Device fails to power up.
Device fails to power up.
That is correct, the PC doesn't power on at all. I have tried everything you have suggested in your post (except replacing components because I am not able to do those I this moment y and there is still no power on my PC. I removed the CMOS battery and had pressed the clear cmos button. Randomly after a while the PC started up again (with everything connected) but then it shut off again and pressing the power button has no response.
It looks like a hardware issue might be present, given the POST behavior after clearing CMOS. The motherboard or CPU could be damaged, or there might be a short circuit preventing power from reaching the system. Check for any visible damage and ensure the power supply is functioning correctly.
So a multi multimeter or “PSU tester” works fairly well, though some only show simple yes/no indicators. If power appears to reach the device and it’s within limits, I’m okay with the 5% tolerance. I don’t see the red warning meaning it’s just out of spec, but a shorter chance is a fault causing protection mode. This usually means parts need swapping. It could be anywhere on the board. If the PSU isn’t meeting specs, a replacement is necessary because handling it requires caution—especially since damaged boards are risky. Cost-wise, expect around $100 to $200 either way. I’m not fond of the red fault alert; it might just be an installation error, but I’d rather swap the PSU if I notice anything odd.
I tried to understand what OCP stands for and how it functions. It seems to relate to Over Current Protection. Once triggered, does the PSU stop working completely or just when a short occurs? I followed your advice to remove all components except the fan and CPU, but I’m still uncertain. I checked my earlier post for more details. The attached image shows the PSU rails. The +12V and -12V rails indicate there are multiple 12V rails, not just one. Also, I didn’t mention disconnecting the PSU or testing different cables with Dr. Power II. I noticed the same fault message appeared only when using 6-pin cables in red areas, but not when using 8-pin cables in blue areas. That’s something worth noting.
You're asking about what "out of spec" really means in this context. It refers to the motherboard functioning beyond its intended capabilities, possibly due to age or a defect. Yes, it can indicate the board is no longer working properly, which might prevent it from turning on when issues arise. At this stage, fixing it should be acceptable if it gets back to normal operation.
I’d attempt to purchase a very inexpensive yet dependable power supply unit, hoping it resolves the issue. Other parts might end up costing more later. PSU is usually easiest to check, and the tester shows it’s not meeting specs—worth a try. Edit: You might have a multimeter; you could verify voltage by connecting just the 24-pin to the tester and checking the 12V on the PCIe/CPU connectors.
The issue seems to stem from voltage fluctuations. The ATX specifications demand stable voltage, and deviations beyond a few percent usually cause problems. Even slight overshoot or undershoot can prevent proper operation, signaling potential power supply issues. Some variations like flutter are harder to detect without specialized tools, but they often point to a failing PSU. Higher-end supplies tend to handle these challenges better due to more robust design. Clean power is crucial for CPUs, and poor quality PSUs can disrupt their performance.