this post was submitted on 16 Aug 2024
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submitted 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) by [email protected] to c/buildapc
 

UPDATE: I fixed it!! It was the PSU.

So I just built my first PC in like 20 years. Everything was going fine, I was installing Windows and got to the network setup step and my wifi was having trouble staying connected. I figured it was because I hadn't set up drivers yet, so I thought whatever, no problem, I'll just move it by my router and plug in an ethernet cable.

So I powered off and moved it, and...dead. Nothing is happening when I hit the power button. No fans, no lights, nothing. I've made sure no cables got jiggled loose or anything. Maybe I shorted something somewhere on the motherboard? I can't see anything without fully disassembling and having to rebuild it. I really don't want to do that, but I guess I'll have to unless I'm missing something obvious. I'll test the PSU tomorrow but I doubt it's that, these are all brand new parts.

Any ideas?

Specs:

AMD 7800X3D

ASRock B650E PG Riptide WiFi

Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 7800 XT

2 x 16GB Crucial DDR5 RAM

Seasonic GX-850 PSU

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[–] edgemaster72 10 points 4 months ago (1 children)

It might sound silly, but did you make sure the PSU power switch is turned on? Have you tried jumping the front panel pins on the mobo instead of using the power button? Made sure cables are securely plugged in on the PSU as well as the mobo? Tried plugging it back in to the original outlet that it worked at before?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

I did try all those things as a sanity check. I also tried unplugging everything from the PSU and motherboard and plugging them back in and still no lights :(

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Disconnect the psu from all the devices, use a wire or paperclip to short the green wire on the atx connector to black wire.

If the psu doesn't turn on, that's where your problem is. If it does, it may be your mobo or something else.

If your atx connector doesn't have a green wire, google for which pin it is to turn the psu on manually.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago

Yes, for standard 20 or 24 pin PSUs this is fine (which is almost assuredly what you have if you're building your own). Nonstandard ones, like what Dell or HP use, rarely work like that.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

Since it was working earlier, the new outlet is the first thing to check (then recheck the pc at the old outlet). If neither work, check the cable. Then make sure the power supply didn't get jostled loose in the move.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

Won’t work at either outlet. I’ll try digging to see if I have another cable, but this one is brand new out of the box.

It’s weird because I was moving and flipping it every which way while building it, but picking it up straight and walking 5 steps from my table to my router is what killed it.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago

If there isn't a single hint of life it does sound like PSU. If something is defective and going to die, then it's liable to do it sooner rather than later, brand new or not. Unlikely from Seasonic but these things happen.

Could be motherboard. Could also be something silly like the front panel header for the power switch came off!

Not applicable if you are US, but if you are in a country that has individually fused plugs, like the UK, then check the fuse in the power cable or use a different one.

Good luck!

[–] breakingcups 7 points 4 months ago (1 children)

This helped me once: remove ram, hold power button for 30 seconds, insert ram, insert power, try to power on.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago

Thanks, I’ll try that tomorrow. I did try holding the power button down for 30 seconds with the PSU off, but not with the ram removed.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

Check your screw standoffs/spacers. Make sure that they match your motherboard exactly.

Most cases come with them preinstalled for a micro ATX board. Certain motherboards- like this one, it appears based on a stock photo- need one of those removed before installing the extras.

[–] Twinklebreeze 2 points 4 months ago

Making sure the ram is properly seated would be where I started.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

So, did you find the problem? :)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (2 children)

I didn't :(

I admittedly haven't had much time to mess with it, but I confirmed the PSU is working, so I suspect the motherboard is fried. Still need to confirm that before I order a new one, and figure out why it happened so I don't do that again. I'm hoping my CPU is still fine.

I really appreciate everyone's suggestions, helped me narrow it down a bit

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Dang! Best of luck getting it sorted. You might be able to return he mobo as defective if it was nothing you did to cause it.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Finally fixed it, turns out it was the PSU.

No idea why it was testing fine, but I tried a different one in my machine and everything works fine :D

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

Yay! Glad its fixed :)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Just because the PSU works on another system (or God forbid, those awful "testers") doesn't mean that it's fine. PSUs tend to fail in weird, unpredictable ways

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

You were correct. PSUs be weird.

I purposely went with Seasonic because I did not want to run into power supply issues, but here we are.

Got a new one and am up and running

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

If you have (or can borrow) another working psu and working moba, swap them with the ones for your new ps. Your psu with the other moba, and your moba with the other psu. That will tell you which component(s) are the problem.