A PC that won’t power on feels catastrophic, but in our Bugis workshop roughly half of these cases turn out to be something simple. Work through this list in order before assuming the worst — and know which symptoms mean it’s time to bring it in.
First: the $0 checks
- The wall and the cable. Try a different power socket and firmly reseat the power cable at both ends. Extension strips fail more often than PCs do.
- The PSU switch. The rocker switch on the back of the power supply should be on the "I" position. It gets knocked during cleaning more often than you’d think.
- The monitor, not the PC. If fans spin and lights come on but the screen stays black, the PC may be fine. Check the monitor’s power and cable, and make sure the display cable is plugged into the graphics card, not the motherboard, if you have a dedicated GPU.
Symptom guide: what the behaviour tells you
Completely dead — no lights, no fans. Usually the PSU or its cable. PSUs are the most failure-prone part of any desktop, and a failing one can damage other components, so don’t keep flipping the switch hoping.
Powers on for a second, then shuts off. Classic short-circuit protection or overheating trigger — often dried thermal paste or a fan clogged with dust after a few years in Singapore humidity.
Fans spin, no display, maybe beeping. Frequently a RAM stick that’s come loose. If you’re comfortable opening the case: power off, press each RAM stick down firmly until it clicks. This fixes a surprising number of "dead" PCs.
Randomly restarts or shuts down under load. Overheating or a PSU that can no longer deliver under load — both quick workshop diagnoses.
Turns on but Windows won’t load. Likely a failing drive. If your files matter, stop rebooting repeatedly — each attempt can worsen a dying drive. This is a data-recovery situation.
When to stop DIY
Bring it in if: it’s completely dead after the $0 checks, it smells burnt, it shuts off within seconds, or your data is at risk. Poking at a shorted PSU or a dying drive can turn a cheap repair into an expensive one.
What repair costs at our shop
Our PC repair service starts from $39, diagnosis is free with any repair, and most jobs — PSU swaps, repastes, RAM/SSD upgrades — are done same-day. And if the machine genuinely isn’t worth fixing, we’ll say so and point you at a tested replacement from $550 instead of billing you for a band-aid. WhatsApp 9131 8317 with the symptoms, or bring it to Bugis.