How do you repair a dead computer?

Answer 1

It depends on why it is dead, and what you mean by dead. If it is not completely dead, and you get a BIOS screen and other display, you likely have either an OS problem or a hard drive problem. If it is an OS problem, you'd reinstall or repair the operating system using its installation CD/DVD. If it is the hard drive, then you'd have to open the computer and replace the hard drive, and you can skip the other steps below, and just install the OS on the new drive and try to transfer what you can from the old one if possible.

If it is completely dead, the first thing to do is rule out the obvious and make sure it is plugged in, with a good cord, that the outlet has power going to it, and that the switch on the back of the computer is not turned off (if there is one there).

After ruling all of that out, you will likely need to disassemble the computer. There may be three screws to remove on the left panel (viewing from the front). Or there might be just a latch in the back or a latch and thumb screws. After removing the screws and/or releasing the latch, you'd slide the panel back. For some, the only case screws are on top. In that case, you'd remove the top panel first and then slide off the panel on the side mentioned before.

An easy thing to rule out is the memory. If you have multiple sticks installed, take some out and try different combinations, and trying to boot after each time. If it boots, then you have bad memory.

You can then test the power supply. If when you try to power up you hear/feel the hard drives start up (if mechanical), then the power supply is likely good. If you are unsure, you can try another power supply. You can also try to see if any power connectors are loose or fallen off.

Another thing to rule out is the video card. You can try a different video card or an additional one if it is built in. If that works, that is your problem, if not, the proceed onto suspecting the motherboard.

Also, try removing an non-essential cards from the slots and try booting to see if they are defective and preventing other components from operating correctly.

If you ruled out the power, power supply, video card, and RAM, then the motherboard is about all that is left. You might want to check to see if the CPU is correctly seated under the heat sink. But beware, you might accidentally uproot the CPU and bend the pins, and you might need a new CPU or to spend 15 minutes or more straightening pins. That is because the thermal paste might have turned hard and glued the heat sink to the CPU. But if the motherboard is bad and you want to reuse that CPU, it will have to come out of there, so be gentle. Now if the CPU was mounted correctly and didn't work lose, or you tried another one and it didn't help, then the motherboard is all that is left. You would need a new motherboard and to remove all the screws and wires on the old one and do the reverse with the new one.

Now, if you replaced the motherboard or hard drive, or you are having OS trouble, then you would likely need to repair or reinstall the operating system. If you replaced it with the same type of motherboard, then you likely won't need to reinstall the operating system if it worked well before the hardware crashed. But you may have to activate it again, and you could contact Microsoft and give them some codes if the computer gives you instructions telling you to do so. Then they can give you new codes to put in and you can go from there.