Failure to power on despite stress testing (13900k + 860W PSU).
Failure to power on despite stress testing (13900k + 860W PSU).
Hey there. After nearly seven years, I chose to retire my i7-6700K and assembled a fresh setup (retained the power supply and graphics card). CPU: i9-13900k Mainboard: ProArt Z690-CREATOR WIFI RAM: KF556C40BBK2-64 PSU: Corsair AX860 GPU: STRIX GTX 1080 Ti. Update: #comment-15700612 I completed the build, updated the BIOS, installed the drivers, and everything seemed to function properly. Multiple restarts also powered down the system for a few hours—even without being connected to the wall. I also ran a short Cinebench test to verify performance. After everything was set up and I was satisfied, I wondered if I could stream using my CPU (once I get a 4090). Then something unexpected happened: after starting OBS to stream to YouTube with software encoding, the system went dark during a level switch transition (game appeared in menu with minimal GPU load). When I connected the PSU to the wall and turned it on, I heard an audible click from the power supply—possibly the current bypass relay—but no other sounds. The mainboard LEDs stayed off, and only the GPU power light remained active. My initial thought was that the CPU might have surpassed the PSU’s capacity, but I know 860W should comfortably support an i9, even at full load in Cinebench. Also, exceeding the power budget shouldn’t cause a total shutdown. Can anyone advise what steps would confirm whether it was just the PSU failing and not the rest of the components? (I don’t have a spare PSU to test.) Thanks for your assistance. Edited December 13, 2022 by Greneey Added link to update post.
It’s an outdated power supply unit. Data storage probably wouldn’t have been salvageable—though saving it wasn’t necessary. A PSU wouldn’t have been a priority for me. It might have failed suddenly. If that happened, it could have fallen off the edge while supporting other parts. We can’t be sure which components were affected without testing everything…or maybe not at all. Have you tried switching it off completely and letting it rest? That way the large capacitors can discharge. One approach is to attempt to power on your system after cutting power, even though it won’t work; the capacitors will still drain. Then try repowering and see if it boots. If it works again, consider replacing that PSU. It’s an old model. If it doesn’t start, check each component one by one. A failing PSU can carry everything it connects—motherboard, CPU, GPU, etc.—leaving mostly memory intact. That PSU is decent, so if it died, it might have escaped on its own. That’s why good PSUs are worth buying from the start. Edited December 13, 2022 by Bombastinator
Regarding the second point, it's possible the bet succeeded or failed. Concerning the third item, nothing further needed to be said.
I managed to connect the power supply with another system and it still functions well. This suggests the ProArt Z690-CREATOR or the i9-13900k might be faulty. Anyone know how to identify the defective component? I don’t have another LGA1700 motherboard.