Computer won't turn on.

[Amamake]

Hello,

As the title of the thread states my home built computer will not turn on and I don't know why. I would like to have some advice or good feedback on how to fix this problem. Here are the details on what I had, what I did, and what I have now...

I had a Z77 Sabertooth motherboard
I have a 3rd generation Ivy Bridge i7 Intel Processor
I had a Nvidia 690 GTX graphics card from EVGA
OCZ RevoDrive 960 GB SSD
A busted down Cooler Master HAF X RC-942-KKN1 Black Steel/ Plastic ATX Full Tower Computer Case
I have a Thermaltake 1000 watt power supply
I have a decently good sound card from Creative Labs that I no longer able to use.

That is my previous build was. Now after a year of looking at this broken Cooler Master case I decided to upgrade my computer. So I bought a second 690 GTX, A CORSAIR Professional Series Gold AX1200 power supply, a LG Blu-Ray burner and a Corsair Obsidian 800D Full Tower computer case. As I took apart my computer I took pictures on where the wires went and all the little motherboard connections for reference. It took me a little while but I got my computer all put into place in the new case with all the new shiny stuff I bought that I just mentioned. (Please note I did NOT do any of this on carpet but on my wood kitchen floor.) I had everything hooked up back in my office and the power switch (I thought) was on the off position. Could be wrong on that but I was and still am 90% sure it was off. I plugged it into the wall and flipped the switch on the power supply and I immediately heard a "ZZZT" sound and the office light dimmed for a moment. I pressed the power switch on the case and nothing happened. No power. Nothing. Nadda.

As you can imagine I was nervous and pissed. I called up a few of my friends and they came over and was flipping the power on and off and somehow they got power running through the motherboard because a green light went on but nothing happened. The power supply fan wouldn't turn on. Every time we would turn off and on the computer it sounded like the power supply was trying to turn on but something was prohibiting it from doing so. It makes a short "UURR" sound. So my father suggested that it would be my motherboard. Now I've had previous problems with my Z77 Sabertooth motherboard before so I ordered a new motherboard and RAM. I ordered the Maximus V Extreme Z77 Motherboard from Asus with Corsair memory. Took almost everything out of the case and put in the new motherboard. Plugged everything back in after reading through most of the manual. Plugged it back into the outlet and pressed the switch. Nothing happened. Same deal as the Sabertooth motherboard. There were lights on on the motherboard but nothing else. At this time I gave up for a few days while I dealt with some personal stuff.

I came back to my dead computer early this morning thinking, "Okay my old power supply is still good. It has never failed me yet but its not SLI compatible." So I took out the second graphics card and plugged in the old 1000 watt power supply. Still nothing happens. Not even the "UURR" sound. Now I just put the second graphics card back in because I don't have any place to put it but I know it can't run SLI. I'm not sure what is wrong and I hope someone here can help me locate the problem so I can fix it.

I am using the same CPU as I did on my old Sabertooth motherboard.

I would also like to know if it is possible that both my 690 GTXs and CPU is fried? What could it be?

 

[manofchalk]

I would run the system bread-boarded and see if it will POST. So take the computer outside the case and put it on a non conductive surface (a wooden table, thick plastic, cardboard). Remove all the components not necessary for POST and see if it will work. If it doesnt work at this stage, you know something is broken with the rig.

From there go through basic troubleshooting till you figure out what it is.

If it works, keep adding components back on until it fails. If youv got the whole thing running, then you know something was shorting to the case.

 

[Amamake]

I would run the system bread-boarded and see if it will POST. So take the computer outside the case and put it on a non conductive surface (a wooden table, thick plastic, cardboard). Remove all the components not necessary for POST and see if it will work. If it doesnt work at this stage, you know something is broken with the rig.

From there go through basic troubleshooting till you figure out what it is.

If it works, keep adding components back on until it fails. If youv got the whole thing running, then you know something was shorting to the case.

What exactly is "running the system bread-boarded"? I've seen that on here a couple of times but I don't know what that is. Thanks.

 

[manofchalk]

Its as I described. Everything is outside the case and on a non-conductive surface, with the minimal hardware required to achieve POST.

 

[Amamake]

Google has failed me on bread-boarded and POST. I'm getting pictures and websites of buttered bread. :l

 

[Amamake]

Its as I described. Everything is outside the case and on a non-conductive surface, with the minimal hardware required to achieve POST.

Okay and what exactly is POST?

 

[manofchalk]

POST (Power On Self Test) is when the motherboard BIOS kicks in, so when you turn on a system and it displays the motherboard stuff before it gets to Windows.

Skip to 2:34, it shows how to bread-board (or test bench as its called in the video) a system.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84NvDMMrCNU
Though the video is doing it from a system builders perspective, not a troubleshooting one.

 

[Amamake]

POST (Power On Self Test) is when the motherboard BIOS kicks in, so when you turn on a system and it displays the motherboard stuff before it gets to Windows.

Skip to 2:34, it shows how to bread-board (or test bench as its called in the video) a system.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84NvDMMrCNU
Though the video is doing it from a system builders perspective, not a troubleshooting one.

Much appreciated.

 

[Amamake]

POST (Power On Self Test) is when the motherboard BIOS kicks in, so when you turn on a system and it displays the motherboard stuff before it gets to Windows.

Skip to 2:34, it shows how to bread-board (or test bench as its called in the video) a system.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84NvDMMrCNU
Though the video is doing it from a system builders perspective, not a troubleshooting one.

I need to ask a few more questions.

I did what you told me to do and nothing is still coming on to the screen. I took the computer down to the kitchen and plugged it into the wall down there (no carpeting in kitchen) and I took out everything that wasn't essential to do a POST. Still wouldn't start up. Nothing. Using my old power supply that was still in good shape before I took it out to upgrade in the first place. No graphics card, No SSD, No network card, etc. Just the CPU, power supply, monitor, RAM and motherboard. Now keep in mind that this is the new motherboard that I put in after the Sabertooth model didn't turn on. Nothing worked. I put in an older Gigabyte motherboard with an older and slightly slower i7 CPU into the case and plugged it all in and then it did the same thing. Again, no GPUs, no network card.. etc. The 1200 watt powersupply still makes an "UUTT" and sometimes a "ZZT" sound while my old 1000 watt PSU just doesn't do anything. I'm grounded. I'm on wood. No liquids nearby except in the sink about 15 feet away.

My dad takes my old 1000 watt PSU and plugs it into his system. Works wonderfully. What.. the... hell? I'm not joking. It turned right on without any hiccups or problems. What are your thoughts? Also could my 2 gtx 690s be fried now? If not I'm just gonna sell them to a co-worker at full price (the guy told me he is willing to give me half up front on monday)

But we do have another question. "We" being my father and I. Let's say we found the problem. Let's say its one of the 690 GTXs. Would there be any chance that I could somehow still use the card or would I have to get rid of it. Newegg contacted me and stated they will not accept it as a return and I am not getting my money back. However keep in mind we don't know for sure that its the graphics card. This part is just hypothetical.

Thoughts? Suggestions? I can't just leave this not working computer in the kitchen. My parents told me if I can't get it to work within the next 4 days then its going out by the curb for the trash.

EDIT: apparently my dad did try to do the POST with the SSD in and still nothing happened.

 

[manofchalk]

Did you do the POST test outside the case? If you did it inside it could be shorting out to the case.'
Motherboard speaker attached? If it is and giving nothing, either the CPU, mobo or PSU is dead.

Dont know how the 690's could be fried unless the PSU has failed quite badly.
Dont know how the 690's could be the problem either if the system doesn't work if it isnt plugged in. If you wanted to test just put it in a machine that does work.

EDIT: troubleshooting guide.
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/261145-31-perform-steps-posting-post-boot-video-problems

 

[Amamake]

Did you do the POST test outside the case? If you did it inside it could be shorting out to the case.'
Motherboard speaker attached? If it is and giving nothing, either the CPU, mobo or PSU is dead.

Dont know how the 690's could be fried unless the PSU has failed quite badly.
Dont know how the 690's could be the problem either if the system doesn't work if it isnt plugged in. If you wanted to test just put it in a machine that does work.

EDIT: troubleshooting guide.
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/261145-31-perform-steps-posting-post-boot-video-problems

Quick question before I do the POST test outside the case.. If the case is to blame is there a way to stop it from shorting out my computer? (Buying another case is out of the question right now.) Should I put rubber on it or something? This case got such excellent reviews. It's like everything I buy from Corsair is complete crap.

Everything I buy is from Newegg.com. I'm gonna stop purchasing from them. This isn't the only time I've had extreme difficulties with products from Newegg.

Oh and the BIOS LED is lit on my maximus v extreme motherboard. It's yellow.

 

[PanicMaster85]

well it could be that you have maybe a screw behind it or you your standoffs are not correctly put down

also if your case is having issues you could always RMA it, it is easy and really quite quick in about 1-2 weeks which is pretty good annoying but good

 

[manofchalk]

The case wouldn't be to blame, usually its just a user error. Maybe you mounted it a bit off or had an extra standoff behind the mobo that's shorting it.
I'v had occasions where it worked bread-boarded, went in the case it fails to POST. Take it out, it POST's, put it back in and it works. Didn't change anything, all I did was just remount it. Computers can be a bit finicky in this way.

Whether it being yellow means anything, I have no clue. Have a read through the mobo manual. At least it means the board is getting some power.
Just remembered, try clearing the CMOS. Couldn't hurt at this point.

 

[Amamake]

The case wouldn't be to blame, usually its just a user error. Maybe you mounted it a bit off or had an extra standoff behind the mobo that's shorting it.
I'v had occasions where it worked bread-boarded, went in the case it fails to POST. Take it out, it POST's, put it back in and it works. Didn't change anything, all I did was just remount it. Computers can be a bit finicky in this way.

Whether it being yellow means anything, I have no clue. Have a read through the mobo manual. At least it means the board is getting some power.
Just remembered, try clearing the CMOS. Couldn't hurt at this point.

Well unfortunately I may not be able to do any more troubleshooting. Dad wants to sell the vid cards on ebay as soon as he verifies they work. Thanks for all your help even though I couldn't get anything to work. He said if I want another computer I will have to buy one from ibuypower or cyberpower for now on.

Cheers and thanks again.