# Computer question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 9, 2023, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/985260 "2023-06-09T19:31:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2023, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/985260/1 "2023-06-09T19:31:13Z")
I was unable to turn on my laptop for about 2 hours. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2023, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/985260/2 "2023-06-09T19:34:59Z")
What happened when you tried? Anything at all? Is it plugged in? Is there a battery in it? ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2023, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/985260/3 "2023-06-09T19:40:13Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > I was unable to turn on my laptop for about 2 hours. Did you try blowing in its ear? ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2023, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/985260/4 "2023-06-09T19:53:58Z")
Did it “magically” start working again after sitting for 2 hours? If so, the most likely explanation is that it overheated. Blowing in its “ear” might have actually helped. Getting the fan repaired might be better, though. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2023, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/985260/5 "2023-06-09T20:50:00Z")
Make and model please. I once had this trouble with a laptop and it was a flaky power switch. There was a second power switch that was activated by sticking a probe into a hole in the side of the body. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2023, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/985260/6 "2023-06-10T18:42:59Z")
Dell G5 5500. Most articles online blame overheating. Supposedly it happens randomly. It just seems weird to me that I hadn’t been using the laptop at all for several hours. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2023, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/985260/7 "2023-06-10T18:47:41Z")
Nothing at all. It was plugged in. I even let it fully charge. The diagnostic says the battery is dieing, but I wouldn’t think that would affect it if it was plugged in. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2023, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/985260/8 "2023-06-10T18:53:40Z")
It does matter. Your battery may have been unable to power up the machine. Was it plugged in and charging before the 2 hour pause? It could be your battery. It could be overheating. It could be one of many possible flaky connections in your machine or the charger. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2023, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/985260/9 "2023-06-10T20:07:39Z")
I’ve had the power supply temporarily stop outputting on a couple laptops now. It might be something thermal or a dirty power detection isolation feature or something but it starts to work again after a few hours. It’s definitely the power supply, I’ve checked it with a multimeter. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2023, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/985260/10 "2023-06-10T20:38:07Z")
Is your battery removable? Did you try taking out the battery and then seeing if you can turn it on with AC power only? ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2023, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/985260/11 "2023-06-11T17:42:31Z")
No. Which is annoying because If it ever dies I’ll have to pay someone to replace it. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2023, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/985260/12 "2023-06-11T19:57:59Z")
**Moderator Note** > [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Did you try blowing in its ear? Please wait until after the question has been factually addressed before making comments like this in FQ. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2023, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/985260/13 "2023-06-11T20:01:09Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > The diagnostic says the battery is dieing, but I wouldn’t think that would affect it if it was plugged in. It can, at least on some laptop models. I had a friend give me a “dead” laptop. I happened to have the same model laptop (it was a work laptop that they let us keep when they bought us new ones) and swapping out the battery allowed the laptop to run, even though the replacement battery was pretty close to death itself. It sounds like now would be a really good time to get yourself an external drive and back up all of your important stuff. If it happens again, try holding down the power button for 30 seconds. ---
**Author:** ![Danger\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Danger\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danger_Man)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/985260/14 "2023-06-13T19:28:04Z")
I know it’s hard to come up with anything better, but I love the name of this thread 😃 ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2023, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/985260/15 "2023-06-14T20:25:44Z")
I asked the computer a question but all it would answer was “42”.