[SOLVED] PC failing to boot/stay on even after changing CPU + mobo

[CaptainCam]

Hello all! First of all, thanks for taking the time to read this


To preface this, my current PC build is as follows: https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/fkj2QZ


So, to start off, about 6 weeks ago, I woke up one morning to find that my PC had been boot looping for an unknown amount of time. The PC tries to turn itself on, fans run for 1 second and then click off again. Repeat. I always shut down my PC at night so waking up and finding that it had turned itself on and started boot looping was a nightmare.

I run all the tests I can, try a different PSU, strip it down to the basics, it still boot loops. I decide that it must be a mobo/cpu problem.

I was going to upgrade later this year anyway so decide to just upgrade now, upgrading from an i5 7600k to a 9600k, and a z270m board to a z370m board.

After fitting these new parts about 4 weeks ago, everything worked again! Great!


But today, after coming back from a 5 day holiday (where I switched the PC off at the wall socket, if that makes a difference), pressing the power putting spins the fans for a second and then cuts them out again.

This time, the difference is that it doesn't try and boot itself again, getting stuck in a cycle, and instead just attempts once to turn itself on, before giving up and not cycling. Pressing the power button again produces the same results.

I was able to get it to boot by resetting the CMOS both by removing the battery, and jumping 2 specific pins designed for resetting it. Once booted, I was able to get into windows but after about 10 minutes it crashed, no BSOD or anything, literally just cut off.

I'm really at a loss now. Only really the PSU and RAM are left to be fault, as I checked the GPU on another machine and it ran fine no problems for hours on end. The PSU is supposed to be platinum standard so surely it wouldn't die on me having only used it for about 4 years? And the RAM is at most 2 years old.


Could anybody advise me as to what to do from here? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you so much

 

[clutchc]

I thought you said you tried a different PSU. The symptoms your describe sound very much like a possible PSU issue. Especially since you already eliminated the CPU and motherboard.
Have you ever bench tested the system outside the case? Start system by momentarily shorting the 2 pins that the case's power button would connect to. Or use one of these. Might be as simple as a bad start button on the case.

 

[CaptainCam]

Hi, thanks for the reply! So I have actually tested the system on a different PSU, and still get the boot issues! The fact that the PC can turn on after a CMOS reset and will only randomly cut out 20 minutes later is making me think it couldn't be the PC power button either?

I've ordered some more ram on Amazon and will try it instead of my current ram when I get it on Saturday to see if the ram is the issue!

In the meantime, could it be anything else?

 

[Darkbreeze]

How old is your AX860 PSU?

 

[mdd1963]

IF you thought the power swithc was at fault, just disconnect those two single pin headers from mainboard (PWR SW), connect the 'RESET' wires to it instead, and use the physical reset switch on the case instead for powering it on....; if problems persist, problem likely not switch related....

A PSU working on another rig is fine, but, still not conclusive, as some GPUs and CPU/mainboard combination place greater loads/more rapidly changing loads on the PSU (Vega 56/64, GTX780 Ti, for instance)

Most PSU 'testers' that merely power on the unit and read/indicate voltages do so with no load on PSU, and are therefor barely just short of worthlessness, as many are mislead into thinking their PSU 'tested good' on their $10 'PSU tester'....

 

[Darkbreeze]

PSU tester is ONLY good for showing whether or not a PSU is completely dead. That's it. It's not worth anything at all as far as determining if the PSU is good or bad, in terms of being able to support the hardware it's connected to, or any hardware for that matter.

So I agree, aside from being able to tell that the unit is completely dead or not, they're essentially completely worthless. And you can do that with a paperclip, so they're actually totally worthless because as you say those readings are 100% no load readings which don't tell you much of anything at all.

 

[clutchc]

Actually PSU testers will tell you if the PSU is putting out the correct voltages. ( At least at idle). So, there's that. But the best voltage test is under load at the pins.

 

[Darkbreeze]

That's true, but the majority of power supplies that are faulty, but not "plain dead", will likely show voltages that are at least somewhat within spec when there is no load at all applied. To me, that makes it a useless waste of time other than knowing that yes, it does work to some degree. It certainly doesn't tell you whether or not that same PSU is going to fall on it's face the minute the system applies some kind of load.

 

[CaptainCam]

Thanks all for the replies! I tried booting it using the reset switch on the case, with every other case connector detached. I then pulled out the reset switch wire so the case was literally not attached. Whilst it booted for a bit, it still cut out about half an hour into playing a game. I'm currently 'heart transplanting' my old PSU into my new case (big white case old, small orange case new) and it seems to have booted first time. Going to jump into some games now and see if it can hold out. If I can get through today without a shoutdown, looks like it's new PSU time. In response to @Darkbreeze , PSU was bought in Sept 2014 so it's kinda old, but a shame cos I bought it to be one I have for a lot longer (860w, Platinum).

 

[Darkbreeze]

That unit was likely built in 2012 or 2013, probably making it at least six years old, possibly seven. Given the fact the warranty on that unit for that production model was only seven years, it has likely seen the better part of it's useful life pass by. If you bought it in 2014 though and if you can still provide purchase information to Corsair, it should still be covered under warranty if you bought it new. If not, then it's time for a new unit.