Dell computer not booting up: How to fix and repair a Dell computer

When your Dell computer won’t boot up properly, it can be pretty frustrating to deal with. Here’s how to fix a Dell laptop or desktop computer that won’t boot up.

Types of computer boot up issues

“Computer not booting up” can mean one thing: the computer does turn on, but never seems to boot to Windows. Now that can look like a few things, and be caused by different kinds of hardware failure. Identifying some obvious signs of hardware issues can be helpful in diagnosing your computer. Here are a few things that can happen when a laptop or desktop computer isn’t booting up:

• Stuck on Dell splash screen — The computer turns on and passes POST, but gets stuck on the Dell splash screen. It can only be solved by a hard shutdown.
• Shuts down while booting up — Similar to getting stuck on the splash screen, but the computer shuts down by itself during the process. It may turn off completely, or restart itself automatically.
• Turns on to a blank screen — The computer turns on and lights up, but only shows a blank black screen. It doesn’t appear to boot and is stuck on the blank screen until the computer is shut down.
• Error messages appear — Sometimes the computer may show error messages when it can’t boot up. These errors may show messages like “no bootable device” or “SMART failure detected on hard disk”.

Your computer may have trouble booting up when there’s a hardware issue. A computer requires its different components to work, and they need to interact properly to boot up. When one part of the boot up process is down, it will jam up or disrupt the whole process. Issues with startup can usually point to a hardware failure.

What to do with a Dell computer that won’t boot up

Hard shutdown and restart your computer

When your Dell laptop or desktop computer is stuck while starting up, you can try a hard shutdown and restart it. This could possibly turn on your computer again for you to run diagnostics. Press and hold the power button until it shuts down, then turn it on again after a few moments.

While this method may come in handy in this situation, it’s important to note that you should only do this when your computer is actually stuck or frozen. This is not the proper way to shut a computer down, as it can cause software issues. Under normal circumstances, you should always shut a computer down by using the “Shut Down” button from “Start”.

Dell boot diagnostics

As long as your computer turns on, you can perform boot diagnostics across its hardware. Boot diagnostics is a built-in tool to test hardware like the hard drive, RAM, and battery. It is a base-level diagnostic tool to help find hardware faults that may be causing issues with your Dell computer.

To perform diagnostics, restart your computer and press F12 (or F8 on some models) at start up. Choose diagnostics from the menu that appears, and it will go from there. Your system will then report any issues it can detect with a reference code and possible support solutions.

Thoroughly test your hardware

Sometimes you might need some more in-depth tests to find out what’s going on. We can then look at the hardware that works to boot up your computer, then thoroughly test them out. This includes testing the hard drive, motherboard, RAM, and video card. These parts are essential to boot up your computer properly, so any failure with any one part could disrupt the process.

Diagnosing your hard drive

Hard drive failure is a very common cause of computer boot up issues. Your operating system and boot files are permanently stored on the hard drive. A hard drive failure could cause data corruption or data loss. The drive may become so corrupt or damaged, errors like “inaccessible boot device” blue screen of death (BSOD) may show up when you turn on your computer. Without the information needed for boot up, your computer will certainly have trouble booting up.

For most computer users, hard drive failure is pretty inescapable, to say the least. It’s true that hard drives can last quite long, but it’s performance can go down fairly quickly. This is because of the accumulation of bad sectors.

All hard drives can get bad sectors, and they all do come with an acceptable amount of them. With further use over the years, the hard drive will take damage from physical force or software errors. These types of damage then creates bad sectors. The drive will still work fine, until the bad sectors get spread out across the drive. This becomes intolerable for normal functioning, and the drive will start to fail. As the damage gets worse, it will become more and more apparent to the user. You’ll start noticing slower performance and longer boot up times, and ultimately be unable to boot your computer.

How to repair a faulty hard drive

Considering that your Dell computer is not booting up, you’ll need to take out the hard drive to test it for issues with hard drive analysis software. This involves putting the hard drive into a SATA to USB enclosure box and testing it on a different desktop computer. To test the hard drive, we recommend using dedicated software like Seatools or WD Data Lifeguard.

If you do find that your hard drive has failed, all you need to do is replace it. Replacing a hard drive is a simple repair job that does not require high technical skills. Learn more about testing and repairing Dell hard drives in our guide here.

Motherboard, RAM, and video card failures

While it’s more likely that a hard drive failure is causing your boot issues, the motherboard, RAM, and video card could also be the culprit. These are all components essential to start up your laptop or desktop computer, so none of them should be ruled out from the start. On some Dell laptops and newer models especially, the RAM and video card are embedded on the motherboard. So to repair those issues, you’ll have to replace the whole motherboard.

A motherboard failure can be behind a few start up issues, especially when the computer does not turn on at all. It is the main communication channel between components, and is essential for the entire normal functioning of the computer. Signals are sent from the processor through the motherboard, and they work accordingly through this channel. If the motherboard fails, the system loses its communication channel and cannot work properly.

During start up, your computer’s RAM is responsible for storing system settings and information required for the process. Then the video card is used to generate a constant stream of images once the computer is turned on. When the computer turns on to a blank screen, there is a possibility that the video card is failing to create an accurate video feed.

All these components failures can be caused by overheating, dust, or physical wear and tear. So it’s important to keep your computer cooled efficiently, and clear of dust.

How to test for motherboard failure

A motherboard failure is a difficult issue to both diagnose and repair. There is no direct way to test the motherboard, unlike a hard drive. To get near accurate diagnosis, the only way to test a motherboard is by testing and eliminating RAM and video card issues.

Testing RAM

If you have a detachable RAM chip on your laptop or desktop computer, you can swap it out with a spare RAM part to test your current RAM. You can eliminate a RAM failure if the problem still remains with the spare RAM.

Now with RAM that’s embedded on the motherboard, you have less flexible options. If you can get your computer to boot successfully, you can use RAM analysis software to test it. Otherwise, you’re left with boot diagnostics to test the RAM.

Testing GPU

To test the video card on a computer that won’t boot, try taking it out and testing it out on a desktop computer with GPU analysis software. A good app for that is FurMark.

To learn more about motherboard repairs, we explain how difficult and risky they are to repair in our guides. Read “Why motherboard failures are so hard to test and repair” now.

After testing all the necessary hardware, you might be able to get a better idea of what’s wrong with your Dell computer. Now you can set out to fix these problems and start up your computer successfully.

Professional repairs

Our Dell computer repair services can sort it out for you.

At Safemode Computer Service, we can help you repair your computer, and upgrade it for you as well. Our services cover a comprehensive list of computer problems.

We are conveniently located in Inner West Sydney, where we are a close by drive or train ride for you. Bring your computer to our Enmore store and we can do a quick test and give you a free quote as well. Call us or come by the Inner West today.

Learn more about our same-day computer repair services.

What to do with a busted laptop screen

Laptops are built slim and sleek, which makes it great for mobility and accessibility. But how everything on the laptop is so compact makes it easy for one thing to cause an inconvenience for everything else. Components on a computer all have a part in delivering a smooth experience for the laptop user. Most of the time, once a part stops working, the entire process is disrupted.

In this case, a screen failure may root from different parts of the laptop. Each component plays a part in making images show on your screen. Without one, you’re likely to see visible changes to the screen. You’ll need to replace a faulty part for everything to go back to normal.

We will look at what causes certain screen issues in this guide, along with repair and replacement solutions. But first, let’s check out how your laptop display works.

How does a laptop display images?

Ever wondered how your computer shows you everything almost instantly? Different parts of your computer work together to create the right display images on the screen. The GPU (and sometimes CPU) works to generate a digital image feed. This is sent through the screen cable and fed into the display. It informs what colour each pixel on the screen should be. Then your screen will be able to show you whatever you’re working on, watching, or reading.

Like most things on a computer, if one part fails, the whole display process will likely face errors. All three components needed to display images on your screen can fail. To find the right solution to your screen issues, we will have to find out what’s causing them first.

Parts of a laptop screen

A laptop screen display might seem like a simple piece of hardware on first sight, but there are a few things that help visualise things. They include:

• Screen — Where you see images. Usually LED or LCD displays for older laptop models.
• Back cover — The back of the screen that protects the screen panel. Also the top of your laptop when closed.
• Inverter — Controls the light for the screen for LCD displays. Discontinued for newer Macbook Air and Pro models, which use the motherboard to light up the screen.
• Backlight — Lights up the screen.
• Screen hinge — Provides smooth opening and closing of the laptop lid.
• Webcam — The camera that you put a sticker over when you’re not video calling someone or taking funny selfies.
• Wifi / Bluetooth antenna — Gets your computer connected to the wifi. Hidden away on the back cover, almost never sees the light of day.

What laptop screen damage can look like

Screen damage can be put in two categories: physically visible ones that you can see without turning on the laptop, and ones that are visible only when a display is showing on screen. Either way, you’ll need a screen replacement to fix this.

Dropping or any hard force on the laptop can cause the screen to crack, or the back cover to break or come loose. The screen cable can also come loose or break, but this is very rare. When other parts of the screen like the webcam or wifi antenna need a replacement, you’ll still need to replace the entire screen.

Other faults that you may experience include, a bleeding image, black columns, or thin lines that distort the normal display. A flickering or fading screen can also mean you’ve got a screen failure. While a fading screen can also mean issues with the screen cable or motherboard, it’s more likely to be a screen failure.

What causes screen damage?

Usually by physical accidents or improper use. Screen damage is mostly caused by end-users. Dropping or stepping on it can get you different damages on parts of the laptop. One type of improper laptop use is grabbing the laptop by the screen’s edge instead of its base when moving it around. This puts pressure on the screen that it may not be able to withstand. Most screens like computer monitors, TVs, and laptop screens can last very long, as long as you don’t break it.

What a GPU failure can look like

A GPU failure is another type of display issue. It can look very similar to the image distortion caused by a screen failure. This would look like vertical or horizontal columns of the wrong shade of colour on the screen. The keyboard and mouse may also look like it’s not responding as well.

These types of image distortion still look very similar. How do we distinguish between a broken screen and a GPU failure? All you need to do is to connect your laptop to an external display like a computer monitor or TV screen. If the display works and everything is responsive, you’ve got a broken laptop screen. Otherwise, it’s a GPU issue. Because the video card is having problems with generating an image feed, your laptop won’t show images normally at all.

What causes GPU failure?

The video card is a microprocessor that is generally expected to last 2-5 years. Accumulating dust and rust inside the card can cause overheating issues that lead to its eventual failure.

Processes like overclocking or heavy gaming use will also put significant stress on the GPU. Be prepared to have to replace your video card if you enjoy gaming, as powerful cards don’t usually last very long. You can always upgrade to something better anyway.

Fixing display issues

Either the screen or video card will need to be replaced. For any issues related to the laptop screen, the whole thing will need to be taken out and replaced. This involves assembling the screen and fitting it back on the laptop.

For video card issues, you can choose to replace it or upgrade with a better card. This is only if you have one that can be taken out on its own though. Desktop computers and some gaming laptops have detachable video cards that can be replaced and upgraded.

Most laptops have their video card embedded on the motherboard, and a replacement on its own is impossible in that case. If you do have an issue with an embedded video card, there could also be a problem with your motherboard. It might be time to replace the whole board.

A word on modern laptop screens

Laptop screens have come a long way. Nowadays, people want thinner, lighter laptops that are convenient for travel. That’s the trend of laptop manufacturing these days. Laptops are made sleeker and thinner.

Laptop screens of newer models are usually all glued together as one part. That’s why we usually can’t just fix the screen panel on its own. LED screens, and especially Apple Macbook retina displays are delicate and usually glued to other parts. No screws or separate parts are usually featured in this design. So trying to put in a brand new screen panel on its own onto your current laptop might just break it. Some touchscreen laptops also glue the touch panel and screen together.

Laptop models that are hard to repair

The screens of high-end subnotebook laptops like Ultrabooks are known to be difficult to repair. This includes models like the Dell XPS 13 or HP Spectre x360. They offer a lightweight option that doesn’t sacrifice battery life. Because of how sleek it is, it’s difficult to put together all the glued parts without risking cracking the screen.

This is also the case for most Apple Macbook laptops, including the Macbook Air and Macbook Pro models. Apple manufactures their own screens, while brands like Dell or Toshiba make use of other branded screens. Their thin LED screens and retina displays are also usually glued together and can be hard to repair.

Back in 2015-2016, the known fault of the Apple butterfly keyboard was also known for causing screen cable issues. Users found that opening and closing up the Macbook was damaging the cable that connected the screen to the motherboard. This oversight resulted in a free keyboard replacement program offered by Apple.

Screen issues can sound like a pain to fix, but as long as you know what’s causing the problem, you can find the right replacement solution. Now let’s move on to how you can fix a laptop screen.

Replacing a laptop screen

Before doing so, you’ll need to buy the right laptop screen as a replacement. Of course, you’ll need to buy the exact same model so it’ll actually fit on your laptop. Even if a different laptop screen physically fits your laptop, the interface might not work properly with your motherboard. You can’t necessarily ‘upgrade’ to a better laptop screen.

Thinking about replacing a laptop screen by yourself? If you’re quite keen and good at DIY tech repair, it could be a good idea. You’ll need a few professional laptop repair tools to do so. Also, remember to open up your computer to disconnect the battery first too. Find specialised repair guides from tech site ifixit that can help you.

Laptop screen repairs can be quite challenging, so you might want to think about how familiar you are with tech repair before you do so. We’ve already covered how delicate this process is, and things could go wrong. Repairing an Ultrabook laptop screen might be too difficult to do at home by yourself.

Professional repairs

Since laptop screen repairs can be quite complicated, you might be thinking about going to a professional for help. Try going to a brand-authorised service provider first. There you can get specialised computer servicing for your laptop, usually free under warranty. You can check on your warranty from the warranty booklet that comes with your laptop, or you may also be able to find this from the built-in support apps.

If your laptop’s warranty has expired, or the service provider can’t help you, a third-party repair service can help you as well. Consider us, at Safemode Computer Service, to help replace your laptop screen. Located in Inner West Sydney, our experienced technicians can tackle problems from screen damage to motherboard failure. We are well-known for our excellent service across Sydney and can definitely offer you the right computer repair solution. Come by our Enmore store today for an appointment.

5 Easy steps to test and repair a Dell computer hard drive

As a leading manufacturer of computer hardware, Dell has definitely made a name for themselves in the computer electronics world. They have and continue to make many lines of personal and business desktop computers and laptops. These include Inspiron, Vostro and XPS, just to name a few.

A common issue that Dell laptop users come across is hard drive failure. Hard drives depend on machinery that needs to be powered to read and write data, and will eventually fail. This may be from damage that impacts its moving parts, or from natural wear. The hard drive will need a repair or a replacement.

When a hard drive does fail, it can be frustrating and annoying, especially for the unprepared. Luckily there are some things you can do to protect yourself from a catastrophic loss of data. For Dell users, there are specific ways to test your hard drive for any problems or failure. Understanding these tools and the right replacement for your hard drive can be helpful for when you do need it.

Want to know more about common hard drive problems? We have other guides that can help you test and repair your hard drive. Even if you own an HP, Apple, or Lenovo computer rather than a Dell, we can help. Error messages like “No bootable drive” or “Operating system not found” can be easily detected and fixed. Check out “Top 8 hard drive issues and how to fix them yourself”.