It happens frequently on my system and causes frustration
It happens frequently on my system and causes frustration
I immediately think a mobile processor might be the issue because it’s still working, but I’m unsure if it’s a power supply fault. If swapping the CPU doesn’t help, then that would be the next likely cause—no beeps or error messages would suggest RAM problems. The PSU rating seems adequate (42A or 504W), just barely meeting the tolerance I have. Upgrading to a cheaper used 750/850W RAM module would be reasonable, costing around $40-60, and you’d still need to upgrade the PSU. My concern is only after trying the CPU change.
I think there is a slim chance it is the motherboard. Fans require significantly less power to start. Usually they are on completely different rails than the CPU and other major components. The Op mentions it doesn't post and he gets a black screen... why not say it's the GPU? (which he didn't list, but an F series Intel CPU doesn't have an iGPU, so he definitely has a GPU). It could easily be a wiring short if the Op really plays with the internals for 1 to 5 hours every time this happens.
Updated: It seems the issue lies with the RAM sockets on the right side, even though they appear clean. I shared this with a friend who had the same problem before. He suggested using one RAM stick per socket and discovered it worked on both closer to the CPU, but not on the others. He recommended trying both sticks on the working sockets and found success there, though not in dual-channel mode. He advised cleaning the other sockets with a toothbrush and it resolved the problem completely. I’m relieved I finally understood what caused it, though I’ll still change my PSU. Thanks everyone for your help!
i've handled over 30 damaged boards so far and encountered quite a few unusual problems. boards tend to be the most problematic component in a pc build, and any unexpected issues will usually point to them first. generally speaking, the only complete failure i've experienced was with a generic black box psu from china that had a big fan and just exploded. even the cheap grey box models with small fans and weak 12v rails didn't fail completely—except for one faulty unit that had internal corrosion. the biggest issue i've faced was with low-quality oem grey box psus using weak 12v rails, which caused unstable voltage regulation. after switching to my dazumba 450w (which dropped to 360w due to the 12v rail), there were no problems. my other used units, which were under $20 and from lesser-known brands, performed okay as long as i stuck to the 12v rail for reference. my concerns about psu reliability stem from past experiences—even if they're on the lower side, i doubt a decent unit would fail quickly unless it's a defective one. since i bought the dazumba when i was 9, i'm confident it's still functional, unlike some newer models that seem prone to failure after just a few years.
why the hell wasnt it beeping though? so yep confirmed mobo issue due to filth, no that psu is completely fine so theres no rush to replace it, just that when you do upgrade youll have to swap anyways bare minimum 850w if you want a decent upgrade otherwise you are just wasting money on an upgrade that wont last when you get another gpu upgrade, but there are still used 850w rm(x) or equivalent for 40-60$ so if you domt have the cash but still wanna upgrade id look at the used market, risk is next to none just by personal experience buying 3 lesser known units all <20$