Laptop won't start

Papyrus · April 24, 2025, 05:55:13 PM

A plea for help, please, gang...

As my wife's wrist has been out of action for nearly 2 months, she hasn't been using her laptop (Asus ZenBook). The last time it was used was about a month ago when I ran a backup and it worked fine then. Mrs P tried turning it on today and nothing at all happened. Tried it plugged in and unplugged. Tried swapping power leads. Tried holding the on/off button down for 30 seconds. Zippo. Anybody any ideas how we can kick it into life again before I take it down to the laptop menders? (Talk as you would to a complete idiot...)

Thanks in advance.

Cheers,

Chris

jpendle · April 24, 2025, 06:14:43 PM

Ok for the complete idiot

Holding the power on/off button down for 30 seconds forces the laptop to turn off, it won't turn on again unless you release the button and then press it again.

Is it possible for you to remove and then re-insert the battery?

Do you have an external monitor that you could connect to see if it's the screen that's dead rather than the laptop, alternatively when you turn it on, do lights on the keyboard and elsewhere come on and it's just the screen that's blank?

Regards,

John P

Papyrus · April 24, 2025, 06:24:37 PM

No lights come on. Normally the keyboard lights up. The battery unfortunately is inaccessible.

I don't have a monitor but I can connect it to the TV which I will try in a while but it looks like nothing's working.

Chris

PLD · April 24, 2025, 06:30:14 PM

Rather than plugging in and trying to boot up immediately, try leaving plugged in for half an hour first to allow the battery to take some charge before booting...

Firstone18 · April 24, 2025, 07:37:16 PM

I reckon PLDs suggestion is the way to go, but I'd leave it for much longer. When you plug it in to charge, do you get any indication it is charging? I had an old laptop which was unused for over 4 weeks, and had to charge it overnight before it would switch on. HTH.

Papyrus · April 24, 2025, 07:44:17 PM

Certainly worth a try. I don't like leaving stuff plugged in overnight but I'll try it tomorrow.

Cheers,

Chris

geoffc · April 25, 2025, 10:07:35 AM

I had the same problem with a desk top computer, there was a button battery inside which powers the BIOS. This battery was flat, changing it for a new one cured the problem. I don't know if this will help and how easy it is to access the button battery if fitted,

Geoff

ntpntpntp · April 25, 2025, 10:58:25 AM

I've certainly experienced the problem where a totally flat battery won't let you power up from the mains until a few minutes have passed and there is a bare minimum of power in the battery. In the old days then you used to have to go into the bios and reset things if it had been without power that long.

I'm not sure laptops have backup button cells like desktops - I can't recall ever changing one in a laptop.

Steven B · April 25, 2025, 11:35:21 AM

It's worth checking that the power supply is working - a flat battery can't charge if there's no volts being supplied. Can you put a voltmeter to it to check the voltage?

I'd also check that the mains lead is firmly connected to the AC-DC power adaptor. Sometimes it can look like it is, but it's actually not. Similarly, check the fuse and if you're really desperate the plug socket!

Papyrus · April 25, 2025, 03:14:15 PM

Thanks for all the replies. I checked the power lead earlier and also swapped it with the one from my laptop but still not working. I also tried charging it for 5 hours without success. Having run out of things to try at home we took it to the laptop shop. He tried it in his own charger and managed to get a couple of little lights to come on but nothing else so we've left it with him. I will report back.

Cheers,

Chris

Newportnobby · April 25, 2025, 03:43:20 PM

Had a somewhat similar issue recently with my laptop which wouldn't charge. Took it to my local 'geek' who swapped the charger for a more powerful one and discharged a small build up of static from within the body of the laptop and, so far, all has been well.
No cost and about ½ an hours work
Dell Latitude

Papyrus · April 25, 2025, 07:49:45 PM

Now my laptop has stopped charging!! Stuff a pelican! The machines are ganging up on me. At least the laptop is still working (fingers crossed...). Yes I've checked the fuse. Hopefully it just needs a new power lead.

Cheers,

Chris

Newportnobby · April 25, 2025, 09:37:36 PM

As they say "To err is human. To really foul things up you need a computer"

Papyrus · Reply #13 - Re: Laptop won't start

Some good news from Papyrus Corner (I won't trouble you with the less good news....). Blanche's laptop is working again after the repairman kept it on charge for a few hours. No other problem, so no charge. And he was able to supply me with a new charger lead for my machine so there'll be dancing on the streets tonight.

Cheers,

Chris