PS4 won’t turn on but beeps? 9 Fixes Worth Trying.There’s nothing like that sinking feeling when you press the power button on your PS4, hear a promising beep, and then… nothing. The console won’t turn on. This is probably the last thing you want to experience as a gamer. Luckily, there are several potential solutions!
What is a beep
A healthy, well-functioning PlayStation 4 will emit a single beep when turned on, signaling the start of the system boot process. It’s like a “hello” or handshake from your console, a short beep to let you know everything is working as expected.However, when your PS4 beeps once and then shuts down, it’s a sign that all is not well. A single beep still means a startup attempt, but an immediate shutdown tells us that the startup process has been interrupted or stopped. In other words, your PS4 is trying to start, but something is preventing it from doing so.Sometimes the blue light on your PS4 will flash a few times after a beep, then turn white, and then the console will turn off. These outages can be caused by several reasons. This is often a hardware issue – it could be a power supply unit (PSU) issue, a faulty hard drive (HDD), or even an overheating issue. Then it could also be a software issue preventing the console from loading correctly.When the PS4 console turns off immediately after a single beep, this is the console’s way of protecting itself. If it detects a problem during startup and continues to run, it could cause further damage to the system. In this way, shutdown is like a fail-safe mechanism. Our task is to unravel the mystery of what caused this failure.Note: Everything described in this article applies equally to PS4, PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro.
1. Check the power cord and outlet
Often the solution lies in the simplest places. The power cord may be loose or the outlet may be faulty. Make sure the power cord is securely plugged into both the console and the wall outlet. If the problem persists, try a different power cord or outlet.
2. Avoid extension cords
Power strips can sometimes interfere with power to your PS4, causing it to shut down. If you’re using an extension cord, try plugging your PS4 directly into a wall outlet in case the surge protector or something similar is faulty.
3. Turn your console off and on
Power cycling involves turning the console on and then off. This simple action can update your system and solve various startup problems.Hold the Power button to turn your PS4 on and off until all lights stop flashing. Next, unplug the power cord, wait 20 minutes, then plug it back in and try starting your PS4 again.
4. Try Safe Mode
Safe Mode offers a number of tools to troubleshoot problems with your PS4. While powered off, hold the Power button until you hear a second beep approximately seven seconds after the first, indicating that the console is in safe mode.You will need to connect one of the PS4 controllers to the USB port on your PS4 and press the PS button to use it. Here you can select the rebuild database option which may resolve the issue.If your PS4 won’t start in Safe Mode, it’s often because there’s something wrong with the HDMI, USB, or power cables. Check all three to make sure they are connected correctly. If you have extra cables, you can also replace the cables if they are faulty.
5. Consider overheating problems
Your PlayStation, like any other electronic equipment, is susceptible to overheating. If your PS4 is stored in a warm area, does not have enough air flow, or has dust-clogged vents, it may beep and shut down as a protective measure. This could be a likely cause if your PS4 was screaming like a banshee before this problem occurred. Typically, the PS4 will provide an on-screen warning that the system is overheating, but if the heat hasn’t dissipated or is too hot at startup, it can prevent the console from working.So what can you do about it?
- Ventilation:
- Make sure your console is not locked in a box. She, like us, needs space to breathe. Make sure there is enough space around it, especially near the vents, to ensure proper air circulation.
- Cleanliness: Clean the ventilation openings regularly to keep them free of dust. Compressed air can do the job of blowing away dust particles without the risk of causing harm.
- Nice environment: Think about the environment your console is in. It may be worth moving it if it is near a heat source or out of a sunlit area to a cooler location.
- Cleaning the inside and checking the fans: Cleaning the inside of the console to make sure all the fans are spinning and aren’t stuck can help. . First, watch a video tutorial or take your console to a professional for cleaning.
- Check the thermal paste: If your PS4 is quite old (more than 5 years), the thermal paste between the APUs may be bad. This is where the CPU and GPU are located, and also PS4 heatsink. You can do this yourself, but we suggest leaving it to a professional so they can clean and inspect the rest of the system while they work.
Don’t worry about those bolt-on console coolers. They rarely help cool your console and, in the worst case, can cause your system to overheat, disrupting normal airflow. If your PS4 is unable to maintain a safe temperature with its cooling system, you should fix the source of the problem rather than trying to attach more fans to your gaming console.
6. Check the hard drive (HDD)
The PS4’s hard drive stores all of your game data, so a faulty hard drive could cause the console to beep once and then shut down.Try reinstalling the hard drive by removing the plastic cover, unscrewing the drive bracket, removing it, and then putting it back in. If this doesn’t help, consider replacing the hard drive. iFixit has a great graphical guide on how to remove the PS4 drive, and you only need one screwdriver to complete the entire operation.You can also try connecting the drive to your computer using USB or an internal SATA connector to see if the drive is accessible. This may eliminate a physical disk failure as the culprit, but the data on the disk may still be corrupted.If you need to install a new hard drive or fix a damaged one, you’ll also have to install a new copy of the system software, which brings us to our next point.
7. Reinstall the system software
If the beep and shutdown issue persists or you inserted a new disc, you may need to reinstall the PS4 system software. This process requires a USB cable, a computer, and patience, but it can resolve persistent startup issues.Detailed instructions for this process can be found on the official Sony website. You will have to go to the site one way or another, because the instructions contain a link to the latest system software.You’ll also need a USB flash drive, and if you don’t have your own Mac or PC, you can use a public computer (like at school or library) or ask a friend if you can use their computer.
8. Inspect the power supply unit (PSU)
CAPTION: Power supply found on AmazonIf you’ve made it this far and your PS4 still won’t turn on, the problem may be with the power supply unit (PSU). A faulty power supply can cause your console to beep and then turn off. While replacing the power supply can be a technical challenge, it can be managed with the right guidance. Replacement power supplies can be found on Amazon or other online retailers, and numerous manuals can help you online.However, we recommend doing this step only if your PS4 is out of warranty. Most people need equipment to test the power supply to make sure it is faulty in their homes. You can buy a new power supply assuming that the old one has failed, but what would be even worse than a blown power supply is to find out that that is not the problem and you just bought a new power supply for no reason. We say that at this point you should contact a professional, which brings us to our next point.
9. Get professional help or take advantage of the guarantee
If none of the above solutions help, it may be time to turn to the experts. If your PS4 is still under warranty, contact Sony for repair or replacement. If not, consider using a professional repair service. They have the tools and experience needed to diagnose and fix the problem.If your motherboard or processor is preventing you from enjoying your favorite PS4 video games, no amount of unplugging, DIY fixes, or reading forums will solve the problem. You will need minor or major component replacements for your console to get it working again.While our focus is on the PlayStation 4, many of these troubleshooting steps can be applied to other consoles like Xbox and Nintendo, not just for troubleshooting PS4 issues. Consoles like the Xbox One are not immune to startup issues or data corruption. If your PS4 is beyond repair, please accept our condolences, but it may finally be time to consider buying a PlayStation 5.
PS4 won’t turn on but beeps? 9 Fixes Worth Trying
PS4 won’t turn on but beeps? 9 Fixes Worth Trying