You press the power on button only to be met with your disappointed and concerned expression staring back at you from the depths of a black screen. No doubt the first thought is to enter full-blown panic mode. But that won’t get you anywhere.
Firstly, whatever the outcome, there is no need to panic. Laptops on rent are increasingly meeting the needs of students and professionals that have experienced technical problems ahead of an important deadline. This means, just like with mobiles on rent, even if the worst-case scenario plays out, and your laptop is not revivable, you will still be able to finish your work and get everything submitted on time.
Now you have averted a wild panic and are thinking clearly, you can embark on these 5 solutions that could bring your computer back to life. If these don’t work, then it is time to rent a laptop and accept that your computer may not be salvageable.
Find an Alternate Power Outlet
If your computer is showing no signs of life or power at all (there are no lights illuminated, even on the power supply), the first thing you want to establish is that the problem is with the computer, not the power outlet.
Plug your computer in somewhere else and try to start it again. If you get a light, then chances are, your power outlet is faulty.
Is the Fuse Blown?
It may be that the fuse in your plug has blown, and the problem isn’t technical at all. Before going any further, change the fuse in the plug with one of the same rating (never use a greater rating) and try again. If the problem persists, it must be something else.
Is it the Charger Cable?
If your battery is still showing no signs of life, it could mean that the charger cable or battery is experiencing problems. If this is the issue, it is a very inexpensive fix. You may simply need to buy a new charger or battery.
Test an alternate charger that you know is working and see if this solves the issue. If not, remove the battery and try again. This will help you determine which piece of hardware is faulty, the battery or the charger.
Unplug the USB devices
If your laptop or computer appears to have power but will not boot, unplug all the USB devices. Sometimes, if the system is clashing with a device inserted into the USB drives, it will prevent the computer from booting and leave it on the loading screen indefinitely.
With all devices removed and the computer turned off and restarted, it is possible your computer will boot as normal and resume functioning.
Restart it in Safe Mode
If your computer has signs of life but keeps freezing or going to black every time it tries to boot, press F8 during start up to enter safe mode. This means your computer will boot using only the bare minimum software necessary.
If none of these solve the problem, it could be an underlying issue and you may need to seek professional assistance. In the meantime, renting a laptop will mean you don’t miss any important work and are not disconnected for too long.