[SOLVED] 3 year old setup not booting up | Motherboard/CPU/PSU at fault?

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
O

OpenCasket

Jan 4, 2020
8
0
10
Hi, my computer doesn't start anymore :(​

short disclaimer: a bit inexperienced with troubleshooting hardware issues, I'll try to keep an eye out for missing details and update accordingly.

Build/component list is given at the bottom​

Current issue summary:
  • Computer does not boot
  • Motherboard does not change status code from 00, wheras normally it would cycle through several and end up on the successful boot code.
  • Motherboard still gives power to USB units, but does not properly activate them
  • Suspected causes:
  • CPU dead? (starting the computer with the CPU plugged out of the PSU results in the same 00 error code on the motherboard)
  • Motherboard dead? (CPU does gain power, as its temperature increases during boot attempts, but could something else be wrong with it?)
  • PSU issue? (Everything seems to be getting power, could the PSU still be at fault?)
I have done a decent eye-check of both these components and cant seem to find any visible signs of damage from overheating or the such, but I may not have an experienced eye to catch these well enough?

Earlier symptons:
  • Computer would boot inconsistently: right away, after a few restarts or after several restarts.
  • Monitor screen is black
  • USB devices seemed to gain power, but would not properly activate (keyboard/mouse would normally light up, but dont. External harddrive lights up and starts "spinning", but in an irregular way compared to what would happen during a successful boot.)
  • Suspected causes during times of early symptoms:
  • BIOS issue
  • BIOS battery issue? (time/clock never reset during early symptom days, so have dismissed this)
  • Driver issue (updated various drivers, but never got to update BIOS as it seemed like a bit of a time investment/risk at the time)
  • PSU issue (checked some voltage measurements available in BIOS, which seemed in line and consistent, but may have been different during loaded tasks?)
Some of the things I have tested thus far:
  • Swapping RAM positions
  • Plugging/Unplugging cables connected to the PSU/motherboard.
  • Unplugging GPU
  • Boot attempts with/without various components plugged in/out: usb units, bios-battery, gpu, cpu, cpu-fans..
  • pleading to every diety in the universe to show me mercy
Thoughts about future:
It seems likely motherboard and/or cpu is whats causing me trouble, so it seems likely that swapping one or both of those may be a solution? If I'm swapping one of them I may end up swapping both, so that I can go for an upgrade, i9-9900k + asus z390-f strix seems compatible and promising? Though there is always the chance the issue lies elsewhere, potentially the PSU? Please help.

History:
The last quarter my desktop has encountered issues with booting up. I have usually shut down my computer before going to sleep, and booting it back up in the morning. Come autumn 2019 my computer would occasionally not boot up (monitor screen black, USB units not activating properly). The motherboard would cycle through and display status codes, and then stop on an error code (I have forgotten which code it specifically ended on these times). Additionally the fans would be very loud right away and stayed that way until the computer was shut down.

From there booting up became inconsistent. Sometimes it would start up right away without any issues, other times it would take several restarts before it would randomly start up, but after however many restarts it always did boot back up. As long as the computer was kept on it suffered lack of performance at all, it ran as smoothly as ever.
In december the computer was not shut down for 1-2 weeks, because I was too reliant on the computer at the time and on a tight schedule, before finally turning it off and plugging out power before leaving for a 2 week holiday.

Now, just back from holidays, the computer does not boot at all.


BUILD/Component list:​
This was my first complete pc build, the components were ordered, and the build assembled, in October 2016. I have had no problems for 3 years, until this booting issue came up

Complete build pcpartpicker-link

Component list: included are product-links for each component, from the site I ordered them (note: norwegian)

Case: Fractal Design Define R5
Motherboard: ASUS ROG MAXIMUS VIII HERO, Socket-1151
CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K Skylake
Cooling (CPU): Noctua NH-D15 CPU
RAM: Crucial Ballistix Elite DDR4 2x8gb
SSD: Samsung 950 PRO 256GB M.2 PCIe SSD
GPU: ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 ROG Strix Gaming
PSU: EVGA Power Supply 650W GOLD
OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Home

Additional notes/details:
  • Monitor is connected by displayport
  • I generally just keep 3 usb units plugged in: keyboard, mouse, headset. Ocassionally an external harddrive.
  • Thermal paste: Noctua NT-H1 (last applied between CPU/CPU-Cooling during assembly)
Thank you if you made it through! :)


UPDATE: Issue fix (2020-01-12)
Decided to bite the bullet. Motherboard and CPU have been replaced, computer is now booting up nicely, and performance is great. So either/both of those should have been faulty.

I plan to order something to measure the stabillity of the electricity in my home, in case that could have played some role in why my components went bad, as to avoid something similar happening again.

Thanks again to all who've invested time into helping me resolve this! :) It's really nice to have a place to reach out to whenever you encounter issues like these.
 
Last edited:
Solution
onespeedbiker
Sounds like a failing PSU. It has enough power to light up an led, but not enough to boot. Another possibility is your GPU. Connect your monitor to your MB integrated graphics and see it it boots (you may have to remove the card to rule out the GPU)
Sort by date Sort by votes
onespeedbiker

onespeedbiker

Admirable
Apr 13, 2019
2,562
199
8,740
Sounds like a failing PSU. It has enough power to light up an led, but not enough to boot. Another possibility is your GPU. Connect your monitor to your MB integrated graphics and see it it boots (you may have to remove the card to rule out the GPU)
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
O

OpenCasket

Jan 4, 2020
8
0
10
onespeedbiker said:
Sounds like a failing PSU. It has enough power to light up an led, but not enough to boot. Another possibility is your GPU. Connect your monitor to your MB integrated graphics and see it it boots (you may have to remove the card to rule out the GPU)
Click to expand...

I tried booting up without GPU without success. Any reccomendations as to how I should check the health of the PSU? Should I just order a new PSU and return it if it turns out not being whats at fault?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
onespeedbiker

onespeedbiker

Admirable
Apr 13, 2019
2,562
199
8,740
That's one way of doing it. You can also tale it to a PC service shop and they'll test it for you.

Also, when is the last time you cleaned out the PC case? The CPU heatsink and PSU intake can get clogged with dust. The revving up of the fans can signal overheating.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
O

OpenCasket

Jan 4, 2020
8
0
10
onespeedbiker said:
That's one way of doing it. You can also tale it to a PC service shop and they'll test it for you.

Also, when is the last time you cleaned out the PC case? The CPU heatsink and PSU intake can get clogged with dust. The revving up of the fans can signal overheating.
Click to expand...

Looking more closely at the PSU now, it does look quite likely that its the culprit. When turning on the computer its fans doesn't start spinning, and only slightly stutters as I turn off the computer. I have not really looked much at it before, but the PSU fans should start moving as a system boots up, right? Just to be sure.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
onespeedbiker

onespeedbiker

Admirable
Apr 13, 2019
2,562
199
8,740
I don't feel qualified to tell you, yeah it's the MB or CPU, but the CPU 00 code says there is some issue between the CPU and MB, I would first re-seat the CPU. But as long as the PSU has been been properly connected (double check CPU fan plug; some MB will not boot if the CPU /cooler fan plug is not pulling wattage ), than personally I would look to upgrade my system MB, CPU and probably memory..
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
O

OpenCasket

Jan 4, 2020
8
0
10
Wrapping this up:

Decided to bite the bullet. Motherboard and CPU have been replaced, computer is now booting up nicely, and performance is great. So either/both of those should have been faulty.

I decided to go for an upgrade rather than just replacing them with identical models. Processor is now an i9-9900k and motherboard is an asus z390-f.

I plan to order something to measure the stabillity of the electricity in my home, in case that could have played some role in why my components went bad, as to avoid something similar happening again.

Thanks again to all who've invested time into helping me resolve this! :) It's really nice to have a place to reach out to whenever you encounter issues like these
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom