PC clicks for a second hitting the power button, can't get it to turn on

w0bbles

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Mar 24, 2014
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Specs:
CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z87X-D3H
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 760 2GB
Case: Fractal Design Define R4
Power Supply: Seasonic X-750 KM3

Recently had a power supply die on me, so I had it replaced with the X-750, since I was looking to upgrade some parts soon anyway.

I have everything wired properly but when I try to turn it on, the power LED flashes for less than a second and the PC just makes a clicking sound from somewhere. I can see the fans starting to spin for a second but that's about it.

Tried jumpstarting the PSU with a wire, the fan does spin properly when I test it.

When I had the desktop tested, I was told that it booted without a problem with a Thermaltake PSU, not sure of the exact model.

I can't identify the problem at all, so I'm hoping to get some suggestions troubleshooting here. Also to clarify, this rig was working for a good 3-4 months before I replaced the original power supply.
 
Solution
Unplug everything except the 24 pin and the 8 pin connectors that connect from the psu to the motherboard. take out your gpu and disconnect your hard drives. Connect a monitor to the motherboard's outputs. Leave one stick of ram in and try to POST.
It should tell you to press F1 to enter the BIOS. If it doesn't, try the other ram stick. If it doesn't still, it might be your motherboard or bad cpu.

sparky8251

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Mar 23, 2014
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Maybe the storage killed the PSU? Depending on where and how it was stored, time can really take a toll.

Do you have anyone you could bum a PSU off of for a few minutes to see? Or better yet a PSU tester to see if one of the rails has failed?
 

Markkk

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Jan 2, 2012
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Check the front panel cables are plugged in correctly

That the panel pwr switch is not plugged into your reset.
Unplug everything you don't need except for the MB and graphics - to test

Hopefully your MB isnt dead
 

w0bbles

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I actually had this PSU returned to me today, I had Seasonic replace the one I bought with another one after I requested an RMA from them. According to them, this one was tested working.

Front panel cables are fine. Problem doesn't change at all if I unplug those things.

I had Gigabyte replace my mobo before, apparently there was a BIOS error in the chipset, but it does look like they sent me a new motherboard instead of the old one I sent in.
 

sparky8251

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Have you tried turning the computer on by shorting the power supply? Or is that what you meant by jumpstarting?

If so maybe it really is a worst case scenario. To narrow it further you would need to try the new power supply in a known working PC (test for a bad PSU). OR a known working power supply in the PC that's currently having issues (test for a different bad part).

Doing both will tell you more, but either way you'd have more to go on than you do right now even doing one.
 

sparky8251

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I was thinking that but slightly different. Having your computer hooked up to the power supply and then using the paperclip from the other end to turn on your computer. Make sure its touching the green wire and a black wire and that it stays in place (if it falls out the computer loses power). That way you can see if it might be the case wires that are busted rather than the other parts.

I do this every now and then to test power supplies when I don't have the right tools, works like a charm.
 

w0bbles

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So would I be using two paper clips, then sort of repeating the test except connecting the 24 pin to the matching slots on the mobo? I think I understand what you're saying but I'd like to be sure.
 

sparky8251

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No, I mean hook up your power supply like normal to your PC so that if everything was working right a power button press would turn on the computer.

Then use a paperclip from the top of the 24-pin and short the green and any black to simulate the power button press and boot the computer. Make sure the clip stays in until you want to cut the power.
 

w0bbles

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Just tried it that way. Similar results though the case fan spun a little longer than usual to me, and I hear a similar clicking sound. Nothing really changed though.

Though after a few tries it doesn't look like shorting out those pins while it's plugged into the mobo works anymore. It doesn't do anything if I try repeating it. The power button doesn't do anything either now, I'm a little worried.
 

sparky8251

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So if the clicking only happens when it's hooked up to the PC it's not the power supplies fault. You have a different piece of hardware that failed.

We know it's not the case or power supply. Have any spare RAM lying around? If not try starting the computer with each stick one at a time. That'll test for a bad stick.

If that's not the case try removing the graphics card to see if that's the bad part went bad.

If you have any other expansion cards do the same, remove and try to boot.

If all of those past the test, the blame likely falls on your motherboard or CPU. For this you'd need extra parts to test at this point. Might have to bug someone to insert your CPU into their motherboard to see what is really the issue (if it suddenly boots when your CPU is on their board, your board is bad otherwise the CPU is bad). For this you will have to buy a tube of thermal paste (if you don't already have one) cause you need the paste or the CPU can burn out.

This kinda sucks man, seems you have a big repair on your hand.
 

w0bbles

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Mar 24, 2014
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Had this problem for more than three months now, and I spent way too much on shipping stuff out to RMA to find out that nothing was fixed. It's my first build too. Every time I speak with a company I keep getting told it's likely some other part that's defective.

I've tried one stick of RAM for both sticks, same result. Nothing changes if I switch to the onboard graphics either. No other expansion cards.

Not sure I can find anyone willing to test my parts or willing to let me borrow a CPU/mobo either. All I can really do is RMA the board(again) and the CPU. Though I'm not sure how Intel RMA works, I don't recall seeing a page, only something to chat with a representative.
 

sparky8251

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Really sucks your first build is having so many issues... As far as I can see, from what you've said and done either the motherboard or CPU is bad. Both parts play a vital role in turning on the computer when the switch is pressed and I don't know how to test if one is bad without having a known working replacement on hand.

The ONLY thing I can think of that might help is if you have a way to obtain a POST card. This might be able to provide a POST code that can narrow it further for you but I have no way of knowing given the way it's acting.
 
Unplug everything except the 24 pin and the 8 pin connectors that connect from the psu to the motherboard. take out your gpu and disconnect your hard drives. Connect a monitor to the motherboard's outputs. Leave one stick of ram in and try to POST.
It should tell you to press F1 to enter the BIOS. If it doesn't, try the other ram stick. If it doesn't still, it might be your motherboard or bad cpu.
 
Solution