Question HELP! PC Stuck at Boot After Upgrading the PSU and adding Fans

[Nick007]

Hi all,

I'm having some problems with my PC since I tried adding some fans and a new PSU to my build. I have a PC I built two years ago with the help of a saavy friend. This is my setup:

-MSI b350 Tomahawk Motherboard AM4 AMD
-Ryzen 7 1700 8 core, 3.0Ghz CPU
-GSkill Ripjaws V Series 16gb (8gbx2) DDR4 RAM
-EVGA Geforce GTX 1070 FTW GPU
-Samsung 960 EVO M.2 250gb SSD (Connected to MOBO and holds the OS)
-Seagate FireCuda SSHD 2TB
-EVGA SuperNOVA 550 GS 80+ GOLD PSU
-Corsair Crystal Series 570x ATX Mid Tower with 3 SP120 RGB Fans w/Lighting Hub and SP Lighting Controller

So this all started because I wanted to add 3 SP120 RGB Fans to my PC Case (1 at the back and 2 at the top for exhaust) as a nice upgrade. The 570x Case is advertised as "ready to accept a total of 6 Fans". I like the SP120 as they are simple RGB, nothing fancy. Since I had 3 ports left in the Lighting Hub. I thought this was an easy addition. I also realized I was just flush with the 550w PSU I had, so I thought why not upgrade the PSU with a EVGA SuperNOVA G3 850w.

First Night: So I received the Fans and the G3 PSU. I started with installing the PSU, and I think this is where I messed up. While researching what PSU to buy, I made sure to check that the internal power cables to the CPU, MOBO, GPU and SATA were compatible. They were, or so I thought. For some reason, I was 100% certain I had a EVGA G2 550w PSU installed (which have compatible cables with the G3). HOWEVER, it was only after I tried turning my PC on with the G3 installed that I realized there was a problem as nothing happened. The PC did not turn on, nothing. I check every connection, checked the on/off, etc. Then I actually read properly on the old PSU that it was a EVGA GS 550w, not a G2. I have no idea why I was under the impression it was a G2 (I checked my Newegg invoice and everything). I'm not dyslexic but now I'm not sure. So I went ahead and switched all the cables with the G3 cables. Success, the PC turned on but since I did not have it hooked up to any screens, I did not check or realize if it was booting or not. So I thought, great, next step add the 3 Fans. After installing the Fans, I realized that the Lighting Hub only gives RGB power to the fans, and that I had to plug them into the MOBO (my friend took over the assembly process so I did not notice my current fans were in fact connected to the MOBO. Unfortunately, my MOBO only has 4 SYSFAN inputs. After a bit of research, I discovered I either needed some Y-Fan Splitters or the Corsair Commander Pro controller.

Second Night: So after going out and buying the Commander Pro controller, watching a guide on how to install, figure out what needed to installed or not (connected or not). I got it in. The only thing I did not understand from the guide I was watching was what USB cable the guy had going from his I/O to the Commander Pro. The only one was one currently connected to my AUDUSB in my MOBO for the audio/mic ports. I figured it shouldn't be necessary and moved on. After getting everything in, cable managing as best I could, etc. I turned on the PC (without any screen again) and was overjoyed when all the fans were running and the RGBs were lit. I finalized my cable management and put the panels back on (at this point I had another PC saavy friend over to help).

We put my PC back in place and hooked everything up. We turn on the PC and realized the boot was taking longer than usual, but we did not think anything of it. We shortly after reached the Windows logo page and as soon as the little loading wheel (with the circles) started turning, they stopped and everything froze. I cannot go past this point. I have access the the BIOS and everything is fine in there, no freezing nothing. It's only when we boot and reach the Logo/Wheel that is freezes. We tried fiddling with the boot options, making sure the priority was correct, resetting boot options. Every time was met with the same freeze. So we verified all the cable connection, tried different power cables (separate SATA cables instead of using the one 4 input SATA or using two separate VGA power cables). No luck. We tried booting with a windows USB key, but same issue, it freezes at the Windows Logo/Wheel. Even freezes if it says "Preparing Automatic Repair". After considering it might be the new hardware. I put everything back as it was; I put the 550w GS back with the proper cables and removed the fans/Commander Pro controller connection, the PC is now exactly as it was before. The problem remains, I still can't boot.

The only thing I can think of is that when I used the G3 PSU with the GS cables (modular but I now know that the cables might physically be compatible but not electrically), I fried the M.2 SSD which houses my OS (or could it be another piece of hardware I accidentally killed?) The MOBO seems to be working fine as I can get into BIOS no problem, the GPU also seem fine (we reseated to be sure), we reseated the RAM and the CPU (or at least the fan) is coming on fine. System fans are working. Can anybody help me? Do I need a new M.2 (are the files on the "fried" one recoverable, is my SSHD spared). Could be something else. Could it be a bad cable connection (we checked a thousand times). Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[LORDPrometheus]

Cable pinning is standard across pretty much all PSUs especially from the same brand but sometimes things are different. The fact that windows shows up at all even if it is crashing means you probably did not fry the M.2 drive. As it is it would be highly suspect for an over voltage or short to even reach that. Now it IS possible you accidentally used a PCIe power jack from your PSU in your CPU power slot. The connectors are different to try and prevent this from happening but the switch between PSUs could have meant a reversal in cable patterns on the PSU side of things although i find this unlikely. If this is what happened you are in a world of hurt since that would mean you just sent +12V down three of the grounds. Again this is highly suspect since the cables SHOULD be standard and it would be dangerous to reverse them but it is possible. I would be more inclined to say you have a defective new PSU and that fried things. if this is the case you should be able to get compensation. if you own a sturdy enough multi-meter check the rails if not go find an electronics repair shop and have them test it

 

[Nick007]

Cable pinning is standard across pretty much all PSUs especially from the same brand but sometimes things are different. The fact that windows shows up at all even if it is crashing means you probably did not fry the M.2 drive. As it is it would be highly suspect for an over voltage or short to even reach that. Now it IS possible you accidentally used a PCIe power jack from your PSU in your CPU power slot. The connectors are different to try and prevent this from happening but the switch between PSUs could have meant a reversal in cable patterns on the PSU side of things although i find this unlikely. If this is what happened you are in a world of hurt since that would mean you just sent +12V down three of the grounds. Again this is highly suspect since the cables SHOULD be standard and it would be dangerous to reverse them but it is possible. I would be more inclined to say you have a defective new PSU and that fried things. if this is the case you should be able to get compensation. if you own a sturdy enough multi-meter check the rails if not go find an electronics repair shop and have them test it

Hi thanks for the input. I'm happy to hear it might not be the M.2 as I have some files i'd rather not lose (haven't done a backup in a while). But I did revert my PC setup back to the EVGA GS PSU that I had before (and that was working without any problem) and I used the same cables and ports. While they are both EVGA, it is stated that the PS cables are not compatible with the G3 (rather the GS cables are not listed in the list of compatible cables for the G3). So it is possible I shot +12v to a ground depending on how different the GS and G3 cables. If that's the case, shouldn't nothing power up at all? I can stay on the BIOS without any problems.

 

[DSzymborski]

Cable pinning is standard across pretty much all PSUs especially from the same brand but sometimes things are different. The fact that windows shows up at all even if it is crashing means you probably did not fry the M.2 drive. As it is it would be highly suspect for an over voltage or short to even reach that. Now it IS possible you accidentally used a PCIe power jack from your PSU in your CPU power slot. The connectors are different to try and prevent this from happening but the switch between PSUs could have meant a reversal in cable patterns on the PSU side of things although i find this unlikely. If this is what happened you are in a world of hurt since that would mean you just sent +12V down three of the grounds. Again this is highly suspect since the cables SHOULD be standard and it would be dangerous to reverse them but it is possible. I would be more inclined to say you have a defective new PSU and that fried things. if this is the case you should be able to get compensation. if you own a sturdy enough multi-meter check the rails if not go find an electronics repair shop and have them test it

Pinouts on the power supply side are most certainly not standard across pretty much all PSUs. They are in fact very different, even across brands since the manufacturers of those PSUs vary.

And in this case, the pinouts are in fact different, which is why if you shop for custom PSU cables, you'll see the EVGA GS/PS being different products than the EVGA G2/G3/P2/T2 ones. Because the former PSUs are made by SeaSonic and the latter by Super Flower.

Unfortunately, OP, at this point, you need to go back to breadboarding, with the minimum of parts, and have additional parts to swap in and out to test.

 

[LORDPrometheus]

Shorting something does not always mean you kill it. Certain components would be fine and others have safeguards in place. As DSzymborski said you have to test things one by one and hopefully its something cheap that broke.

 

[Nick007]

When I bought and installed the G3, I was 100% convinced I had a G2 which is compatible. Wasn't until after I had the G3 installed and nothing happening that I actually properly saw that I had a incompatible GS. A stupid stupid mistake. Is there any way to narrow down what could be broken? I'm able to enter BIOS so the motherboard might be ok. I have image on screen so the GPU is ok. Unless they are partly broken and crashing at actual Windows boot. Since the crash happens even when using the Windows USB to boot from, I would hope that the M.2 is not the cause. Since the crash happens with both the GS PSU and G3 PSU, I would think it the problems does not come from them. Could I be missing a required cable? Is there any way to visually see what could be damaged?

 

[Nick007]

I took a look at the differences in the Pinouts for the GS and the G3. The SATA connection is the same for both. The VGA's are almost identical, with the difference being the G3 has a ground instead of a 12v on one pin. Which means instead of giving 12v, it was a ground when I used the G3. So I think my GPU is ok. The motherboards are completely different in voltage and configuration. However with the BIOS working and everything powering up, it might have been spared. The real red flag I think is the CPU. The 8pin CPU outputs are completely reverse with the GS having 4 Grounds top and 4 12v Bottom, and the G3 having the Grounds at the bottom and the 12v at the top. So did I fry my CPU?

 

[Nick007]

Pinouts on the power supply side are most certainly not standard across pretty much all PSUs. They are in fact very different, even across brands since the manufacturers of those PSUs vary.

And in this case, the pinouts are in fact different, which is why if you shop for custom PSU cables, you'll see the EVGA GS/PS being different products than the EVGA G2/G3/P2/T2 ones. Because the former PSUs are made by SeaSonic and the latter by Super Flower.

Unfortunately, OP, at this point, you need to go back to breadboarding, with the minimum of parts, and have additional parts to swap in and out to test.

Update: I posted the Pinout differences between the GS and G3. I thought at first the CPU or the MOBO might have been fried due to the completely different Pinouts. But when I turned the PC on when the G3 was connected with the GS cables, neither the PC or the PSU turned on. Nothing happened, no lights, no fans nothing. I pressed the power button and nothing happened. Which makes sense since the MB is what gives the PSU signal to turn on, but since the Pinouts were different, the cable was not routing the signal to turn on. The PC only ever turned on when I had the correct cables for the G3. Which would good news, but not helpful, if my understanding of this is correct. Unless some voltage still when through. So if the PSU never turned on, then none of my hardware was damaged, and both PSUs work; which means I have no freaking idea what is the problem. Because I always had the right cables in the right connections every time the PC turned on. Can anyone confirm this scenario?