Desktop Not Powering On

I just upgraded my build a few weeks ago, since then I've been having problems and today it totally shut down and will not power on. I get a blue light from the power button and the fan turns, but only for a brief second and that's it. Until this point, it would suddenly freeze every now and then and every so often it would suddenly restart itself.

The upgrade I mentioned included the following:

1. cpu from an AMD FX6300 to an AMD FX9370.

2. power supply from a 500 watt unit to EVGA Supernova 650 watt.

3. graphics card from a Nividia GTX 750ti to a XFX 9380 2GB.

4. I added a new Noctura NH-U9B SE2 to cool the whole thing.


I'm running Windows 8.1 with 8GB RAM.

I know the problem is not the hard drive. I took it out and installed it on my father's desktop; it powered right up and worked perfectly. I also don't think it is the power supply because I tested it with the included PSU testing tool. The fan in the power supply turned on and the hard drive even started spinning.

Could it be the mother board?

Any help will be appreciated.
 

johnb35

Administrator
Staff member
Build the system outside of the case on a piece of cardboard and see if it starts normally. Sounds like a short somewhere.
 

spirit

Moderator
Staff member
Hi @Smolenski7, have you tried performing some of the steps in my guide? http://www.computerforum.com/threads/tech-guide-diagnosing-a-pc-which-will-not-post-or-start.209946/

The reasoning for building it outside of the case on a cardboard box or wooden table or something is to check that the board is not shorting out on the case. If it shorts on the case it won't start. Depending on which case you have you may need to install brass standoffs to raise the motherboard from the case. Your case should've come with these if they are required. You need to make sure you install the correct number of these standoffs to prevent the board from shorting.
 
Your case should've come with these if they are required. You need to make sure you install the correct number of these standoffs to prevent the board from shorting.

Yes, the case came with standoffs and I installed all of them. I don't think this is the problem. I will check out that link though, thanks.

I have been using the computer for almost a year now, probably 9 months, without issues. The problems began a week after I installed the upgrades I listed in my original post.

My father thinks that it could be a video creating/editing program I installed called Vegas Pro 13. When we installed the hard drive in his desktop, he uninstalled it. When we put it back into my build, the computer still didn't start up though.
 

spirit

Moderator
Staff member
Yes, the case came with standoffs and I installed all of them. I don't think this is the problem. I will check out that link though, thanks.

I have been using the computer for almost a year now, probably 9 months, without issues. The problems began a week after I installed the upgrades I listed in my original post.

My father thinks that it could be a video creating/editing program I installed called Vegas Pro 13. When we installed the hard drive in his desktop, he uninstalled it. When we put it back into my build, the computer still didn't start up though.
I doubt Sony Vegas would be preventing your computer starting! However the video card might be. If they go wrong they can prevent the computer from booting. Have you tried removing it and starting it up?
 

beers

Moderator
Staff member
I also don't think it is the power supply because I tested it with the included PSU testing tool
Can you test with your old power supply? PSU testers simply measure voltage, if your PSU for some reason cannot supply the appropriate amperage then the tester will show 'fine' while the system still won't boot.

My father thinks that it could be a video creating/editing program I installed called Vegas Pro 13.
Installed software doesn't have anything to do with a system not powering on. At that point the hard drive hadn't even been read at all.
 
I did the following this morning, nothing helped:
1. Change the slots where the RAM is installed.
2. Changed the slot where the video card is installed.
3. Changed the power cord.
4. Removed the wireless card.
5. Disconnected the USB.

Can you test with your old power supply? PSU testers simply measure voltage, if your PSU for some reason cannot supply the appropriate amperage then the tester will show 'fine' while the system still won't boot.
I don't know about amperage, but I do know that according to PCPartpicker.com the system only requires 519 watts, my PSU is rated at 650 watts.

One major thing that I should have mentioned that for some reason I forgot is that after it shut down yesterday there was a burning smell coming from the case. Not a lot, but my dad definitely smelled it.
 

spirit

Moderator
Staff member
I did the following this morning, nothing helped:
1. Change the slots where the RAM is installed.
2. Changed the slot where the video card is installed.
3. Changed the power cord.
4. Removed the wireless card.
5. Disconnected the USB.


I don't know about amperage, but I do know that according to PCPartpicker.com the system only requires 519 watts, my PSU is rated at 650 watts.

One major thing that I should have mentioned that for some reason I forgot is that after it shut down yesterday there was a burning smell coming from the case. Not a lot, but my dad definitely smelled it.
OK firstly the burning smell suggests that something has gone bang. Likely power supply or video card. The last time I had a video card die on me it burned out and prevented the PC from booting but it didn't affect the rest of the PC - once I removed it the PC was fine. Does either the video card or power supply show evidence of fire damage in any way?

Have you actually tried powering it up with no video card installed at all? It looks like you've just changed the slot. That's not going to help if the card is dead and preventing the PC from booting.
 
I just checked for signs of fire, I didn't notice anything.

The motherboard doesn't have on board video, but I did take out the video card and tried to start up. There was no difference.

I also changed the power supply, again no difference.

Just to say it again, when I press the power button the fans on the cooler and video card spin and a blue light comes on around the button, but then everything shuts down. Also, when I press the button and hold, the blue light will blink five times and a clicking sound will come from the PSU.

Thanks for all of the help so far.
 

spirit

Moderator
Staff member
I just checked for signs of fire, I didn't notice anything.

The motherboard doesn't have on board video, but I did take out the video card and tried to start up. There was no difference.

I also changed the power supply, again no difference.

Just to say it again, when I press the power button the fans on the cooler and video card spin and a blue light comes on around the button, but then everything shuts down. Also, when I press the button and hold, the blue light will blink five times and a clicking sound will come from the PSU.

Thanks for all of the help so far.
Sounds like it could be a power supply issue. Have you got another one you can pull out of a PC just to test if the board still POSTs? Since you've removed the graphics card and you're still having issues the temporary PSU wouldn't need to be high wattage (teat it without the graphics card again).
 

johnb35

Administrator
Staff member
You need to open the case and find out where the burning came from and go from there. I wouldn't even try turning the pc on until you get this straightened out. Hopefully whatever burnt up didn't take any other parts with it.
 
I'm out of ideas. I've tried everything I could think of and most things that was suggested here, expect for rebuilding it outside of the case to check for a short between the case and the motherboard.

I'm leaning toward a problem with the PSU, even though I did install an older unit and got the same result, or a problem with the motherboard.

Any other suggestions?
 

spirit

Moderator
Staff member
I'm out of ideas. I've tried everything I could think of and most things that was suggested here, expect for rebuilding it outside of the case to check for a short between the case and the motherboard.

I'm leaning toward a problem with the PSU, even though I did install an older unit and got the same result, or a problem with the motherboard.

Any other suggestions?
Try building it out of the case. If you're still experiencing issues then it's probably a problem with the board if you say you tried another PSU and you had the same problem. Maybe a capacitor on it went.
 
Top