Laptop Not Turning On? 9 Fixes to Try Before Repair (2026)

Oct 12, 2026

Buy More Mall Kenya

A laptop that will not start is scary, especially with work on it. In many cases the laptop is fine and the problem is power, a stuck battery or the screen. Work through these checks in order before paying for repairs.

Quick answer: If your laptop will not turn on: (1) check the charger light and try another socket, (2) do a hard reset (unplug, remove the battery if possible, hold the power button 30 seconds), (3) try starting on the charger only, (4) listen for fans and check the caps-lock light, (5) connect an external TV or monitor, and (6) reseat the RAM. No lights and no fan with a known-good charger usually points to the charger port or motherboard. Replacement chargers start at KSh 700.

First: What Exactly Happens?

Symptom	Likely cause	Go to
Nothing at all: no lights, no fan	Charger, battery, power button or motherboard	Fixes 1–3
Lights and fan, but black screen	Screen, RAM or display settings	Fixes 4–6
Starts then switches off	Overheating or battery	Fix 7
Logo shows, then stops or loops	Windows or storage problem	Fix 8

9 Fixes in Order

Test the power. Try another socket. Check the charger light. If you can, try a charger of the same wattage that you know works.
Hard reset. Unplug the charger, remove the battery (or hold the power button on laptops with built-in batteries), hold the power button for 30 seconds, then plug in and try again.
Charger only. With the battery out (where possible), start on the charger. If it starts, the battery is dead.
Look and listen. Fans spinning or caps-lock light toggling means the laptop is on and the problem is the display.
External screen. Connect a TV or monitor with HDMI and press the display key (often Fn + F4 or Windows + P). A picture there means the laptop screen or its cable is faulty.
Reseat the RAM. On laptops with a service panel, remove and refit the memory sticks. Beeps at start-up often mean memory.
Let it cool. A laptop that shuts down after a minute may be overheating; see the overheating guide.
Startup repair. If the logo appears but Windows fails, use Windows recovery (Startup Repair) or a recovery USB.
Technician check. No power with a good charger usually means the charging port, power circuit or motherboard; a technician can test it.

Parts That Often Fix a "Dead" Laptop

HP Type C – price in Kenya — HP Type C
**KSh 700**

Dell Type C – price in Kenya — Dell Type C
**KSh 700**

HP 840 g5 Battery – price in Kenya — HP 840 g5 Battery
**KSh 2,200**

HP 840 g3 Battery – price in Kenya — HP 840 g3 Battery
**KSh 2,000**

15.6 40Pin frame Laptop Screen – price in Kenya — 15.6 40Pin frame Laptop Screen
**KSh 2,500**

Some photos are reference images of the product type, used under open licences. Image credits are on each product page.

Part	When it is the fix	Price
HP Type C	HP USB-C laptops with a failed charger	KSh 700
Dell Type C	Dell USB-C laptops with a failed charger	KSh 700
HP 840 g5 Battery	HP 840 G5 with a dead battery	KSh 2,200
HP 840 g3 Battery	HP 840 G3 with a dead battery	KSh 2,000
15.6 40Pin frame Laptop Screen	15.6" laptops with a broken screen	KSh 2,500

Always match the charger’s voltage, wattage and connector to the label under your laptop. See laptop charger prices and laptop screen prices.

Worked Example: Lights On, Black Screen

A Dell shows a power light and its fan spins, but the screen stays black. Connected to a TV by HDMI, Windows appears normally. The laptop is fine; the screen cable has come loose. A technician reseats it and the screen works again, with no new parts needed.