Initial setup may present significant problems
Initial setup may present significant problems
While assembling my first computer setup, after connecting everything and running a power test, sparks appeared from the board. Turning it off, I checked the connections and found the source of the sparks near the CPU fan header and its connector. I’m hesitant to retest that part because I’m unsure if the connection was secure or if the fan itself is faulty. Additionally, there are minor burn marks around the CPU_opt header area, so I’m worried the board might be damaged. Everything else seemed normal. Note: ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Dark Hero Processor: Ryzen 5 4600G with heat sink fan
Absolutely not intended. Double-check every cable is securely connected before attempting to power on. A brief spark might resolve the issue, but this situation warrants attention.
I'll attempt that again tomorrow—it really surprised me. With the burn spot, should everything still be fine? Or has the board been affected?
It seems unusual. I’d start by attempting to boot without the CPU fan connected to check if that was the issue. Some motherboards block booting without it, but it’s still worth trying. You can’t fix it now, so hoping the fan connector was faulty is a reasonable approach.
Fortunately, everything nearby serves as parts to drive the fan headers. Otherwise, you'll encounter more sparks and disappointment.
Update: Positive news – no more arcing or sparks. I made sure the header connection was tight this time. Could have been a mistake on the first attempt. Possible issue: I left it running without output just to confirm everything works, then checked if it posts and enters BIOS. Hopefully that worked out.