[SOLVED] No Post When Components in Case

[YebbaDimDay]

I've got a new build that I'm struggling with. It has worked intermittently, but never reliably. The longest it's worked is for a week, and then it won't turn on again for a while, until it does. I haven't been able to figure out the problem. Today I took everything out of the case to test things. I had the motherboard, one stick of RAM, and the GPU, and monitor all plugged in and it booted into the bios menu fine. So I put everything back into the case and I'm back to where I started where lights will come on and the fans will spin, but no POST and no beep codes. I'm at a loss for what to do next and any ideas would be welcome!


Specs:
CPU: Intel i5 8400
Motherboard: Asus Tuf H370
RAM: G.SKILL TridentZ RGB Series 16GB
CPU Cooler: Corsair Hydry H60
GPU: ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1070 Ti
PSU: XPG Core Reactor 650W
SSD: Crucial MX500
OS: Windows 10
Case: Corsair Carbide Spec 06

 

[tecmo34]

First: This sounds to be most likely a short between the case and motherboard that is causing the issue. Verify that all the case motherboard stand off's are in place and the motherboard is properly secured. After that, I would look to see if the motherboard is touch anything it should that would be causing it to short out.

Second: When you booted the motherboard up, outside of the case, my guess is you used a screw driver to connect the two power pins on the motherboard to boot up (correct)? Have you tried that in the case instead of the cable from the case? There could be an issue with the case power cables which is why it works some of the time.

 

[dorsai]

Verify there are no extra motherboard stand-offs in the case that might be behind the board causing a short.
If that checks out I would try replacing the PSU.

 

[YebbaDimDay]

First: This sounds to be most likely a short between the case and motherboard that is causing the issue. Verify that all the case motherboard stand off's are in place and the motherboard is properly secured. After that, I would look to see if the motherboard is touch anything it should that would be causing it to short out.

Second: When you booted the motherboard up, outside of the case, my guess is you used a screw driver to connect the two power pins on the motherboard to boot up (correct)? Have you tried that in the case instead of the cable from the case? There could be an issue with the case power cables which is why it works some of the time.

Thanks! There aren't any extra stand off's and I haven't found anything that's touching it.

And you're right that I used a screw driver when it was outside the case, and I just gave that a shot while it was in the case and no luck.

Are there other things I should check?

 

[YebbaDimDay]

Verify there are no extra motherboard stand-offs in the case that might be behind the board causing a short.
If that checks out I would try replacing the PSU.

Thanks for the reply! There aren't any extra stand-offs. I tried a different PSU prior to this and had the same problems. Working some of the time but not reliably at all. When it does turn on, there aren't any problems. It works fine up to the point where it has to turn back on again, then it's anyone's guess as to whether it will or won't.

 

[tecmo34]

Try booting with just one stick of RAM, as it could be a bad RAM stick or try both RAM sticks in the same channel to see what happens. I would try and copy the setup that worked outside the case inside the case, so if you added both RAM sticks back, one could be bad.

If that does boot that way, the motherboard is touching something or something isn't wired up incorrectly coming from the case to the motherboard. You would just have to take the motherboard out, verify nothing is bent on the case or metal out of place to touch the motherboard, put back in and just work a component / cable at a time to see what causes it not to boot.

Are you getting any error codes / beeps of note that point to an issue?

 

[YebbaDimDay]

Try booting with just one stick of RAM, as it could be a bad RAM stick or try both RAM sticks in the same channel to see what happens. I would try and copy the setup that worked outside the case inside the case, so if you added both RAM sticks back, one could be bad.

If that does boot that way, the motherboard is touching something or something isn't wired up incorrectly coming from the case to the motherboard. You would just have to take the motherboard out, verify nothing is bent on the case or metal out of place to touch the motherboard, put back in and just work a component / cable at a time to see what causes it not to boot.

Are you getting any error codes / beeps of note that point to an issue?

Since I had everything back out of the case to double check the stand-offs, I tried to re-create what was working earlier today so I could keep track of which RAM stick had worked, and now it won't POST out of the case either.

The lights come on and the fans will spin, but nothing else happens.

I'm not getting any beeps. It's either silent or a single beep if/when it turns on correctly.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Remove graphics card use integrated gpu instead,
have only single ram module,
do not connect any front panel connectors,
do not connect any storage devices,
cpu cooler has to be connected,
fan has to be connected to CPU_FAN header,
AIO pump has to be connected to power,
try booting into BIOS.

After successful boot into BIOS connect missing devices/cables one by one.
Reboot after each connected device/cable.
Find out, which one is causing the problem.

May be show a photo, how you have connected everything.
(upload to imgur.com and post link)

 

[John Chesterfield]

To rule out motherboard shorting, fit fibre washers between the board and standoffs. I once had a case and board that was doing this and could not find anywhere where it might be shorting, using the fibre washers solved the issue.

 

[dorsai]

Since I had everything back out of the case to double check the stand-offs, I tried to re-create what was working earlier today so I could keep track of which RAM stick had worked, and now it won't POST out of the case either.

The lights come on and the fans will spin, but nothing else happens.

I'm not getting any beeps. It's either silent or a single beep if/when it turns on correctly.

From what you've done so far for testing it's starting to sound like the motherboard or cpu may be the issue. If you can RMA the motherboard I would start there.

 

[YebbaDimDay]

From what you've done so far for testing it's starting to sound like the motherboard or cpu may be the issue. If you can RMA the motherboard I would start there.

Unfortunately I can't RMA the motherboard. Is there any way to test if it's either of those without replacing them?

 

[YebbaDimDay]

Remove graphics card use integrated gpu instead,
have only single ram module,
do not connect any front panel connectors,
do not connect any storage devices,
cpu cooler has to be connected,
fan has to be connected to CPU_FAN header,
AIO pump has to be connected to power,
try booting into BIOS.

After successful boot into BIOS connect missing devices/cables one by one.
Reboot after each connected device/cable.
Find out, which one is causing the problem.

May be show a photo, how you have connected everything.
(upload to imgur.com and post link)

I went through and added things (each ram module, GPU, storage) one by one this morning and each time it booted up fine. The inconsistency of the problem is driving me crazy. Especially with it getting worse once in the case.

 

[Karadjgne]

Check the wiring from motherboard to the front panel i/o, the power button etc. Check for nicks cuts, pinches, anything where power could be shorting out or grounding out to the case.

If you need to, pull the motherboard back out and check the mobo tray and mobo for scratches, scorches, burns etc. Check All wiring for punctures, crimps, pinches, cuts etc.

Mobo works out of the case. Doesn't work inside the case. Therefore there's a connection between motherboard and case that's not supposed to be happening. Anything and everything that has anything to do with the case, like wire runs, fans, switches, that could potentially touch the motherboard in any way should be inspected carefully.

 

[dorsai]

Unfortunately I can't RMA the motherboard. Is there any way to test if it's either of those without replacing them?

Unless you have a friend you can borrow parts from you'll have to resort to the replacement method. The motherboard you're using is a lower end model so I would tend to lean towards replacing that first. Unfortunately there are no guarantees but what you can do is return any new board you buy if the problem persists and then try replacing the cpu.

 

[John Chesterfield]

Check the wiring from motherboard to the front panel i/o, the power button etc. Check for nicks cuts, pinches, anything where power could be shorting out or grounding out to the case.

If you need to, pull the motherboard back out and check the mobo tray and mobo for scratches, scorches, burns etc. Check All wiring for punctures, crimps, pinches, cuts etc.

Mobo works out of the case. Doesn't work inside the case. Therefore there's a connection between motherboard and case that's not supposed to be happening. Anything and everything that has anything to do with the case, like wire runs, fans, switches, that could potentially touch the motherboard in any way should be inspected carefully.

Exactly. Yet the OP ignored the suggestion I gave there..