My PC does not turn on, what can I do?Updated a month ago

If you press the power button and your PC shows no signs of life (no lights, no fans spin, no beeps) it's okay to be sad -- but don’t worry, this issue is in many cases can be resolved with just a few simple checks.

This guide is designed to help you troubleshoot a system that won’t power on at all. We will walk you through the basics; power cycling your system, and even checking internal connections, to help identify potential causes. Whether you are setting up a new system or dealing with a PC that suddenly went dark, this article will help you figure out what is wrong—and what to do next.

THE BASICS:

• Verify your wall outlet is on and receiving power (some outlets are tied to wall switches)
• Verify your surge protector is on
• Verify that the PC power cable is firmly plugged into the wall outlet, and the computer power supply
• Verify that the power switch of the power supply unit is flipped to the "I" position
• Verify that you are pressing the power button, as some cases have buttons that might look like a power button, but are not. Feel free to ask us if you need assistance.
• Try a wall outlet in a different room

If you are still not able to get the system to turn on, please move onto how to power cycle your system.

POWER CYCLE:

• Unplug the power cable from the back of the computer's power supply
• Push and hold the power button for your PC for 10-seconds
• Plug your power cable back into the computer power supply
• Ensure the power supply switch is flipped to the "I" position
• Try powering the system on again

If your system is still not powering on, please move onto how to check internal connections to verify everything is nice and secure.

CHECK INTERNAL CONNECTIONS:

Locate the 24-pin ATX power connector and CPU power connector(s) on the motherboard. Note that some motherboards have one CPU power connector, while others have two. Verify if one or both CPU power connectors are in use, and ensure all connectors are firmly and completely inserted. 

Note the general location of the CPU connector(s) and 24-pin ATX power connector highlighted in red.
Example of a secure connectionExample of a bad connection
POWER SUPPLY:

If the motherboards power connectors are securely attached, check the power supply next. Power supplies are either modular or non-modular, based on their cabling.

Modular power supplies use detachable cables connecting the power supply to specific components. Verify that all cables are securely connected at both ends. Non-modular power supplies have permanently attached cables, used or unused. Since the cables are fixed, you don't need to check their connections to the power supply.