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[DarkLordofthePenguins]

If a computer won't boot, this probably means one of two things: either one or more of the hardware components is damaged or the operating system won't load. Here is a rundown of the possible situations:

1. Hardware failure: After a computer is turned on, the BIOS runs a program called POST, which checks all the hardware components to see if they are functional, then loads the operating system. If a component is missing or not functional, it displays a text error on the screen. Since only a minimal set of components (BIOS, power supply, CPU) is needed to perform the POST, it will run under most adverse circumstances. If it doesn't, and the computer completely fails to turn on, this indicates either a lack of power or a pervasive system failure, like a fried motherboard, that affects the components necessary to run POST.

2. POST failure: If the computer turns on but the operating system won't load, there are usually two causes. One, the operating system isn't working. The other is that POST isn't working. POST will fail to run correctly if the firmware or data used in the BIOS are corrupted. This often happens to a computer that has been left off for a long period of time, where the CMOS battery has been allowed to drain, causing all the data stored in CMOS and used by the BIOS to be lost. In cases like this, the CMOS settings must be reconfigured.

3. Operating system failure: Often there is something wrong with the operating system itself. It may have been corrupted by a virus, or it may have been erased or permanently damaged. In any case, your OS is gone and there is no way to get into it. If this happens, follow the following procedure:

1. Turn the computer on and insert a bootable device (live CD or flash drive). This will give you a clean, fully functional temporary OS for you to work with while the main one isn't working.

2. Press a key combination (usually Delete or a function key) to get into the BIOS settings or boot menu. In the boot menu tell the BIOS to look for the operating system on the bootable device rather than the hard drive.

3. Hit Enter. Wait for the operating system to load. This will take longer than it would for an OS on the hard drive to load as it's on a device with slower access time.

4. Once you are in, do whatever is necessary to fix whatever damage is on the hard drive. This can include:
- Backing up or recovering data
- Scanning for viruses
- Wiping the hard drive
- Reinstalling essential software
Among other things.

Wiping the hard drive can be done in Windows using the command format c: In Linux, use sudo rm -rf /

There are several software products out there for data recovery and malware detection. Essential software like device drivers is often harder to obtain, but reinstalling the operating system can be done relatively easily. Some live CDs have an option to install the OS to the hard disk.