PC won't boot. (fans run for half a second, motherboard lights are on)

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Whateverworks_19

Whateverworks_19

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Dec 31, 2001
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Short Description:

I activate my PC and the fans run for under half a second but then discontinue to spin. The LED lights on the motherboard are lighting. After the fans have stopped spinning, If I then try to activate my PC again, nothing happens. The lights are still on, but no fans are spinning at all. If I then disconnect my powercable from my PSU for, say, thirty seconds and after those seconds connect the powercable to my PSU again, the same thing repeats. Fans run for half a second, if I try to activate again nothing happends.

Spec:

Motherboard (chipset): Gigabyte X58A-UD3R (Tylersburg 36S + ICH10R)

CPU: Intel i7-950 (3066,7 MHz)

RAM: Kingston 3x2GB DDR3SDRAM

GPU: GTX460 786112 KBytes.

HDD: Seagate 1TB ST31000528AS

PSU: I can't remember the name, I will get it when I come home later. I only remember the effect which is 750W

Long Story:

Problem started last thursday. I use my PC a lot, for school, pursuit of knowlegde and gaming. I was simply browsing the web and for no apparant reason my PC decided to shut down without warning. I then tried to reboot my PC by hitting the activate button, only to discover the aforementioned symptoms (fans running 1/2 sec, LED light workning. After one unsuccessful reboot nothing happens). I have installed no new software nor hardware as of late. I have experienced bsod from time to time, but that happens to all of us I suspect.
So, I decided to try and fix it myself, this is what I have done thus far:

Firstly, I checked all connectors in the motherboard and I made sure that all of them were properly connected - and they all were. I checked for dust on golden parts but my computer looked pretty healthy, almost no dust. (I clean regularly).

Secondly, I verified that my GPU was fully inserted, and that all the GPU's power connectors were properly connected - which they were.

I then removed my RAM and carefully checked each slot available. Nothing at all. No sounds. No response other than my goddamn fans spinning for under a second.

I also rechecked my front panel connectors (P LED, RESET SW HDD LED, etc.) and it all looked fine.

Then I suspected at least one of three things:

1) PSU dead. 2) CPU dead. 3) mobo dead.

I checked my on my CPU pins and none were bend, they actually looked quite beautiful, I then used 70% alcohol on my heatsink and the CPU chip to clean the old thermal paste - I then put a little tiny drop in the middle, reinstalled the heatsink, and tried to reboot, only for the exact same thing to happen.

I suspect that it is my PSU or mobo considering that it happened during use, so it would seem silly that a cable or a pin was bend, seems more plausible that my PSU or mobo died in that exact moment.

What I need help with:

How can I determine if my CPU or mobo is dead? I am almost entirely sure that my PSU is sufficient, considering its 750W.

So any test I can perform to find the problem would be greatly appreciated. Or if any of the information and symptoms I have described rings any bells, any additional info or help would be amazing.

Thank you.

//Christian.









 
Solution
D
My guess it the CPU. My first thought was that the CPU wasn't cabled properly until I read the full article. The symptoms appear to be what I run into when my CPU is non-responsive because I didn't get the cable properly secured. But as you noted you checked that and even more by pulling the CPU.

Have you reset the MOBO's CMOS? IT can become corrupted, which I've experienced but I wouldn't expect that to be the case as you were running the PC at the time it died.

PSU? I doubt it as you aren't putting much of a load on it for the time that it stays alive. You could try removing all non-essential parts, disk drives, DVD/CD rom, etc and then boot just to see if you can get to the boot sequence started, thus reducing power...
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dmitche3

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My guess it the CPU. My first thought was that the CPU wasn't cabled properly until I read the full article. The symptoms appear to be what I run into when my CPU is non-responsive because I didn't get the cable properly secured. But as you noted you checked that and even more by pulling the CPU.

Have you reset the MOBO's CMOS? IT can become corrupted, which I've experienced but I wouldn't expect that to be the case as you were running the PC at the time it died.

PSU? I doubt it as you aren't putting much of a load on it for the time that it stays alive. You could try removing all non-essential parts, disk drives, DVD/CD rom, etc and then boot just to see if you can get to the boot sequence started, thus reducing power consumption. But a doubt it is the PSU unless it is a cable coming from the PSU that has gone bad.

Summarizing my rambling guesses. CPU or cabling to/from PSU/MOBO/CPU would be my thoughts. Good luck

P.S. I bet if you removed the CPU you would see the same symptoms. If not then one might be able to say that the CPU is responding and that the problem lies elsewhere.
 
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Solution
Whateverworks_19

Whateverworks_19

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Dec 31, 2001
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Hello, Sir. Thank you so much for replying. Indeed, CPU inadequately connected was also one of my first thoughts, though that proved to be incorrect.


Yes, I indeed did reset CMOS to no avail.


Yeah, that sounds reasonable. My model is CombatPower 750W, so even if the effect is at 1/2(750W), it should still be more than enough to power my rig. Just for fun, Ill try to remove ALL non-essential parts and observe the experiment.



I thank you very much, Sir, for your response. My absolute pleasure gaining knowlegde on this forum.

/Christian
 
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Whateverworks_19

Whateverworks_19

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Alright after days of work I finally got my PC running. I am currently writing this very post on my PC instead of my iPad, which is a great relief. I will write what I did, so I ideally can help folks with similar problems.

What the problem turned out to be:

Apparently my motherboard and my PSU died almost simultaneously in the scenario described in the original post. I came to this conclusion by carefully reading my motherboard's manual (This step is vastly underrated, I think.) and thus understanding its LED lights and its audio beeping. I could conclude that my PSU did indeed deliver some effect since my LED's were lightning, but according to my manual they are independent of the motherboards functionality.

Next step was carefully removing one part at a time (RAM - GPU) and trying to get my mobo to POST. Not a sound. I then borrowed another PSU only to discover the exact same thing, no POST. I arrived at the sad realization that my six-years old mobo was dead. Subsequently I read about the paperclip test on the PSU and tested my own. It did not pass, which almost conclusively means that it is dead - because you are testing it without pressure. If it can't pass that, it can't pass anything.

Lastly, I made a perhaps bold move, and bought a used motherboard identical to my old (X58A-UD3R) and a new good PSU. My new motherboard immediately did POST, and indeed reacted to me removing or adding different parts. Surprisingly for me, after I connected my old HHD via SATA it booted windows!! Then I updated all of my drivers and now I am writing this.

Have a great day.

/Christian
 
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