What are the most effective incident handling tools and techniques for a computer that won't turn on?

1 Check the power supply

The first thing you should do is make sure that your computer is getting enough power. Check the power cord, the outlet, the surge protector, and the power switch on the back of the case. If you have a laptop, try removing the battery and plugging it in directly. You can also use a multimeter to test the voltage of the power supply unit (PSU) if you have one. If the power supply is faulty, you'll need to replace it.

2 Check the display

Sometimes, the computer might be on, but the display is not showing anything. This could be due to a loose or damaged cable, a faulty monitor, or a problem with the graphics card. To troubleshoot this, try connecting your computer to a different monitor or TV, or using a different cable or port. If the display works, then you know the issue is with the original monitor or cable. If not, you might need to check the graphics card or the motherboard.

3 Check the hardware

Another possible cause of a computer that won't turn on is a hardware failure or incompatibility. This could be due to a faulty or improperly installed component, such as the RAM, the CPU, the hard drive, or the motherboard. To identify the culprit, you can use some tools and techniques, such as POST (Power-On Self-Test) beep codes or LED indicators to signal if there is a problem with the BIOS, the RAM, the CPU, or the video card. Alternatively, you can remove and reinsert the CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) battery to reset the BIOS settings and clear any errors. Hardware diagnostics tools can also be accessed from the BIOS menu or from a bootable media to test the functionality and performance of various components. Lastly, you could try the minimal configuration method which involves removing all non-essential components and testing them one by one to isolate the faulty one.

5 Use bootable media

A bootable media, such as a CD, DVD, or USB flash drive can be a very helpful tool for incident handling if your computer won't turn on. It can contain a different operating system, such as Linux or Windows PE, or a set of tools, such as Hiren's BootCD or Ultimate Boot CD. With a bootable media, you can access the files and folders on your hard drive and back them up to another device or location. It can also help you scan and remove any malware that might be preventing your system from booting, partition and format your hard drive or repair any bad sectors or errors, test and benchmark your hardware components or update your drivers or firmware, and recover your password or unlock your account if you forgot or lost them.