Question Running out of ideas for system that won't boot

[PresentTense]

Hello, all. I'm an occasional lurker, but a first-time poster. I've built several computers over the last decade or so, and while I wouldn't say I'm an expert, I generally know my way around. However, I've run into a problem for which I'm running out of troubleshooting ideas.

The components of the computer in question are available at https://pcpartpicker.com/user/PresentTense/saved/#view=Cxst7P. Recently, the storage HDD on this machine has been getting a bit full, so I decided to add another, as I have plenty of wattage, connections, and case space to spare. However, after connecting a new HDD, the computer refused to boot. The motherboard power light is on, and after pressing the power button, the fans start, but then immediately turn off after a fraction of a second. The motherboard speaker does not issue any post beeps.

This was troubling, so I removed the new HDD - and the computer still failed to boot. I checked all my data and power connections, but this didn't resolve the issue. Eventually, I tried booting without the original storage drive or the new storage drive - just the SSD boot drive - and the computer successfully started. With both functional and nonfunctional states, I now went through a long list of tests to find the problem, but I haven't been able to nail it down. I can start up only when neither HDD is installed, no matter what I try:

• A different power supply
• Disconnecting the graphics card to reduce the wattage draw
• Different SATA power cables and connections
• Different SATA data cables and connections
• Only the SSD boot drive and the new HDD (didn't work)
• The old HDD in a different machine (worked)
• The new HDD in a different machine (worked)

I'm at a loss at this point. All the individual components seem to be working as intended, but any time either HDD is in this computer, the system won't turn on. I would love to get some ideas about what else to try. As a note, I've never had to muck around in the BIOS, so if there's a possible problem there, I don't have much knowledge to start from. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

 

[xlqn]

I have your exact same HDD, and I'm currently facing a very similar problem. It might just be that the HDD is on its deathbed, or possibly corrupted somehow, and that intervenes whilst booting.

Can you access your BIOS?

Also, try removing some of your RAM sticks. I.e, try starting your PC with only 3 sticks in, or 2, or 1. See if that makes any difference. This, for me, solved the "restarting after 1 second" problem.

 

[PresentTense]

I have your exact same HDD, and I'm currently facing a very similar problem. It might just be that the HDD is on its deathbed, or possibly corrupted somehow, and that intervenes whilst booting.

Can you access your BIOS?

Also, try removing some of your RAM sticks. I.e, try starting your PC with only 3 sticks in, or 2, or 1. See if that makes any difference. This, for me, solved the "restarting after 1 second" problem.

I did remove and reinstall the RAM, but I did not try booting with only some of them. I can boot normally with just the SSD drive, so I don't see any reason I wouldn't be able to access the BIOS, but I don't know what I'm doing when I get there. I wouldn't be able to access the BIOS with either HDD in.

There's nothing terribly important on the old HDD - local versions of photos stored in Google Photos, music and movies also on other devices or that I could download again, downloads of Steam games, etc. But the fact that it won't boot with either the old one or the new one, and that the old one works when attached to another machine, leads me away from that being the problem.