Question 2015 comp turns on but stopped lighting up except for GPU. Wont connect to monitor. How to find out what broke, get my files from HDD?

[PCsandQs]

Not sure if my 2.5" HDD (WD Black 1TB / 64mb cache / sata / 2015 model),mobo, or PSU is what broke. When you turn it on, comp huffs and wheezes, then clicking sound like campfire lighter trying to catch a spark. Did this for yrs and always kept repeating this until it caught one, then would start working, sometimes continue huffs and clicks whole time comp was on. Now it either huffs, clicks a few times and stops, doesnt work, or huffs, doesnt click at all, and stops and doesnt work. Also, holding down power button used to force restart, now it sometimes only force shuts down. At start up, CPU cooler fan. I think, goes on, but not case fans. PSU fan turns on at start up but stops a few secs later. Lots of dust and yellow dust (fungus? its rly weird) all over 1/2 of comp case, but does seem more concentrated around PSU than anywhere else.

HDD turns on when plugged into PC laptop using this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0969H82M2?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details but doesnt show on desktop. However, my for sure working external SSD wont show up on my PC laptop either so could be the laptop's issue not proof HDD broke.

Tried it with a mac laptop, it does sense the HDD but get message "can't read this disk. Eject? Initialize?"

The comp is 9 yrs old, time for new one anyway, what I really want is to recover my files from my HDD. How to find outs it working or not, or fix it if it isnt?

 

[stonecarver]

what I really want is to recover my files from my HDD. How to find out its working or not, or fix it if it isnt?

Stop messing with that hard drive until you have a solid foundation to plug it into. Meaning a tested PC that you know will read drives " any drive" off your USB device. The less messing with drive with data you want to save the more likely recovery can happen.

What are the specs of computer.

 

[PCsandQs]

Stop messing with that hard drive until you have a solid foundation to plug it into. Meaning a tested PC that you know will read drives " any drive" off your USB device. The less messing with drive with data you want to save the more likely recovery can happen.

What are the specs of computer.

Good advice, but I dont have any other comps to try it on. My friend who helped me also disconnected the USB to the HDD in the middle of our test, hopefully didnt mess it up.

Here's more info about my comp's symptoms. At start up, CPU cooler fan goes on but not case fans. PSU fan turns on at start up but stops a few secs later. Lots of dust and yellow dust (fungus? its rly weird) all over 1/2 of comp case, but does seem more concentrated around PSU than anywhere else.

 

[stonecarver]

Can you post some picture using imgur.com and link there here of yellow dust fungus. This is interesting. Also please list computer specs. Without knowing what's under the hood it's hard to help with a solution.

 

[PCsandQs]

Can you post some picture using imgur.com and link there here of yellow dust fungus. This is interesting. Also please list computer specs. Without knowing what's under the hood it's hard to help with a solution.

4790 K cpu
ASRock Fatality mobo
Think it was 24gb corsair ram fast DDR3 at time I think (or 4?)
EVGA Supernova 1050G CPU
980 TI GPU

pics 2mrw

 

[PCsandQs]

Can you post some picture using imgur.com and link there here of yellow dust fungus. This is interesting. Also please list computer specs. Without knowing what's under the hood it's hard to help with a solution.

The "fungus" is def the PSU leaking or something. There is a square yellow imprint on the case right next to PSU. So probly PSU was problem but need way to find out if it also broke mobo or HDD. Having trouble uploading pics but working on it.