Fix a broken computer from waste.
Fix a broken computer from waste.
Hey everyone, just discovered a complete gaming PC in the trash with no back panel. It was safely stored so there’s no risk of water damage. Once it powers on, it doesn’t show any POST screen, which might explain why it ended up there. It looks like a CyberPower C series model from around 2019-2020, probably featuring a 2019 GPU. The specs are unclear—only RAM and GPU are known. There’s an RX 5700 XT chip, two 8GB RAM modules, and an AM4 platform with an AsRock B550AM motherboard (OEM likely). I haven’t checked the CPU yet; it could be dead based on what I found online. Since I don’t know the BIOS version, it’s hard to confirm if a 5000 series CPU would work out of the box. I’m unsure which CPU to replace to try reviving it. I’ve reset the CMOS, tried different RAM configurations, and seen no boot issue, but the boot LED dies at startup. The video attached shows the state after resetting the CMOS. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Because I can't verify compatibility, I'm limited to the most affordable CPU available on the list, unless it's just a bit more expensive. It's unclear if this specific CPU is supported, but it might be worth considering.
I don’t have a PC with a Mac, but I’ve removed the AIO and found the CPU is a Ryzen 7 3700X. Changing it didn’t help, so I’m back at the boot LED again. I need to apply thermal paste and reinstall the heatsink quickly to test performance. If it works, what should I expect on the motherboard? If the graphics card is faulty, what signs indicate a problem?
It seems typical. The PCI-E connector often has a slightly shorter pin, and many other cards use similar short pins at different spots. Since I haven’t built a PC recently, I figured it out myself, though testing parts without another machine is tough.
It's quite intriguing. The CPU power cable was connected, but somehow it didn't work consistently. I managed to boot once, then twice, with only a single stick of RAM and the CPU alone. The boot light vanished after turning it off, and when I added the GPU, it displayed the BIOS version 2.0. Technically, I could purchase any CPU from the marketplace and test it, but I'm still unsure if the issue lies with the CPU itself. I was able to use a mouse afterward, which helped. Eventually, I put in storage and it worked again. The boot LED appeared later. Maybe the problem is with the motherboard? Overall, my afternoon turned out more interesting than I expected.
Checking if it's under review. If yes, removing the case would allow testing directly.
Leds should turn on in this sequence: CPU, DRAM, VGA and BOOT. It’s good news because Boot indicates the system couldn’t locate a boot device. Possibly the boot drive is absent or lacks a partition. In the worst case, you might need a boot drive, while ideally you’d just install Windows (or another OS of your preference).
I removed most of the device from the case. The power supply and some cable connections remained inside. It was secured with zip ties, so I placed the AIO, motherboard, and GPU on top of the case using a piece of cardboard. I’ve observed it starts up more frequently when left undisturbed. Moving it or taking out the GPU seems to affect its performance. I tried reinstalling the original SSD, but it still doesn’t boot. When I removed the SSD and reinserted the GPU, it worked again. It’s a bit frustrating, especially if I had spare parts available.