Question Why isn't she starting?

[SonOfScum]

I have a (at guess) 10 year old system that I built. It's been in use on and off over the years, but last year it shut down and wouldn't start back up. No interest at the time to fix it due to limited use, it went in the cupboard. Now I want to get her up and running again.

It's an Asus Z87-A motherboard. When I plug it in, the power light on the board lights up. When I push the power button, I get less then half a second of cpu fan spinning before they stop and nothing else happens. In my head, this says the PSU and mobo are both fine. Also, my monitor, for a moment, changes the no signal message. It still says no signal, but it goes to the middle of the screen, instead of bouncing around.

I bought a super cheap CPU from a 2nd hand store. I've tried this but the same issue.

I've already taken out the GPU and 1 stick of ram, as well as swapped the ram sticks over.

What can I do? I've disconnected all the psu cables and only reconnected what's needed. The atx cables, the CPU fan and an old SSD. My motherboard also has a directkey button which takes me straight to the bios. It's the same result as the power cable.

Thank you.

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

Full detailed specs pleASE.

 

[SonOfScum]

Motherboard Asus Z87-A
Ram Kingston Hyperx predator 2x4gb (using 1)
CPU (was i5-4670k, at the moment i3-4160T)
Artic venom CPU cooler
PSU Corsair CX750M
SSD Samsung 250gb.

This is all I have installed, right now. The GPU has been removed to make life easier, I'm using the onboard hdmi.

 

[stonecarver]

Change the motherboard coin size battery and if you can borrow a power supply to test to rule that out.

 

[SonOfScum]

Change the motherboard coin size battery and if you can borrow a power supply to test to rule that out.

I've replaced the CMOS battery already. I'll maybe need to look for a new PSU. I've also changed the ram sticks and tried different dimm slots, to no luck.

Realistically, it's either the PSU or the motherboard, isn't it?

 

[stonecarver]

When your down to the basics motherboard, ram and CPU + power supply yes if you can verify if your CPU and ram work than were getting even closer down to motherboard and again maybe power supply.

I have gotten PC's to work on that were dead when they came in and believe it or not a good cleaning to the motherboard has at times brought it back to life. YMMV

 

[SonOfScum]

When your down to the basics motherboard, ram and CPU + power supply yes if you can verify if your CPU and ram work than were getting even closer down to motherboard and again maybe power supply.

I have gotten PC's to work on that were dead when they came in and believe it or not a good cleaning to the motherboard has at time brought it back to life. YMMV

That's interesting. Honestly my motherboard pretty clean but maybe I'll take it all apart and give it a good clean.

Would a motherboard speaker help? I imagined the pc is not on long enough for it to work, but then again I've never used one.

 

[stonecarver]

There was a forum member last year that even on a newer PC it just flaked out he would hit the power button and a quick power bleep than off. I had him clean his PCI-E and other ports with contact cleaner and bam he was fixed.

Again YMMV.

Me I never let the computer win.

 

[Bob.B]

Motherboard Asus Z87-A
Ram Kingston Hyperx predator 2x4gb (using 1)
CPU (was i5-4670k, at the moment i3-4160T)
Artic venom CPU cooler
PSU Corsair CX750M
SSD Samsung 250gb.

This is all I have installed, right now. The GPU has been removed to make life easier, I'm using the onboard hdmi.

Unplug the disk to get that out of the mix.

 

[SonOfScum]

There was a forum member last year that even on a newer PC it just flaked out he would hit the power button and a quick power bleep than off. I had him clean his PCI-E and other ports with contact cleaner and bam he was fixed.

Again YMMV.

Me I never let the computer win.

I'm getting the contact cleaner tomorrow so I'll give this a go. Otherwise I'll try source a different power supply.

And thanks bob, I don't really know why I bothered to leave it in there.