Why Does My PC Turn On But There’s No Display or Power to the Keyboard?
Why Does My PC Turn On But There’s No Display or Power to the Keyboard?
3 Answers

Picture this: your PC powers on but nothing\’s showing on the screen, and your keyboard’s as lifeless as a rock. Frustrating, right? Well, this issue typically involves something fishy happening with cables, hardware parts not sitting right, or even power issues. Let me help you sort it out step by step.
First off, try a hard reboot. Press and hold that power button for about 10 seconds, let your PC rest for a moment, then hit that button again to start it up. This can sometimes nudge Windows into fixing itself if it’s just a tiny glitch causing the holdup. Take a look at your monitor and keyboard—is there any sign of life? If they’re still dead, unplug all peripherals like your keyboard, mouse, and external storage, and boot up again. This way, you can pinpoint if an external device is the troublemaker.
Next, grab a closer look at your monitor cables. Is the monitor’s power light on? Unplug and reconnect everything, making sure it’s nice and snug—both the power and the video cable (whether it’s HDMI, VGA, or whatever you’re using). Testing with another cable or monitor doesn’t hurt either. A dodgy connection might be the sneaky culprit behind that blank screen.
Then, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and open your PC case—of course, power everything down and unplug it first! Check your RAM sticks. Trust me; RAM loves jumping out of place. Pull them out, look them over for damage, then put them back in, securely. Also, make sure all those internal power cables, especially the ones linking the PSU to the motherboard, are tightly fastened.
Don\’t forget about the BIOS. A misplaced BIOS setting is another usual suspect. Unplug your PC, pop out the little CMOS battery for a few minutes, then pop it back in and start her up again. This can reset any quirky settings that might be halting startup.
And let’s chat about the PSU—the power supply. Just because fans or LEDs are whirring away doesn’t mean the PSU is all good. It might not be giving enough juice to the critical parts. Connect only what’s essential and maybe do a paperclip test if you\’re up for it—just be cautious! Making sure your main and extra power connectors are snuggly in place can make a huge difference.
Now, here’s a nifty tip: If you\’re relying on integrated graphics, try slapping in a dedicated graphics card or the other way around. And a little tweak in the BIOS settings regarding your graphics can work wonders too.
There you have it! With a bit of patience and these down-to-earth steps, you should be able to zero in on what\’s causing those annoying blank screens and get your beloved PC back in action. These are just tried-and-true fixes that tech enthusiasts swear by. Give them a go!

If your PC decides to switch on but leaves your display and keyboard in the dark, don’t sweat it—there’s usually a fix. Here’s the game plan to troubleshoot and hopefully solve the mystery:
- First things first, double-check that your monitor is actually on and the cables are snug and happy. A loose connection might just be behind this mess.
- If you’ve got a spare monitor or cable lying around, why not give them a whirl? This could help pinpoint if your current set-up is the troublemaker.
- Have a listen near the fan of your power supply unit (PSU)—is it humming along? Make sure its switch is flipped on properly. If it’s dead silent, it might be time to invest in a new PSU.
- While you’re poking around, ensure all those internal power cables are in there nice and tight, especially the main 24-pin and that tricky 8-pin CPU power connector.
- Pop out those RAM sticks and plop them back in—you’d be amazed how often poor seating is the culprit.
- Testing one RAM stick at a time isn’t a bad strategy either. It could be just one stick throwing you off.
- Time to play USB port hopscotch with your keyboard—sometimes just moving it to a new port can do the trick.
- Your graphics card needs love too; make sure it’s sitting correctly in its slot. Give it a gentle reseat if needed.
- If your system has integrated graphics, now’s the time for its debut! Plug into that and see if the problem persists; it could spotlight a faulty card.
- Feeling adventurous? Try resetting your BIOS. Take the CMOS battery out for a spell, then slot it back in. This might clear up any weird settings causing your issues.
- When all else falls short, it’s worth scrutinizing the motherboard for damage. If you can, slot in different parts to see if you strike gold.
These tips cover the usual suspects when your PC’s being uncooperative with no display or keyboard power. If it keeps giving you grief, it might be time to ring up the tech pros to save the day.

Hey there! So you\’ve hit the power button and your PC\’s got its lights on, but nobody\’s home—in other words, no display or keyboard action. Been there, done that, and it’s super frustrating. But hang tight, because we’re about to troubleshoot this like pros.
Let’s dive into the possible culprits:
Busted Power Connection
You might just have a fiddly power connection. Have a look at those power cables hooking up your motherboard and the PSU. Give them a good push to make sure they\’re snug. Got a multimeter? Give the PSU a quick test or borrow a working one to see if that’s the problem. For laptops, don\’t forget to power cycle by holding down the power button for a half-minute.
Video No-Show
Sometimes your monitor or video output is just not playing ball. Double-check the monitor cables and swap them with spares if you have them. Try using a different monitor or device to rule that out. If you’re on a desktop, reseat the GPU and check those extra power cables. Got integrated graphics? Try booting with it by removing the dedicated GPU temporarily.
RAM Ruckus
RAM gone rogue can freeze everything up. Pull out those RAM modules, give the contacts a gentle wipe and reseat them. Test each one individually if you’ve got extras. And give your motherboard a once-over—are the capacitors looking funky or is there anything burnt?
BIOS Tantrums
Tweaking BIOS settings too much can lead to chaos. Reset it by taking out the motherboard battery for a bit or hitting those jumper pins. If you can coax your system into booting even a little, consider updating the BIOS using a secondary PC.
Troublesome Tech
Maybe it\’s the peripherals throwing a wrench into the works. Unplug anything unnecessary and see if the PC wakes up normally. Check your keyboard on another device, just in case it’s the one at fault.
Overheat Drama
Overheating could be the villain here. Peek inside to see if the CPU or GPU fans are spinning like they should be. If things are running hot, maybe reapplying thermal paste could cool things down. Listening for beep codes is the way to go if they’re supported by your setup—could point you towards what’s acting up.
When You’re Stuck
Alright, tried these tricks and still no dice? If those components aren’t behaving in another system either, it might be time to call in the pros. Sometimes the motherboard, GPU, or CPU’s just giving up the ghost, and it might be beyond the usual DIY fixes.
Remember to unplug everything before diving in there. Working on your PC can be a rewarding DIY adventure, but make sure you’re staying safe too!
Hope this guide helps you get things back on track!