So, you turn on your PC and it does not boot. It has a blank screen and it sits there and "hangs" for a long while. There are a few things we can check to see what's going on and how we can fix it.
First, let's try to fix this the easy way.
1. Restart the computer. See what happens. If it does not boot, restart again and try to enter the BIOS. To do this you'll need to press F1, F2, DEL, or ESC rapidly until it enters "Setup" or "BIOS". Sometimes, it's also called "CMOS".
2. If you can get into the BIOS, either under Advanced or Setup, there should be an option to load defaults. Set the BIOS back to default and then exit while saving changes and restart the computer. If it loads your OS, then it's fixed. If not, then keep going.
If your PC hangs on the OS logo screen or says a message loading the OS, it could be a master boot record problem. If you are running Windows, you can restart the computer and press F8 rapidly. Then run command prompt and enter the following commands fixboot or fixmbr. These codes will try to repair the master boot record and get your PC back to working order. This fix is only for windows though.
If your computer cannot get to the BIOS, or the OS logo, then we need to look for hardware issues.
1. Unplug the computer
2. Open the case
3. Locate the RAM, depress the clips on both sides, pull the RAM out, spray some compressed air into the RAM socket, and return the RAM, making sure to press hard until it clicks into place.
Now plug it in and see if that did anything. If it works, then your done. If not, unplug it and continue.
4. Check the cables connected to the hard drive for tightness and proper fit. Also check the cables on the motherboard for tightness and proper fit.
5. Make sure the heatsink and fan for the processor are free of dust and debris. Also make sure the fan is working.
If you still cant boot, continue on
6. Disconnect the hard drive and plug the computer back in. Turn it on. It should boot with a message saying "No boot device found" or "Replace system disk" or similar. If it does, the Hard Drive is shorted internally and needs to be replaced.
7. Change the CMOS battery. It is a button cell battery on the motherboard. It usually is a 2032 model battery. Most supermarkets and pharmacies will have them. This battery being dead sometimes won't allow the CMOS to set any settings and cause the system to hang.
If none of the above has helped yet, the last thing you can try is to replace the RAM. Take each RAM stick out one by one, testing the machine with each removal. If the computer boots with some of the RAM out, the sticks you removed are bad and need to be replaced.
If that doesn't help, you can try to replace the Graphics card. This is the best case scenario because it gets worse.
If replacing the graphics card does not work, the most likely cause is a motherboard or processor and at that point, some computers are cheaper than the individual components.
Please note: No person or company paid me to say anything about any of the topics above. These are my opinions and what I have observed using the program personally. Your experience may vary. I am not responsible for any data loss that may occur. Use my guides at your own risk.