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Lenovo ThinkPad laptops are known for their durable design, keyboard quality, and long battery life. They are widely used in the corporate world and by students looking for an entry to mid-level power. As this covers most users worldwide, ThinkPad laptops are one of the best-selling systems.
However, like any other computer system, they face issues now and then. A common problem with these laptops is when it fails to turn on. This article will explain why this happens and ways to overcome it.
Why won’t Lenovo ThinkPad turn on?
There are several reasons why Lenovo ThinkPad won’t. Here are a few of them:
1. Battery Issues
Since ThinkPad laptops are equipped with powerful batteries, it is common for users to use them without plugging in their chargers. While this is okay for the most part, you are likely to drain out the battery eventually. This results in the laptop losing its power source, which is essential for it to turn on and operate.
Another battery issue may be an improper attachment. If your laptop also faces this issue, it hinders power exchange between it and the charger you connect.
2. Overheating
If your ThinkPad laptop is hot on touch, you are likely facing an overheating issue. Sometimes, this issue results in computer systems losing the ability to turn on. It is common for users to meet this issue when using their laptops with no room for ventilation or in an area with extreme heat.
3. Damaged charger
Like any other computer hardware, chargers are fragile and can be compromised after a point. Lenovo ThinkPad laptops can also face this issue. If your charger is connected, but the battery indicator isn’t on, your charger or the port has likely been compromised.
4. BIOS errors
The basic Input/Output System (BIOS) is responsible for the booting process of any computer system. It is attached to the system’s motherboard and performs multiple checks with the hardware and software while booting. The BIOS of your laptop may have been compromised.
5. Faulty hardware
Computer systems are built using multiple components, all of which work in unison for them to operate the system properly. If any of these components is damaged, it will hinder the system’s ability to turn on. With Lenovo ThinkPad laptops, elements such as hard drive, RAM, motherboard, or GPU are likely to prevent bootup if they are faulty.
How to fix: Lenovo ThinkPad Won’t Turn On
Since there are many causes, there are various ways to fix the issue of Lenovo ThinkPads not turning on. Here they are:
1. Plug in the Charger
One of the most straightforward fixes to ThinkPad not turning on is to plug in its charger. If a drained-out battery causes the issue, doing this will result in a power exchange between the charger and the laptop, allowing the laptop to turn on. We recommend waiting for about 10-15 minutes, as drained-out batteries take more time before allowing your system to boot up.
2. Power Drain
Power draining a laptop means draining its battery until it is empty, intending to recalibrate the overall system. It helps increase battery likes and fix issues such as the system not turning on. Here is how to do it:
- Step 1: Unplug the charger and remove all external devices connected to your ThinkPad laptop.
- Step 2: If your laptop has a removable battery, remove it. If it doesn’t, use the pinhole reset. Laptops with irremovable batteries usually have an emergency pinhole reset button on the bottom cover (check the user manual for more information).
- Step 3: Press and hold the power button for about 20 seconds.
- Step 4: Reconfigure the laptop and connect the charger. Now try to turn it on.
3. Increase the Brightness
If you are using your ThinkPad laptop in sunny or harsh lighting conditions, it is possibly turning on, and you are just not noticing that it has. It is also possible that your system’s screen has lost the ability to portray brightness levels and has turned dimmer than usual. Try spamming the brightness-up button on the laptop and see if you can see anything on your screen.
4. Check for Faulty Hardware
Faulty hardware of any kind can hinder your ThinkPad laptop from turning on. These include your power button, charging port, RAM, battery, motherboard, CPU, or GPU. If you know your way around laptops, you should check whether any of these components are at fault. If they are, try to reattach them correctly and see if that works. If the component fails to calibrate, you will need to replace it.
5. Fix Heating Issues
Heating issues can cause ThinkPad laptops not to turn on. Suppose you are using your computer in hot conditions or under heavy stress. In that case, we recommend providing it with a cooling system/pad and room for proper ventilation.
6. Configure BIOS Correctly
BIOS is likely misconfigured if your laptop turns on but won’t boot properly. To check, switch on the laptop and press F1 or F2 key to access the BIOS and check for any error messages. It is possible that you may not even see any error messages. In either case, ensure you have the correct settings per Lenovo.
Conclusion
It is one thing to have a program showing up with an error, but if your laptop fails to turn on, fixing it can be a frustrating task. There are several ways Lenovo ThinkPad laptops fail to turn on and several ways to resolve these issues. We discussed the complete checklist in the article above.
