Question New build pc not powering on.

Dec 6, 2022
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Hi there,

First time poster here. It's also my fist time building a new pc. Due to financial issues, I've been getting one component at a time, and a few months ago I finally had all the essential parts so I decided to put it all together, even though I don't have a Graphics card yet.

Once I got everything put together, it didn't power up at all. I tried removing the front panel connectors and directly shorting the power switch pins, but nothing. I took it out of the case and tried again, still nothing. Tested the PSU on an old pc and it worked fine. At this point I assumed I'd just gotten very unlucky and the Motherboard was DOA. As it was the very first component I'd bought, it was far too late to return it, so I just waited until I could buy a new one. Life happened and it took a few months, but my new motherboard just turned up on Sunday, I put it all together.... nothing.

I tried taking it back out of the case, nothing. Removed everything and tried again with just the psu, motherboard, CPU and cpu heatsink and fan, still nothing. I did notice that I was able to plug a USB cable into the back and charge my phone from it, so clearly there is power there, but it shows no sign of powering up.

It seems unlikely that I somehow managed to get 2 DOA motherboards in a row, so I'm hoping that I've just made some newbie mistake, and that both motherboards are fine (which would allow me to return the newer one and claw some money back).

I don't think it's the problem, but I did bend a few pins on the CPU the first time around due to being overambitious for a newbie and trying to fit a Noctua NH-U14S CPU cooler, which is massive and kind of awkward to fit, and it pulled the cpu sideways as I was fitting it. I managed to bend the pins back out without breaking any off, and have fitted and removed it agin with no problems, although I am now using the stock cooler which came with the processor. I'm assuming that it should power up even if there's a problem with the cpu, and then fail POST, which is why I don't think this is the problem, but please tell me if I'm wrong.

Can anyone help me figure out what the problem is? And before anyone asks, yes, I have connected both the 24 and 8 pin connectors from the power supply.

Components:
Motherboards - Gigabyte B550 gaming x (first attempt) and gigabyte b550m ds3h (new one)
PSU - XPG corereactor 650
CPU - AMD Ryzen 5 5500
CPU cooler - currently the stock one which came with the CPU.

I'm posting on my lunch break, but I can list the other components when I get home if anyone thinks it matters, but as it isn't powering on with just these components, I'm not sure the rest matter.
 
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Dec 6, 2022
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check for bend pin on the cpu?

I have removed the CPU and re-inserted it a couple of times now, no sign of any pins bending again after I straightened them back out the first time. Several did bend the first time though, so I can't rule out damage to some of them. Would that stop it from powering up completely? I had assumed it would still power up and then fail POST.
 
Dec 6, 2022
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I see no mention of RAM at all. Memory.

No boot without it.
I removed the RAM (and all other components) to narrow down where the problem might be. It was the same with RAM, SSD, case fans, wifi card and front panel connected as well.

I know it won't boot without RAM, but at the moment it isn't powering up at all, no fans, no LEDs, no sign of activity at all.
 
Dec 6, 2022
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modular psu, did you use cable from another psu?
is the psu on?
Used the cables which came with the PSU, and I did try with the switch on the PSU. I tested it on an old pc when I put it together with the first motherboard, and it worked just fine. I was able to charge my phone from one of the USB ports on the I/O panel of the new motherboard, so it's clearly getting some power.
 
Dec 6, 2022
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Did you discover the bent pins on the CPU BEFORE attempting the first boot on the first motherboard?
Yes. I was having trouble fitting the cooler, as it was kind of pulling to the side as I tried to screw it down on, and after removing it I checked the CPU and found the bent pins. I didn't try powering it up until after I'd unbent the pins, put the CPU back and checked that the pins remained unbent, then fitted the stock cooler instead.
 

Zerk2012

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I have removed the CPU and re-inserted it a couple of times now, no sign of any pins bending again after I straightened them back out the first time. Several did bend the first time though, so I can't rule out damage to some of them. Would that stop it from powering up completely? I had assumed it would still power up and then fail POST.
Yes that could. probably already been damaged or still has some bent pins they need to line up correctly.
 
Dec 6, 2022
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Yes that could. probably already been damaged or still has some bent pins they need to line up correctly.
Definitely none still bent, but as I said, several were, so I can't rule out damage to the cpu. Unfortunately I don't have another AM4 processor kicking around to test it with, so I guess I'll have to find a cheap one somewhere to test it with.
 
"Noctua NH-U14S CPU cooler, which is massive and kind of awkward to fit, and it pulled the cpu sideways as I was fitting it."

That quote surprises me.

I'm not AMD-familiar, so maybe the following is irrelevant?

Offhand, I wouldn't expect a Noctua mounting attempt to cause that damage................assuming the CPU was properly rotated to the correct 90 degree attitude and hand-seated properly. The CPU should require very little force to seat properly and that would be done before the cooler mount attempt.

If the CPU were not rotated correctly and not quite seated, I could see the added pressure of mounting might bend pins.


Not sure it would otherwise happen.

I'm guessing the pins could have been bent on arrival. Highly unlikely, but possible.
 
Dec 6, 2022
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"Noctua NH-U14S CPU cooler, which is massive and kind of awkward to fit, and it pulled the cpu sideways as I was fitting it."

That quote surprises me.

I'm not AMD-familiar, so maybe the following is irrelevant?

Offhand, I wouldn't expect a Noctua mounting attempt to cause that damage................assuming the CPU was properly rotated to the correct 90 degree attitude and hand-seated properly. The CPU should require very little force to seat properly and that would be done before the cooler mount attempt.

If the CPU were not rotated correctly and not quite seated, I could see the added pressure of mounting might bend pins.


Not sure it would otherwise happen.

I'm guessing the pins could have been bent on arrival. Highly unlikely, but possible.
So the mounting kit has 2 threaded posts sticking up, and caps on the heatsink screw down on to them. I was struggling to get both caps screwed down onto the posts, I could get one on (but not tightened) but was having trouble getting the other on, and as only one was on, the springs were pulling it down on that side, meaning the force pressing down on the cpu would have been at an angle rather than straight down. This is completely down to me getting over-ambitious with my first full build, rather than sticking with something easier to mount until I was a bit more experienced. The pins weren't bent on arrival.