PC will not start

In our experience, there are two most likely causes of this problem. The first is a broken power supply unit, and the second is a failed motherboard. Other faults that could cause this are possible, such as a faulty power lead, but these are extremely unusual.

In the case of a broken power supply unit (the grey device at the top of the picture) we will contact you and confirm you are happy with us replacing it. In most cases we will offer you a range of options to replace the broken piece of equipment. A typical new power supply costs around £30, but we may have second user units on stock at a lower price. There would then be a small labour fee of around £20.

If the problem is a faulty motherboard, the cost to repair is dependent on the make, model and age of your computer. If the parts are available, a typical new motherboard costs around £40-60, though second user parts may be cheaper. The associated labour charge is usually about four hours, due to the requirement of reinstalling Windows in almost all cases.

We would recommend bringing your computer to us, or allowing your computer to be taken away, for a problem of this nature. Not only does it allow us access to a greater range of tools and equipment, but it will give you the benefit of our lower off site technical support rate.