Switch 3 blue light is on but screen is black

Hi All,

My Switch 3 (SW312-31) is not booting up when the power button is pressed. I've tried to reset via the standard Windows keys to reset the battery (On button with Volume Up for 30 secs and variants up to 60 secs), ensure the screen is not on display (Fn+F5), screen on/off (Fn+F6) and even stuck a pin in the microphone as the machine doesn't have a battery reset hole - all to no avail.

The issue arose when my son closed the keyboard at the end of a class and he hasn't been able to recover it. I suspect the machine is in some type of sleep mode (Fn+F4) but again that doesn't work.

Any help would be appreciated - my son has a history test on Wednesday and is stressing that he'll be without his Switch.

Thanks,
Tim and Oliver.

Accepted answers

All comments

JackE

Press and hold the power button till the blue LED turns off. May take 10 seconds. Then turn it back on. Jack E/NJ

Tim_Hoare

Sadly that didn't work and having tried again, I've got the same result. Any other ideas?

Tim_Hoare

BTW, thanks for your response JackE.

JackE

You mean the blue light did not turn off? Jack E/NJ

Tim_Hoare

The blue light turned off and when it restarted it (that is blue came back on) the screen was still black. Thanks.

JackE

Turn it off again including the blue LED off. With the KB attached, turn it back on and IMMEDIATELY start tapping the F2 key to see if the BIOS menu appears. Jack E/NJ

Tim_Hoare

Thanks JackE - I should have mentioned that I'd previously tried this - although I did only hold the F2 key down. I've tried again with no luck. Thanks.

JackE

OK. The only choice I can see at this point is to disconnect the battery pack to remove all charge. Without the pinhole battery reset, this is a chore. Starting near the audio jack, the tablet cover must be pried off to get at the battery connector (encircled in green below) which must be pulled off the mainboard in the red arrow direction. You will definitely break plastic catches in doing so but nothing color coordinated duct tape can't handle. I'd leave it off for several hours to make sure no charge is left. Then plug the connector back in. Snap the cover back on. Plug the charger back in. Hope for the best. Then try to turn it back on again. Jack E/NJ

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/1o/qdbe87qv17xs.jpg

Tim_Hoare

Unfortunately that did not work. This is really disappointing as the machine is only 18 months old.

JackE

Sorry. Simply closing the KB on the pad shouldn't have caused a failure like this. At this point, I can only suggest trying to re-seat all the flexible ribbon connectors that are accessibile particularly the screen to the pad 's mainboard if possible. They could've been jarred loose or have some corrosion inside. If still no joy, and since it's out of warranty, I suggest having a local shop take a look at it. But I fear the pad's mainboard has somehow been damaged. Jack E/NJ

billsey

In case it's the display instead of the motherboard, try connecting a monitor to the USB-C port. If that gives you a desktop you'll know the issue is in the display.

Quick Links

Top Members

Weekly

Puraw 220

Jack22 110

GAMING6698 60

vsparky 60

Diya1811 55

Swift Series Intel^® Evo™

Game Pass

Acer Corner

Gaming on Chromebook

Swift Series Intel® Evo™

Game Pass

Acer Corner

Gaming on Chromebook

Swift Series Intel^® Evo™