New PC booted for a few hours, then died while idling. Now won't turn on.

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eagle132

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Jan 24, 2010
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I built a new budget desktop last night. It booted great and I installed Windows and my necessary software. I left it on overnight to let Windows Update do it's thing, and when I woke up the PC was off. The power button does nothing, when it worked just fine last night.

Does it sound like my brand new power supply died after a few hours of use?

Any other suggestions?

Thanks
 
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T
yes, do this rather than randomly swapping parts:

"ots of things cause this. Pull all the parts but the MB, PSU and CPU. See if you get the bios 'no memory' beep, that says the CPU and MB and PSU are working OK at this point. Next add back the memory and see if you get the 'nothign happens' fail -- if so play with the memory. If you get past the no memory beep and bios video splash then add back the HD. .. Do you see how this works.

Early life fails are very common. It could be the PSU or MB (rarely the CPU) but it could also be any of the other parts killing your PC. There is a good sticky "what to do if you can't boot / no video" that details the steps, but basically you debug by pulling all parts then slowly adding them back in...
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rezeile008

rezeile008

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if you push the power button and there's absolutely nothing going on, then its most probably the power supply.

You can try a different PSU. If you have a volt-meter you can check the output. One thing to note though is do Not try to check your PSU by using it in a working MoBo, you might just fry it also.

 
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eagle132

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Some "bad" news, the PSU works when I perform the paperclip test. The fan turns on and it runs. That makes things more complicated.

Also I should have supplied specs before my apologies, I was fairly positive I just had a faulty PSU.

PSU: EVGA 100-W1-0430-KR 430W
CPU: Intel Pentium Processor G3220
RAM: 8GB Team brand
MB: Asrock H81 Pro BTC
Storage: 120GB Samsung 840 EVO SSD
Optical: Samsung DVD/CD Drive
Case: Antec 300

So some details here: I scavenged the MB, RAM, and CPU off of a mining rig that I built as a hobby earlier this year. All 3 components ran great for the 3-4 months I ran the rig. I purchased the PSU, SSD, optical, and case a few weeks ago to create a usable basic machine. The MB is not a great one but should serve it's purpose for the email/web browsing that was planned for this desktop. I am using the integrated Intel HD graphics.

So, if the PSU works, does anyone have any suggestions for next steps in troubleshooting? Windows is already fully installed and set up, I just can't boot the machine!

Thanks in advance!


 
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eagle132

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I plugged in only the ATX and CPU power (MB has CPU and RAM in it). Nothing runs when I boot, not even the CPU fan. I also tried booting with a screwdriver in case the case cable broke, but that doesn't work either.
 
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tsnor

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Lots of things cause this. Pull all the parts but the MB, PSU and CPU. See if you get the bios 'no memory' beep, that says the CPU and MB and PSU are working OK at this point. Next add back the memory and see if you get the 'nothign happens' fail -- if so play with the memory. If you get past the no memory beep and bios video splash then add back the HD. .. Do you see how this works.

Early life fails are very common. It could be the PSU or MB (rarely the CPU) but it could also be any of the other parts killing your PC. There is a good sticky "what to do if you can't boot / no video" that details the steps, but basically you debug by pulling all parts then slowly adding them back in.

Update: in murder mysteries it's always the butler. In PC builds its always the SSD.
 
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MundoDragon

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Please keep in mind that just because the PSU 'works' does not mean it is stable. It could be failing to deliver the appropriate power, as alex stated above. Do you have another PSU to test the system with? It could help rule out the PSU before starting a lengthy RMA process.
 
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eagle132

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Thanks for the help so far everyone. I did not have a spare PSU lying around but I did have a spare MB/CPU/RAM combo. However it is an AMD board running a Sempron 145: not really something I want to use in general for this desktop.

When I hooked up my 430W PSU to that board, it booted fine and the CPU fans spun. I would say this rules out a faulty PSU and lands me at a dead MB. Somehow the MB died overnight, even after months of use in the other rig.

This is a huge bummer since the RMA process will likely be lengthy.

Does anyone else have any further suggestions, or disagree with my assumptions?
 
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MundoDragon

MundoDragon

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I noticed you didn't list a graphics card in your specs. Are you using one or integrated graphics in the new system?

EDIT: Never mind. I just noticed you stated you are using integrated graphics above. That slipped by me at first glance.
 
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eagle132

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I was planning on using the Intel HD integrated graphics that are available with the G3220 and board. They are enough for what this desktop will be used for.
 
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MundoDragon

MundoDragon

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I would suggest breadboarding the system. This entails pulling everything out, setting the motherboard onto the cardboard box it came in, then hooking up the power supply and one stick of RAM. Find the Power Switch jumper on the board (if it doesn't have a switch built onto it) and connect them with a screwdriver. This is to rule out any wiring issues with the case.
 
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eagle132

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Thanks for the suggestion, I just did that. No dice, still no response or fan spinning. I would say there's a 99% chance this motherboard fried overnight.

I don't even know how to go about AsRock's RMA process, their site is very poor. Wondering if this board is even worth replacing.
 
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MundoDragon

MundoDragon

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Its unfortunate, but this is something you must be prepared for when doing a budget build. The components are cheap for a reason. I'm not familiar with Asrock products, so I cannot attest to their quality or their RMA process. Good luck on whatever you decide to do.
 
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tsnor

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yes, do this rather than randomly swapping parts:

"ots of things cause this. Pull all the parts but the MB, PSU and CPU. See if you get the bios 'no memory' beep, that says the CPU and MB and PSU are working OK at this point. Next add back the memory and see if you get the 'nothign happens' fail -- if so play with the memory. If you get past the no memory beep and bios video splash then add back the HD. .. Do you see how this works.

Early life fails are very common. It could be the PSU or MB (rarely the CPU) but it could also be any of the other parts killing your PC. There is a good sticky "what to do if you can't boot / no video" that details the steps, but basically you debug by pulling all parts then slowly adding them back in.

Update: in murder mysteries it's always the butler. In PC builds its always the SSD."
 
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