[SOLVED] Need Help with Getting PC to POST after Crash

[leopardg]

This is the parts list of the PC I'm working with. In short, I'm using a Ryzen 2600 in an ASRock B450M-HDV with 2x8GB of G.SKILL DDR4 3600 with a Thermaltake Smart 600W PSU and a used GTX 780. This isn't my first build, however it is by far my most problematic.

I bought these parts and built this PC within the last month, and after getting over the initial hurdles of getting it up and running it was working, albeit relatively unstably. That is until a few days ago when it crashed. Sudden black screen, peripherals still on but power button light indicating sleep. I couldn't get it to wake up, couldn't get it to turn off, couldn't get any response. I shut off the power supply, turned it back on, and after a few hiccups I got it to post. Looked around, nothing seemed amiss. Everything was reporting fine and dandy...

...Until it crashed again an hour later. Now, it won't start no matter what I do. Before, if it was being problematic I would just pull out a stick of RAM, clear the CMOS, and it'd start back up within a couple of tries. Now, I've pulled the build apart twice and put it back together to no avail. I've reset the CMOS, pulled out the CMOS battery, GPU, CPU, put the RAM sticks in every config possible, unplugged the drives, and reseated every cable I could think of. Now, the only way I can get the computer to show any sign of life is turning off the PSU, draining it, and occasionally when I turn it back on and press the power button the fans will flash and start up a little but immediately turn off. I'm not getting anything from the mobo speaker, the peripherals won't turn on, the display won't get any signal. I'm at a loss.

What is my next course of action? A different method for diagnostics? RMA or return everything? I really want to see if there's a way to tell if it's just the motherboard, as that one was already giving me plenty of issues with the RAM when I first got it and I'll definitely be returning it to get something a little better. Thoughts? Thanks in advance!

 

[Grobe]

For me it seems most likely that the motherboard is defective.

Also, if you got into a habit where you reset the ram sticks often (espechially while mounted inside the casing), that will put mechanical stress to your mobo - and motherboards are not very resistant to withstand bending.

 

[sizzling]

That psu stands out as a possible issue. It’s a fairly low quality psu and the GTX780 was a power hungry beast. It should technically be enough but I am suspicious.

 

[leopardg]

That psu stands out as a possible issue. It’s a fairly low quality psu and the GTX780 was a power hungry beast. It should technically be enough but I am suspicious.

Ding ding ding! We have a winner! I got suspicious and did the not-at-all-questionable jam a paperclip in your 24-pin test which showed that the PSU didn't work. Pulled out an ancient Dell OEM PSU and attached it to the board and it booted right up (sans GPU). I'm getting a replacement that's the same PSU and if the new one fails as well I'll get something beefier. Thanks for the help!

 

[sizzling]

Glad you got to the bottom of it