Dell Computer Does Not Turn On or Boot Into Windows

Every computer goes through a series of checks from the time that it is turned on until it boots into the operating system. When a computer does not turn on or boot into the operating system, it could be a failure with;

• Power
• POST (power-on self-test) process
• Video
• On-screen error message such as No Boot Device, No Bootable Device, Boot Device Not Found, No bootable devices were found when booting into the operating system.

The steps to troubleshoot each issue vary depending on the type of symptoms that you are noticing on the computer.

If your Dell computer does not turn on or boot into the operating system, it is recommended that you first perform a hard reset. Performing a hard reset fixes many problems and also drains residual power that may be causing the problem.

Perform a hard reset.

1. Turn off the computer.
2. Disconnect the AC adapter or power cable from the computer, and remove the battery (for Dell laptops with removable battery).
   NOTE: For Dell laptops that have a nonremovable battery, see the Dell knowledge base article How to reset Real Time Clock (RTC).
   For Dell laptops with removable batteries, see the User Guide for your Dell laptop for step-by-step instructions to safely remove the battery.
   NOTE: On select Dell Latitude laptops, try to recover the laptop using the forced ePSA method from a POST or boot failure. To learn more, see the Dell knowledge base article How to Use Forced ePSA to Recover from POST or Boot Failure.
3. Disconnect all devices such as USB drives, printers, webcams, and media cards (SD/xD).
4. Press and hold the power button for 15 to 20 seconds to drain residual power.
5. Connect the AC adapter or power cable and the battery (for Dell laptops).
6. If your Dell computer can turn on but is unable to boot into Windows, identify the symptoms and follow the appropriate troubleshooting guide.
7. If your Dell computer is not able to turn on, follow the troubleshooting guide for no power symptom in the table below.

Run a hardware diagnostic test.

Running a hardware diagnostic test helps you identify potential hardware failure. Dell laptops, desktops, all-in-ones, and Windows-based tablets have an integrated diagnostic test. It is called the SupportAssist Pre Boot System Assessment or Enhanced Pre-Boot System Assessment (ePSA).

• If the Dell computer cannot boot into Windows, run the preboot diagnostic test. To learn more, see the Dell knowledge base article How to Run a Preboot Diagnostic Test on a Dell Computer.
• If the Dell computer can boot into Windows and has an active Internet connection, run the online diagnostic test from SupportAssist. To learn more, see the Dell knowledge base article How to run the Online Diagnostics and use the Diagnostics for Troubleshooting.

Identify the symptoms and troubleshoot

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