New PSU issue, now my entire system is malfunctioning
New PSU issue, now my entire system is malfunctioning
I’m facing a rather unusual and bothersome problem, and I’m looking for advice from the community. Here’s the complete timeline and all the tests I’ve done so far:
Timeline of Events
Installed a new GPU and PSU (Asus Prime RTX 5070 Ti + Corsair RM850e)
Functioned properly for four days—gaming, AI tasks, everyday use—no problems.
On day 4:
Turned on the power button
Received an intense noise, the PSU seemed to burst
The circuit breaker tripped
Whenever I switch the breaker back on, another loud noise occurs
Switched the failed PSU for my old one and the old GPU
Restarted, but the system crashed after about an hour
Now the old PSU doesn’t pass the paperclip test (stays on for 10 seconds before shutting off)
After waiting half an hour, I managed to start the old PSU + old GPU again
Entered BIOS, voltages appeared stable
After two minutes in BIOS, the PC shut down again
Booting is now unpredictable—after a few minutes it powers on briefly but then stops and won’t turn on at all.
What I’ve Tested So Far
Multimeter checked the motherboard—no shorts between 12V, 5V, 3.3V rails and ground
Multimeter confirmed the new GPU has no shorts.
No visible damage on the motherboard (no burnt pins or caps)
CPU temperatures in BIOS were normal
What should I do next? Should I just install a new GPU and PSU when it comes back from RMA?
I'm not sure which PSU caused the issue, but it seems the wall's power lines or the breaker panel might be faulty. Have you checked if it works in another room?
I reviewed the logs and everything is functioning normally, with no unusual activity. My other devices are also operating without issues.
If there is damage it can be extensive. CPU, MOBO, RAM, and PSU are the most vulnerable components. That loud noise might have been caused by the motherboard caps popping. I would reach out to Corsair to find out what options they offer. They could replace everything or not at all, which is hard to say. The best way to confirm would be to replace known working parts in a section of your system with functioning circuits, or to take the PC and its accessories to a repair shop for evaluation. If you need replacement parts for testing, ensure the seller has a solid return policy. I’d begin by getting a new motherboard and PSU.