Updated: 01/05/2018 by Computer Hope
Power light
Yes, if the computer is sleep or standby mode it is normal for the power light LED to flash, or blink. This lets you know the computer is still on, and that it's in a power-saving mode. If your computer is in this mode, press any keyboard key or button on a mouse to exit power saving mode.
Hard drive light
Many computers also have a hard drive indicator that flash each time the computer hard drive has data read from or written to the drive. This light flashes often or stay on solid for a few seconds frequently as you work on the computer. This too is completely normal.
- See our LED definition for further information and related links.
- Computer hardware help and support.
FAQs
Is It Normal for the Computer's Power Light to Blink? ›
If this is a laptop, ensure that it is plugged into the wall, the blinking light generally indicates that the computer is on standby and doesn't have sufficient power to turn on, once it is plugged in you should see a another light turn on indicating that it is charging and should allow the computer to turn on.
Is it normal for my PC power button to blink? ›Usually if the computer power is blinking, it usually indicates that there is a power settings set on the computer, either sleep or hibernate or anything.
What does a blinking power light mean? ›What's a power blink? Power blinks are also brief service interruptions, but they're typically caused by a fault (short circuit) on a power line or a protective device that's working in reaction to the fault.
Why is my PC power light flashing but not turning on? ›The first thing to try would be to hold in the power button for 30 seconds or so until all the lights go off on the computer, then turn it back on. It may be that the computer was simply stuck in sleep mode.
Why is my CPU power light blinking? ›Power or Hardware Issue: The blinking LED might be indicating a problem with the power supply, motherboard, or other hardware component. It could be related to insufficient power, a faulty connection, or a component failure. 2. Overheating: In some systems, a yellow blinking LED can indicate overheating.
How do I know if my computer power supply is dying? ›- Power-on Fails (system fails to start or lock ups)
- Spontaneous Rebooting.
- Intermittent lock ups during applications.
- Hard drive and fan fail to spin up simultaneously (+12 failure)
- Overheating of power supply due to fan failure.
- Small brownouts that cause the system to fail and restart.
When your computer shuts down and the power button blinks, it may indicate that there is a hardware or software issue with your computer. In some cases, a blinking power button may indicate that the computer is in a low power state, such as sleep mode or hibernation mode.
Is it good when the power blinks? ›Power blinks also occur when protective devices that act as circuit breakers detect the fault. These brief interruptions are actually good. That means the equipment is working as it should to prevent a prolonged outage.
Does blinking light mean charging? ›Flashing power lamp indicates that NO CONNECTION is established between charger and battery and the unit has entered power save mode. 3. Or if the battery voltage is too low (under 2.2V) the led will start to flash.
Why is my HP laptop power button blinking but not turning on? ›The computer may be in the Sleep state. To exit Sleep, briefly press the power button. Sleep is an energy-saving feature that turns off the display. Sleep can be initiated by the system while the computer is on but is not in use, or when the computer has reached a low battery level.
When I try to turn on my PC nothing happens? ›
Try a different power source
Unplug the computer from wherever it's currently plugged in and plug it directly into a wall outlet, bypassing the UPS, surge suppressor, or power strip. If nothing still happens, make sure that outlet works by plugging something else into it, like a desk lamp, and confirming it turns on.
Random Computer Shut Downs or Restarts
Aging or malfunctioning PSUs can cause random and seemingly unexplained shut downs or random restarts. The reasons are numerous and can include thermal overloading because the PSU is dirty or the components are failing, failing capacitors, or an intermittent short in the PSU.
- Try Different Cables. ...
- Decode the Beeps. ...
- Try a Different Power Source. ...
- Check if Your Power Button Is the Problem. ...
- Check Your Display. ...
- Unplug USB Devices You Don't Need. ...
- Reduce the Heat. ...
- Check the Surge Protector.
Resetting is usually a “magic” fix to problems like the PC turning on but no display. Your computer problems might sometimes be caused by some BIOS (an acronym for Basic Input/Output System) misconfigurations. In this case, try clearing the BIOS memory on your motherboard, which will reset the BIOS settings.
Why is my Dell computer power button blinking? ›This indicates that the power supply or another device in the system is failing. Blinking Amber – The system is unable to boot to the operating system. This indicates that the power supply is normal but another device in the system is failing or not installed properly.
Why is my HP computer power button blinking? ›Sometimes, a faulty connection can cause the power light to blink. If you can access a spare battery, try swapping it to see if the issue persists.