Question Pc not turning on after power surge!

[Jblaze24]

So friend dropped off his pc for me too look at. He said he had power surge and it wouldn't come on after. Also said some of his outlets in house stopped working after the power surge and had to be replaced by electrician.

The only lights that come on are the rgb on the Aio pump. I've tried some things and kinda stuck so just wanting to see if there are other options to try.

What i've tried... Jump cmos
Reset cmos
New cmos battery
New PSU
Tried diff graphic card slots
Different GPU
Different Ram sticks

The different Ram and GPU are extras I had after upgrades and are compatible with his and work in my system fine.

Only thing I didnt swap was motherboard and CPU. I just got my system upgraded and running perfect and dont really want to pull my CPU out and try in his, just because. And if he has some electrical stuff going on or a short or something dont want to mess up my new CPU.

Also his normal power button on top of pc doesnt work. He spilled something on it 3 years ago and said it stopped working.

He has a power switch connected to motherboard that just sits on top of pc that he uses to power on. That could be fried I guess but not sure how to check it.

I could hook it up in my pc to test but just trying see what other options i have without messing with my pc

 

[Lutfij]

It'd help if you included the full specs to your friend's system. Include the make and model of the PSU and it's age as well. Please mention the parts that were also used to troubleshoot the rig.

 

[Jblaze24]

It'd help if you included the full specs to your friend's system. Include the make and model of the PSU and it's age as well. Please mention the parts that were also used to troubleshoot the rig.

Asrock Z370 IB-R motherboard
i7 8700k
RTX 2070
Thermaltake smart series750w PSU
2 x 8 GB ram
Adata Ultimate SSD SU800
Not sure what hard drive and dont have replacement to swap for hard drive or ssd

The parts i swapped and put in were..

Corsair CX750M 80+ Bronze PSU
Rtx 2080
2 x 8GB ram XPG Gammix d10
New cmos battery

 

[Lutfij]

You will need to replace the parts between a system that is known working with parts from your friend's system. There's no other way of identifying the culprit until you rule out each part, one by one. Welcome to the world of troubleshooting. Take the CPU from friend's build onto a known working board. Take a known working CPU onto your friend's motherboard and see if you're able to get POST.

Also, Thermaltake SMART series PSU's are not worth having in a build.

 

[Jblaze24]

You will need to replace the parts between a system that is known working with parts from your friend's system. There's no other way of identifying the culprit until you rule out each part, one by one. Welcome to the world of troubleshooting. Take the CPU from friend's build onto a known working board. Take a known working CPU onto your friend's motherboard and see if you're able to get POST.

OK so couple questions, I'm not worried about it posting just want to get it turn on. You only need CPU, motherboard, and PSU to get system to turn on correct? I've tried new PSU, GPU, and ram and still nothing. I then disconnected everything accept CPU, motherboard, and PSU and still nothing. Also tried jumping with power pins.

Has to be CPU or motherboard because that's only thing I haven't tried. I was gonna tell him to get motherboard first but there is a catch that I'm not sure about it. The catch is everything plugged into motherboard has power showing from LED's. Power switch and Aio LED's come on when I connect to motherboard, so if motherboard got fried from the power surge why is all the lights of everything connected to motherboard still on?

Just curious how can everything connected to board have power if board is dead? Makes me think it's CPU... If it was me I would buy new board and CPU and be done with it but it is friends rig so just trying to cover all the bases before I tell him to start ordering stuff.

Also my motherboard has LED's that come on when something is wrong, there is no LED's that come on on his. I'm guessing all newer motherboards have LED's that should come on. I'm not sure if his has LED's but motherboard is Z370 IB-R

 

[Lutfij]

You only need CPU, motherboard, and PSU to get system to turn on correct?
Given the Intel parts above, you will need ram in the slot indicated by your motherboard manual, and you can get display out of the motherboard since the Intel processor has an iGPU. You don't need a storage drive nor a discrete GPU to get. You can still get into BIOS and wander through there.

The boards BIOS might be corrupt, one possibility.

motherboard is Z370 IB-R
Is this a Prebuilt iBUYPower build?

 

[Jblaze24]

The boards BIOS might be corrupt, one possibility.

motherboard is Z370 IB-R
Is this a Prebuilt iBUYPower build?

Ya it is iBuyPower prebuilt pc. 3 years old. stopped working after power surge. I took the whole thing apart down to the CPU and everything looks normal, no visual damage anywhere.

It wont power on but all the LED's are on so that tells me the motherboard has power. As far as the bios I tried jumping cmos pins, then clearing cmos by removing battery for 5 minutes, then put brand new battery in but still won't start up. nothing happens when I hit power button.

 

[Lutfij]

So if the board doesn't work, take the CPU to a known working motherboard.

 

[Jblaze24]

So if the board doesn't work, take the CPU to a known working motherboard.

Ya that was my question. Can the board be dead if all the LED's are still on? Also there is low toned clicking noise coming from motherboard or CPU when I hit the power button.

I think I will tell him to order new motherboard and if that doesn't work CPU.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Lutfij]

What if the issue is with the processor as well? That's why I said drop the CPU into a known working(donor) board, one that's from a friend or neighbor. Then you can understand if a new board is a worthwhile purchase.

 

[Jblaze24]

What if the issue is with the processor as well? That's why I said drop the CPU into a known working(donor) board, one that's from a friend or neighbor. Then you can understand if a new board is a worthwhile purchase.

I checked online and board is only $115 new. CPU is like $315 new, not sure if it is wise to buy used CPU. I think it's best to replace both but not sure what his financial situation is so probably will tell him to start with motherboard then CPU. I will ask him if he knows someone with pc that he can check CPU in cause would narrow it down for sure.

 

[Lutfij]

The difference between the board your friend has(when compared to the same socket aftermarket boards) is that the board is bespoke to iBUYPOWER, might even have a custom BIOS. If the existing CPU works on a donor board, you might as well buy into an aftermarket (better quality) board and set the system back up.

Why are you looking at buying things now?

 

[Jblaze24]

The difference between the board your friend has(when compared to the same socket aftermarket boards) is that the board is bespoke to iBUYPOWER, might even have a custom BIOS. If the existing CPU works on a donor board, you might as well buy into an aftermarket (better quality) board and set the system back up.

Why are you looking at buying things now?

Ya he has to get bios updates from ibuypower website. So you are saying to get any other Z370 motherboard besides that?

I am looking at buying things now because I've tried everything I can try. The simple fix is to buy new motherboard and CPU. Problem solved!
Even if the motherboard is good and CPU is bad he's only wasting $115 on motherboard. Guess he could return it if he wanted, but they could both be damaged.

Figured it is best to tell him to get new motherboard first, then if still doesn't power on new CPU. There is one annoying variable, the bootleg power switch sitting on top of pc. It is connected properly to motherboard and lights up so I assume it works and didn't get damaged, I removed it and tried to jump pc with power pins and still didn't start so I ruled it out.

It would be best to pull CPU out and put in another system but I don't think it is an option.