Troubleshooting Guide: When Your PC Won’t Turn On Solving the Mystery of a Non-Responsive PC

PC Not Turning on

Is your PC not turning on? Don’t worry, we understand how frustrating and concerning it can be to face such a situation. We rely on our computers for almost everything – work, entertainment, communication, and even shopping. It’s natural to feel a sense of panic when our trusted device refuses to start. However, there’s no need to lose hope just yet. With a little knowledge and some troubleshooting, you might be able to resolve the issue yourself. In this blog, we will guide you through the most common reasons your PC may not be turning on, and how to tackle them step-by-step. We want to be your go-to resource for when things go wrong with your computer. So, let’s dive in and help you get your PC up and running again!

Check the Power Supply and Connections

The first thing you need to do is to ensure that your PC is receiving power. Check that the PowerPoint plug is turned on at the wall and supplying power. You can try plugging in a lamp to make sure it’s delivering power and turned on. Observe if any lighting is coming from the PC case, either from the inside or the front where the power button is located. You should also check if the fans are on by seeing them turn or hearing them. If you can smell any burning smell from the PC or the power supply, in most cases, it’s usually the power supply of the PC that is failing or there is a hardware fault in the PC unless it’s a simple wiring issue.

 

Inspecting Internal Wiring

If the PC is still not turning on, the next step would be to check the connections inside the case. You would need to open the PC case and check the 2 main connections to the motherboard that are coming directly from the PSU. One would be a big 24 pin connector, and the other is a CPU 8 pin connector that can be located on top of the keyboard. Feel the plastic, and you should not find a gap. If you do, just make sure it’s plugged in correctly.

 

Resolving Power Button Issues

So, your PC won’t boot, but the motherboard lights are on? The motherboard usually indicates with an LED light if it is getting power. If this happens, but the fans don’t spin, the problem likely lies in your computer case’s power button or the wire linking it to the motherboard. To get your PC to turn on when you press the power button, you need to connect the power switch to the motherboard properly. If the two aren’t connected, nothing will happen when you push the power button. Among the numerous cables in your case, you’ll need to look for a two-pin connector, which is usually marked PWR SW. Have a look at your case’s manual if you’re unsure. Once you find it, where do you connect the power button switch wires? The power switch wires need to be attached to the power jumpers on the motherboard, usually located on the bottom-right section of the motherboard. Since these pins are usually unmarked, it is probably wise to use your motherboard manual, as there should be a nice diagram that shows what goes where.

 

Disconnecting Unnecessary Devices

Disconnect all the connections from the front and back of the PC, such as the mouse, keyboard, printer, and everything. The only thing you should have plugged in is the power cable and the monitor cable to see if anything will come up on the screen.

 

Troubleshooting Display and Cable Connections

Check the cables from the PC to the monitor and make sure they are plugged in correctly. If the PC is still not turning on and displaying anything on the monitor, then try replacing the cable or try another spare monitor you might have laying around the house. Most PC’s nowadays have an HDMI connection, try connecting that to the back of your smart TV.

 

When All Else Fails: Seek Professional Help

When it comes to computer problems, it’s not uncommon to run into issues that are beyond our knowledge or expertise. Even with the most diligent troubleshooting, there may come a point where you need to seek professional help. If you’ve tried all the steps outlined in this blog and your PC still won’t turn on, don’t worry – there are still options available to you.

At this point, it’s important to remember that trying to fix the problem yourself may only exacerbate the issue, and even cause permanent damage to your computer. That’s why we recommend getting in touch with a reputable professional who can accurately diagnose and repair the problem.

Auckland Geek is a reliable and experienced provider of computer repair services, who can offer a full diagnostic service to pinpoint the problem and get your computer up and running again. You can call us on 0800 00 50 60 to arrange an appointment and get expert help with your computer woes. Remember, there’s no need to panic when your computer fails to start – with the right help and advice, you can get back to using your device in no time.

 

Great service, communication was prompt and easy. After consulting multiple people about the issue was ready to admit defeat and fork out the cash to replace my pc parts. Luckily Auckland Geeks identified the problem in less than 5 minutes and I was on my merry way. Cannot recommend these guys enough!
Aaron Thuraisingham
Auckland
4.9
Based on 554 reviews
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Myrie Forsman
2 months ago
Carlos Came and sorted out my Printer Computer hassle with no problem at all. I appreciated his phone call of ETA and he was very considerate of my age and Low Vision. He was great and much appreciated.
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Nicolette Goudie
4 months ago
Technician arrived 40 mins late Charged a full he’s rate despite not completing an hour of work No receipt provided at the time of service Had to call the company afterwards to get a breakdown of charges very expensive $72.50 more expensive than I thought. Geeks on Wheels is great and I thought that was who was coming and I was disappointed.
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Gina Voglar
4 months ago
Im very grateful I called out Auckland Geeks ,that helped me with my old PC that needed replacing : Carlo was very efficient ,diagnosed everything and guided me in the best possible way to make the next choice, very helpful !! Problems sorted in a very quick time , thank you so much again 🙂🙂🙂
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Theo Martin
5 months ago
Whoever build my house terminated the ethernet ports incorrectly. Auckland Geeks came and fixed up my network ports by re-terminating them. I pay for a 300/100 internet connection but was only getting 100/100 speeds. Now I'm actually getting the connection I'm paying for thanks to Auckland Geeks. Easy to work with and fast getting the job done, would recommend.
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John Fleming
5 months ago
Install took awhile but in the end have decent wifi across the 3 levels and sorted chrome cast. Gareth was very patient with us and that is much appreciated.
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Erin Retter
6 months ago
We had a number of IT related aspects we wanted updating and a printer to be hooked up. Dale provided a great service, was patient and calmly worked through all our questions. Would use Auckland Geeks again and recommend them 100% to others.
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Udit Shah
7 months ago
Team at Auckland geeks are pros at handling all our business emails. They not only helped us with migrating emails to Microsoft 365. but they understood our business pain points really well and gave us a great solution on how we can make the best out of Microsoft 365.
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Nicole Saxon
8 months ago
Great IT Support!, we have had a couple of IT issues arise at work being hacked etc and the team at Auckland Geeks were super helpful and resolved our problems straight away. I would highly recommend
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Jenny Donaldson
8 months ago
Dale turned up when they said he would, and was friendly and more importantly knowledgeable about my problem, which he fixed in rapid time, and also checked the general health of my PC. Would hire again
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Brittany Sheweiry
8 months ago
Jack from Auckland Geeks provided excellent service and communication. He sorted out the windows 11 upgrade on my computer and provided me with great advice and information regarding a back up system option - which he then provided the best fit for my needs. The service was easy and fast. I highly recommend Gareth and Jack at Auckland Geeks. -Green Bay, West Auckland
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Trevor Ninness
8 months ago
I had a configuration issue happen randomly on my router at home and I was unable to fix it. I called Auckland Geeks and on the Sunday they were able to send out a technician that afternoon. Carlo arrived and quickly identified what was wrong and got my internet working again. Thanks Carlo and Ak Geeks for amazingly quick service on a Sunday. Awesome.
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Lim Nov
9 months ago
Dale was amazing at fixing my BIOS issue. He explained everything clearly, worked efficiently, and made sure my PC was running perfectly before finishing. Super knowledgeable, patient, and professional. I really appreciated how smooth he made the whole process. Highly recommend Dale if you need any tech help! When I booked it they called me instantly, they are really fast. Would book again if any issues.
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Maxine Gay
10 months ago
Auckland Geeks are great. They are super professional and helpful. The service is quick and efficient, and they go the extra mile to make sure that you are comfortable with what is being proposed and/or what has been done to help you avoid further pitfalls. Highly recommend.
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Jenny Metford
10 months ago
We used Auckland Geeks for the first time yesterday, and couldn't be happier with their service! Booking was easy, and we received an email confirming the appointment. The technician turned up on time, and was excellent. His name was Jack, and what a pleasure it was to have him help us out with our problems. He was very knowledgeable, polite and personable. We are very happy to recommend both the company and Jack, and will be calling them again when we next need tech help.
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jan tasker
10 months ago
Very efficient from first phone call seeking an appointment, to the follow up email confirming name, time and details of technician. Call by Technician Carlo Urbino 15 mins before his scheduled arrival time checking address. Carlo was very thorough and explained clearly that it was a modem problem. He also tidied up various processes for me. He was very competent, knowledgeable and very respectful. Will definitely use Auckland Geek again.
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Derek C
10 months ago
Highly recommend Auckland Geeks, in particular Jack. I shipped my PC from overseas when I moved to auckland. the PC was unfortunately damaged during transit. Jack was quick to provide me with a damage assessment and quote for me to claim the repair cost with the insurer. He also worked on his day off to replace the PC parts, clean up the interior and presented it back to me in excellent condition as the repair job was urgent.
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Matt Hockly
10 months ago
Tarek and Gareth at Auckland Geeks saved the day again. We had server issues over the weekend. Our server are critical to running our business. Tarek came in Monday and got us back up and running fast and helped future proof our server for the future. I would fully recommmend thse guys for any of your IT requirements.
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Julie Cook
11 months ago
Auckland Geeks responded very quickly with a phone call after we sent an email on a Saturday morning, having problems installing a new modem. An hour or so later, the technician was at our place and the problem was sorted. Our technician, Carlo, was friendly, knowledgable, gave us great advice, and wasted no time in getting our issue fixed. We will definitely use this company again.
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Alan Douthwaite
11 months ago
I should have contacted Auckland Geeks three weeks earlier than I did. They turned up at very short notice and quickly diagnosed the cause of the Internet issues I had been having, which I had been attempting to fix myself. I highly recommend them.
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Mathew Crowe
11 months ago
We have recently changed our IT arrangements for our multiple retail stores to Auckland Geeks. We could not be happier with the change. Fast efficient and very reasonably priced. They rectified a range of issues with our systems in a heart beat. I would highly recommend these guys. Gareth has been amazing to deal with and explains everything in simple terms that non IT minded people can understand. There are no surprise costs like we have encountered from previous IT consultants
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Bronwyn Olney
11 months ago
Excellent service at very short notice and came outside of normal hours to help us out of a difficult situation. Our second time using Auckland Geeks and again they totally impressed us with their service. Highly recommend to all!
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Paul Brookbanks
11 months ago
My Mac Mini required an Auckland Geek to access my old RAM cards and replace with new 2x 16GB cards to get it moving again. Well he was amazing as fast and so knowledgeable so I can only praise his ability and positivity! Many thanks Paul
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Sue Grant
12 months ago
Fantastic service. Gareth was great in getting back to me, ordering tablet and arranging time and day quickly for setup. Dale was efficient in transferring data over to new tablet, setting up printer and a pleasure to deal with.
We had Auckland Geeks change our email hosting - They were fast and efficient and had great communication through the process. Will definitely be using them again for any IT needs.
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janine cooper
12 months ago
Easy to deal arrange an appointment and Jack was very easy to work with. Tech stuff is not my world so what felt like a big issue to me was no trouble for them at all — they handled it quickly and without ever making me feel silly.
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Roger Grant
1 year ago
Sometimes there are conflicts created when adding software or drivers to your computer. And sometimes it takes an outside cool knowledgeable head to find the issue and resolve it. Jack navigated to the issue in good time and the system is running very smoothly now. Much appreciated.
Being semi computor illiterate we found Geeks service (Dale) extremely efficient, educational and effective in helping us set up our new system. Well priced too.
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David Grace
1 year ago
As Always, Auckland Geeks were fast on the cas3, my Tech Dale was personable, and swiftly identified my issue, enacted the fix and set up, I know who to always call if I have any issues in the future.
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Jenny Pullar
1 year ago
I feel very fortunate to have found Kai through Auckland Geeks. He was a brilliant Mac service technician and through his ingenuity gave me in effect a major system upgrade, solving all my computer issues in the process. The outcome could not be better & I am thrilled with the result!
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Jim Mather
1 year ago
Awesome service from Carlo Urbino who came to our home to install a new ASUS router. It was up and running, and customised to our requirements within an hour! All of this occurred on a Saturday afternoon after lodging my online support inquiry late on Friday night beforehand. Brilliant and I highly recommend Auckland Geeks!
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Stephen Barnes
1 year ago
Easy to talk to Great service Fast internet now
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Robert Askew
1 year ago
A perfect result thanks Auckland Geeks
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Paul Sommer
1 year ago
Efficient prompt service
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Sarah Anderson
1 year ago
Kai from Auckland Geeks was brilliant at addressing all computer queries and attending to all the things that needed to be done on my MacBook Pro - the best! I would highly recommend!
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Megan Brookman
1 year ago
Communication from the start with Gareth was outstanding, great Customer Service. Jason was our tech and he was absolutely brilliant - he listened, then explained and showed me what he meant. He was patient and most of all understood I wasn't an IT Geek. We have another laptop which we will be getting Auckland Geeks to look at next week. Thoroughly recommend, outstanding from start to finish.
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Brian Anderson
1 year ago
Speedy service Extremely helpful Nice guys
Prompt, polite service from Dale who fixed the problem for me. Many thanks.
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Doro Davies
1 year ago
These guys are the best. Fantastic communication and no problem is to big or small. Gareth and Dale have resolved months of frustration for us. I can't recommend them enough. Thankyou. Doro D
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Emily
1 year ago
Thank you Jack for your advice and transparency! He helped me find a solution over the phone and couldn’t be happier with how he went about it.
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Ron N Smith
1 year ago
A great experience with Jason quick to solve my problems, and give me a greater understanding of what he actually did. Nice to know that this excellent support is available.
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W Joubi
1 year ago
I’m really impressed with the services of Auckland Geeks. They came in, picked up the computer, upgraded it to a bigger hard drive and ram and returned it to me after 3 days as a new computer. Their prices and quality of work are excellent. Highly recommended company. Thank you.
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Mark Everton
1 year ago
Disappointed, of course, that my iMac bit the dust after 8 years faithful service but Jack from Auckland Geeks did a great job identifying the issue(s), talking me through the options and supporting me as I moved on. I appreciated Jack’s clear, informed and friendly approach - communication was excellent and his service was most professional.
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FMK Epsom
1 year ago
Consistently outstanding professional advice from Gareth and the team at Auckland Geeks! Their expertise is truly impressive, and I always feel confident in their recommendations. A solid 10/10 every time!
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Hamza Alfayad
2 years ago
Very great service and good communication. I had Gareth and I would especially recommend him as he was quick and efficient in installing new parts into my pc and left it looking great ! There were problems in the beginning within some of the hardware but he was quick to find what needed fixing and fixed them right away no problem! Overall would highly recommend Auckland Geeks!!