4 Ways to Fix a PC That Turns On and Off Repeatedly

PC Turns On and Off Repeatedly?

Sometimes, your PC turns on for a second, then off, or is stuck in a boot loop without fully booting into the operating system. This frustrating issue could happen for various reasons, including:

➤ Faulty Hardware: Faulty or improperly connected hardware components, like RAM, motherboard, or GPU can cause this behavior.
➤ Corrupted Boot Configuration: If boot configuration files become corrupted, the operating system might fail to load.
➤ Software Conflicts or Recent Updates: Sometimes, a recent software installation, update, or driver conflict can lead to the PC repeatedly turning on and off.
➤ Malware or Virus Infection: In some cases, malicious software can corrupt essential system files or interfere with the boot process, leading to an endless restart loop.
➤ BIOS/UEFI Settings Issues: Incorrect or misconfigured BIOS/UEFI settings could be preventing the system from booting properly.

4 Ways to Fix a PC That Turns On and Off Repeatedly

Way 1. Repair Boot Issues

If your PC turns on for a second then off, the problem may lie within your system’s boot configuration. Boot errors can prevent Windows from loading properly, causing the system to turn on and off repeatedly without fully starting up. Repairing the boot configuration can often resolve this issue.

One of the most effective ways to address this is by using AOMEI Partition Assistant, a powerful tool specifically designed to fix various boot issues on Windows PCs and ensure your system runs smoothly. With its intuitive interface, you can easily repair both working and non-booting PCs with just a few clicks.

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Follow these steps to fix your PC that turns on and off repeatedly:

Step 1: Install AOMEI Partition Assistant on a working PC and connect a USB drive with enough storage space.

Step 2: Open the software and select the Boot Repair tool under the Recover section.

Step 3: Click on the Create a Bootable Disk option to create a WinPE Boot Repair USB drive.

Step 4: Plug the created USB drive into the non-booting computer, then enter the BIOS settings to change the boot order so that the system boots from the USB. It will automatically load the Boot Repair tool and perform a scan of the boot entries.

Step 5: Once the scan completes, you’ll see all the results, including system paths, system versions, and boot status. Select the repairable boot entries and click the Repair button.

Step 6: Wait for the repair process to finish, then remove the bootable USB drive and reboot the PC from the original system drive.

Way 2. Use Startup Repair

If your PC turns on and off repeatedly with no display, this may indicate a more serious startup issue that can't be easily fixed through basic methods. In such cases, performing a Startup Repair can help automatically detect and resolve these problems. Follow these steps to run Startup Repair:

Step 1: Press and hold the power button for about 10 seconds until your PC shuts down. Then, press the power button again to turn it back on. Repeat this process 2-3 times until your PC boots into the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).

Step 2: Once in WinRE, navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Repair.

Step 3: Windows will begin scanning for startup issues and will attempt to automatically fix any problems. Wait for the process to complete.

Step 4: After the repair is finished, restart your PC and check whether the issue has been resolved.

Way 3. Boot Into Safe Mode

Booting into Safe Mode allows you to start Windows with only essential drivers and services, helping you isolate the cause of the issue. Safe Mode is especially useful if a recent driver or software update is causing the problem. Follow these steps to boot into Safe Mode:

Step 1: Repeatedly restart your PC until you enter the WinRE.

Step 2: Navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings, then click Restart.

Step 3: After your PC restarts, you'll see several options. Choose one of the following by pressing the corresponding key:

• F4 to enter Safe Mode
• F5 to enter Safe Mode with Networking
• F6 to enter Safe Mode with Command Prompt

Step 4: To repair boot issues in Safe Mode, you can run CHKDSK, check for corrupt system files, or check for hardware issues.

Way 4. Perform System Restore

If none of the previous methods resolve the issue, performing a System Restore can help return your PC to a stable state by reverting it to a previous restore point when everything was working fine. Follow these steps to perform a System Restore:

Step 1: Repeatedly restart your PC until you enter the WinRE.

Step 2: In WinRE, navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > System Restore.

Step 3: Select a restore point from before the problem occurred.

Step 4: Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the restore process.

Step 5: Finally, restart your PC and check if it can boot properly.

Effective Tips to Prevent Boot Issues

Preventing boot-related issues is always better than fixing them. Here are some useful tips to ensure your PC runs smoothly:

✔️ Keep Your System Updated: Regularly check for Windows updates to keep your system free from bugs and security flaws.

✔️ Backup Your Data: Regularly back up important files to prevent data loss if something goes wrong.

✔️ Monitor Hardware Health: Check the condition of your hard drive and other hardware components to avoid potential failures.

✔️ Clean Up Your PC: Regularly clean your PC, particularly the C: drive, to prevent low storage from causing potential errors.

Final Words

If your PC turns on and off repeatedly, the issue could be due to various underlying causes. Don’t worry! By following the solutions outlined above, you can troubleshoot and resolve the issue. Among these, Method 1 is highly recommended for its user-friendly interface and effectiveness. With just a few clicks, you can restore your PC to a normal state and get it running smoothly again.