Windows 8 Bible

The Computer Won’t Start

If the computer does absolutely nothing when you first turn it on, your first move is to check all cable connections. Make sure the power plug on every device that plugs into the wall is firmly plugged in. Also, make sure the mouse, keyboard, and all other devices are firmly plugged into their slots.

If it’s a desktop computer, look for a 0/1 power switch on the back of the computer and make sure it’s on (flipped to the 1 position).

If it’s a laptop computer or tablet device, make sure your battery is connected correctly. You might also ensure that the AC adapter is plugged in on your device.

Turn on the computer again and, as it is powering up, push the button on the floppy disk drive (if the computer has one) and the CD or DVD drive. If there is a disk in either drive, remove it.

If the computer sounds as though it’s starting up but you don’t see anything on the screen, make sure all plugs to the monitor are firmly seated. If it’s a desktop computer, make sure the monitor’s power cable is firmly attached to the monitor and wall socket, and that the cable connecting the computer to the monitor is firmly attached at both ends of the cable. Make sure the monitor is turned on. Then restart the computer.

Non-system disk or disk error message

This type of message appears when the computer attempts to boot from a disk on which Windows is not installed. If a floppy disk is in the floppy drive (there are still computers that have floppy disk drives), remove it. ...