[SOLVED] PC tower won't power on

Jun 6, 2020
14
0
10
Daughter accidentally knocked PC tower over today.
Computer won't power on via power button.
Power supply is verified as working via paper clip test.
Flathead screwdriver test does not work to manually turn on PC by bridging power switch pins.
Note that motherboard LEDs, GPU power switch entry area lights, etc. are all lit properly.

I have double and triple-checked to make sure plugs, RAM, etc. are seated securely and properly.

Please help - I have no idea what to troubleshoot next. This self-built PC is less than two years old and I've sunk a lot of time and money into it, and it has been a lifesaver for our family especially during this quarantine time. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
 
Solution
But if it won't power on at all without the GPU, then what's the point of adding an additional component to the mix?

Also, PSU has been thoroughly tested - powers on via paper-clip method; all pins in 24-pin ATX cable have been tested and verified as proper voltages using multimeter.
This is only because your motherboard might have PCI-E as the default for a display adapter, and some motherboards don't boot if there is no display adapter. So it might not be checking your integrated graphics at all. You can fix this issue by doing a CMOS reset as well, since that will clear all motherboard/BIOS settings. I'd suggest doing a CMOS reset and then try breadboarding without GPU, and if it still doesn't work, you definitely have...
Jun 6, 2020
14
0
10
Thanks for your quick reply.
That's daunting, considering how intricately everything is woven into the case and I don't trust myself to replicate the build again, but if that's what's necessary to troubleshoot, then I'll get myself mentally prepared.

First a question: is it fairly common in "case-tip" situations like this for a less-than-2yo PSU to only partially work afterward?
 

DSzymborski

Titan
Moderator
Thanks for your quick reply.
That's daunting, considering how intricately everything is woven into the case and I don't trust myself to replicate the build again, but if that's what's necessary to troubleshoot, then I'll get myself mentally prepared.

First a question: is it fairly common in "case-tip" situations like this for a less-than-2yo PSU to only partially work afterward?

When something crashes like this, literally any delicate component on any component can break. There are many things that can happen to a PSU that would cause it to be able to turn on but also not properly power a modern PC. That doesn't meant that it is the PSU, but when it comes to physical damage, nothing can be ruled out, nor does it necessarily have to be limited to one thing.

Depending on your build, the PSU breaking might be the best case scenario if something's broken! I'd certainly rather replace a PSU than a motherboard and certainly would prefer to pay for a new PSU than a new GPU!
 
Jun 6, 2020
14
0
10
Just tested all pins of power supply with multimeter.
All voltages were within 0.1 to 0.3 of expected values. Can I safely assume the power supply is not the issue?
 
Jun 6, 2020
14
0
10
Breadboarded as you suggested:
PSU 24/12 to mobo
CPU/cooler/fan connected
1 stick RAM
Everything else pulled

Nothing will power on via manual screwdriver method.
 
My most recent attempt, when I mentioned "everything else pulled", was without GPU.
Try breadboarding with the GPU, might be that the BIOS is default set to PCI-E. Plug in the power cable to the GPU and if you are plugging in a monitor, plug it into the GPU. If you still don't boot at all, I'd say at least one component out of CPU, motherboard, RAM and PSU is dead.
 
Jun 6, 2020
14
0
10
Try breadboarding with the GPU, might be that the BIOS is default set to PCI-E. Plug in the power cable to the GPU and if you are plugging in a monitor, plug it into the GPU. If you still don't boot at all, I'd say at least one component out of CPU, motherboard, RAM and PSU is dead.
But if it won't power on at all without the GPU, then what's the point of adding an additional component to the mix?

Also, PSU has been thoroughly tested - powers on via paper-clip method; all pins in 24-pin ATX cable have been tested and verified as proper voltages using multimeter.
 
Jun 6, 2020
14
0
10
That only means something when there's a load.
Pardon if this is ignorance on my part - but doesn't the motherboard, CPU, and CPU fan constitute a load on the power supply?
And if the power supply won't turn on for that minimal component set, then what's the likelihood it will suddenly work when adding the load of the GPU?
 
But if it won't power on at all without the GPU, then what's the point of adding an additional component to the mix?

Also, PSU has been thoroughly tested - powers on via paper-clip method; all pins in 24-pin ATX cable have been tested and verified as proper voltages using multimeter.
This is only because your motherboard might have PCI-E as the default for a display adapter, and some motherboards don't boot if there is no display adapter. So it might not be checking your integrated graphics at all. You can fix this issue by doing a CMOS reset as well, since that will clear all motherboard/BIOS settings. I'd suggest doing a CMOS reset and then try breadboarding without GPU, and if it still doesn't work, you definitely have some dead part.
 
Solution
Jun 6, 2020
14
0
10
Update:
Had MicroCenter diagnose the issue to verify if there was a bad motherboard.
That was their conclusion also; all other components independently tested fine.

Bought a new ASUS x570 TUF Gaming Plus Wifi board, after asking the tech for several in-stock board options that would support my current components and 3rd gen Ryzen CPUs for upgrade purposes later.

Current components:
Ryzen 7 1800x
G.Skill Aegis (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16
Corsair 750W ATX PSU
Samsung m.2 128GB SSD
WD Blue 1TB SATA SSD
ASUS GeForce 1070Ti GPU

My initial research indicated that the x570 TUF only supported 1st gen Ryzen chips that have integrated video, but the tech assured me they were compatible and everything had posted and tested correctly.

Then he said after Windows booted up there were RAM errors, and my RAM was probably bad. I was suspicious; the RAM is 45 days old, and all independent memory tests outside of Windows (both mine and the techs) had passed. But by now I had been without my PC for almost 10 days, and work was suffering, so I just threw in my original 8GB stick and took it home.

Subsequent Memtest86 and prime95 RAM tests have revealed no issues.

And now:
- Windows could no longer locate most of the software on my E: drive. It was all there, but I had to re-point some things and in worst cases, completely uninstall/reinstall.
- multiple .NET and exception errors, mostly related to my Razer mouse software.
- weird black screens after wakeup from sleep. Wasn't happening before. PC unresponsive & requires hard reset.
Note that Windows was not reloaded at any point in this process, so I don't understand why there should be any software-related issues.

Sorry about the long post, but wanted you all to have any necessary details.

Question #1: Can anyone definitively tell me whether or not ASUS x570 TUF board supports Ryzen 1800x?

Question #2: If so, any explanation for the above errors?
If not, could all of those errors be explained by a motherboard/chip incompatibility? (While annoying, I'm not opposed to buying a 3700 CPU and selling the 1800x if it will end this once and for all.)
 
Update:
Had MicroCenter diagnose the issue to verify if there was a bad motherboard.
That was their conclusion also; all other components independently tested fine.

Bought a new ASUS x570 TUF Gaming Plus Wifi board, after asking the tech for several in-stock board options that would support my current components and 3rd gen Ryzen CPUs for upgrade purposes later.

Current components:
Ryzen 7 1800x
G.Skill Aegis (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16
Corsair 750W ATX PSU
Samsung m.2 128GB SSD
WD Blue 1TB SATA SSD
ASUS GeForce 1070Ti GPU

My initial research indicated that the x570 TUF only supported 1st gen Ryzen chips that have integrated video, but the tech assured me they were compatible and everything had posted and tested correctly.

Then he said after Windows booted up there were RAM errors, and my RAM was probably bad. I was suspicious; the RAM is 45 days old, and all independent memory tests outside of Windows (both mine and the techs) had passed. But by now I had been without my PC for almost 10 days, and work was suffering, so I just threw in my original 8GB stick and took it home.

Subsequent Memtest86 and prime95 RAM tests have revealed no issues.

And now:
  • Windows could no longer locate most of the software on my E: drive. It was all there, but I had to re-point some things and in worst cases, completely uninstall/reinstall.
  • multiple .NET and exception errors, mostly related to my Razer mouse software.
  • weird black screens after wakeup from sleep. Wasn't happening before. PC unresponsive & requires hard reset.
Note that Windows was not reloaded at any point in this process, so I don't understand why there should be any software-related issues.

Sorry about the long post, but wanted you all to have any necessary details.

Question #1: Can anyone definitively tell me whether or not ASUS x570 TUF board supports Ryzen 1800x?

Question #2: If so, any explanation for the above errors?
If not, could all of those errors be explained by a motherboard/chip incompatibility? (While annoying, I'm not opposed to buying a 3700 CPU and selling the 1800x if it will end this once and for all.)
Have you installed the new board already? Because if you have, then you need to reinstall Windows to get rid of these issues. Changing a core component like motherboard messes up your Windows installation because the activation, drivers, etc. are all tied to the motherboard. You need to do a fresh install of Windows, and you can either activate the new installation by linking your Microsoft account to the previous activation(see: https://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch001239.htm ) or buying a new key.

About the compatibility issue, AMD's official claim is that X570 does NOT support Ryzen 1st gen, however some people have been able to still run first gen chips on X570 boards. Still, I would highly suggest you stay on the safe side and get a board that officially supports your processor - do not buy an X570 board, buy B450 MAX motherboard that will run the 1800X and also run newer Ryzen 3000 chips. In fact, all B450 board will run the 1800X and will, with a BIOS update, run Ryzen 3000 series as well. Since you have an older gen CPU, updating the BIOS for Ryzen 3000 compatibility shouldn't be a problem,
 
Last edited: