ve noticed those signs, have a way to fix them immediately. One is to power down or shut it so that it cools down; give your laptop a break. Another is to take it off your lap and place it flat on a surface, maybe someplace cold. Alternatively, get a laptop cooler to help circulate the air. Some cooling pads even come with extra features, giving your device more functionality.
A laptop that doesn’t turn on can be a major source of stress, and not just hamper your productivity at home. But don’t panic. Take stock of the situation, and see if the necessary check-up will bring it back to life. Otherwise, you should take it to the nearest repair center.
