One of the most serious problems that can happen with a computer is that of turn it on and don’t see anything on the screen, with the completely black screen. There may be two different variations of this malfunction, one in which the monitor turns on even if it does not display anything and one in which the monitor does not turn on right.If the computer didn’t turn on right then that would be a different type of problem, related to power and we have seen in another guide how to fix the PC that won’t turn on.
However, before starting, it should be noted that many of the steps explained here are quite advanced for a medium-level user who may still need an intervention of the specialized technician (with whom, at least, you can talk without looking like unprovided totals) .
What to do if the computer turns on but there is nothing on the screen?
Check the monitor
If the PC turns on, but the monitor does not react and remains off or without a signal, try to disconnect the computer connection and try to fix the attack that can sometimes loosen. If the monitor has different types of connection ports, for example HDMI and VGA, it is possible to test whether the other works (see here differences between types of computer cables, ports, sockets and connectors).
If possible, you can try connecting that same monitor to another PC to check if it works.
Check the graphics card
If the monitor works well, the screen may not turn on due to the computer graphics card. If it were possible, you should try it on another computer to see if it works or get another video card and see if it works on the PC you are using.
Obviously it is necessary that the graphics card is correctly connected to the motherboard and that the connection cable with the monitor is well fixed to the video port of the computer.
Clear the BIOS memory
Clearing the BIOS memory means resetting the BIOS settings that may be misconfigured and preventing the computer from starting correctly.
To do this, as written in the guide to reset the PC BIOS, disconnect the PC from the power supply, open the computer case, remove the motherboard buffer battery (a small, easily recognizable round battery). Wait 10 minutes, insert the battery again and boot the PC.
This is very easy to do on a desktop PC, less so on a laptop where it can also be impossible to do and which may violate the product warranty.
Check that the RAM is correctly mounted
If the PC does not turn on, the RAM may have been badly attached. Then open the computer case, disconnect the RAM from its slot and turn on the PC. If an acoustic signal is emitted from the motherboard, it means that the motherboard is in perfect condition, then simply clean the RAM attachment from dust and reinsert it with a clean cleaner and reinsert it.
If no acoustic signal is emitted, the motherboard may be damaged and, in this case, there is really not much to do except call the technician to replace it (even if here on How2do we have written the guide to change the motherboard) .
Check the CPU heatsink
The CPU heatsink is the cooling fan of the processor which, if it does not work or if it is not fixed correctly, could prevent the PC from turning on correctly. The processor, in fact, heats up practically instantly and requires to be constantly cooled, otherwise the PC will immediately turn off to prevent the electronic components from overheating and burning.
In another article, we saw what to do if the CPU temperature is high and too hot and how to manage the PC fans for better cooling and air flow.
If the screen turns on but remains black
In the event that the monitor turns on but remains with the screen darkened, perhaps with a cursor that flashes or with a cryptic error message, then there are problems on the configuration of the disk or the Boot Manager or on the installation of the operating system. For each of these cases we have written a guide, so all that remains is to read them to find the best solution to adopt.
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- How to turn on the PC if Windows does not start?
- Fix MBR on Windows to restore boot loader and computer startup
If there was no way to fix the problem and even with the computer turned on, you could not get it started, then, almost certainly, the cause is the failure of the motherboard that cannot be repaired except with a replacement. In rare cases the cause of the problem may be related to the processor, but only a specialized technician will be able to do tests since replacing the processor can be difficult.