No activity occurs when attempting to begin a DIY project.
No activity occurs when attempting to begin a DIY project.
It has been a long time since I last worked on this, but I chose to build my next computer myself. I feel completely confident about handling the inner workings of desktops—I've replaced video cards, CPUs, memory, drives, and more before. I went for high-quality parts that aren’t the absolute best but still perform well:
- AMD AM5 7 series CPU
- ASRock X670E PG Lightning Motherboard
- 32 Gig G-Skill Memory (2 x 16 GB)
- Intel ARC A770 video card (16 GB)
- 1 Gig SSD (for boot and programs), 14 Gig HDD (for storage and backup)
- Arctic Liquid Freezer II 240 A-RGB
- Super Flowr 1200 W Platinum power supply
- Corsair 4000D Airflow case
I gathered all the components and assembled everything. Once everything was in place, I pressed the power button—nothing happened! No POST, no beeps, no smoke, no fans spinning, no lights at all. Not even when I tried resetting or adjusting the power settings. I double-checked everything: a different power cord, confirmed the power supply was on, verified the wires and connectors (especially the 24 pin ATX Power Connector), and tested the video card and memory.
After nothing occurred, I swapped in a new power supply because that seemed like the most likely failure point. But it still didn’t work. I even tried connecting a jumper across the power connection, but it was too tricky to manage. Still, everything looked correct.
Now I’m stuck. Did I overlook something obvious? Should I double-check any step again? Any tips would be greatly appreciated! Right now, I’m around $1400 worth of paperweight, and this project is really frustrating. I had high hopes for my desktop, but it seems like a lot of things went wrong.
As always, begin here:
"No POST", "system won't boot", and "no video output" troubleshooting list
This list combines suggestions from various forum users. Make sure to follow each step carefully if you aim to solve your issue properly. 1.Did you...
I value your response and I'm not trying to be overly critical, though:
I may not adhere strictly to the sequence, but I think I did (and/or verified) the troubleshooting steps.
1) Yes, I followed the user manual
2) I used the 8 pin CPU power plug (skipped the 4 pin since they advised it only for major overclocking; the motherboard didn't support either type)
3) The Corsair 4000 includes built-in standoffs, so no extra installation needed – confirmed in their manual
4) Two plugs connected to the Intel ARC A770
5) I haven’t removed a memory stick, but I double-checked both were properly seated and verified slot usage
6) I took off the CPU cover and also the cooler housing
7) Placed the CPU in the right orientation and handled thermal paste carefully – avoided repeating the same error twice, as I began fresh with the second guide
8) No special steps for static discharge, though that’s worth noting
9) All screws are secure, not loose (except twice during the second guide)
10) No LED display detected, no error codes appeared
11) No system speaker installed (believe it)
12) I once misplaced the power and reset wires, but fixed it (hard spot, hard to adjust – why so close together?)
13) Connected the PSU directly to the wall socket; tried a different power cord – the PSU remains in the on position
14) Removing the CMOS battery doesn’t seem logical – both guides mentioned this scenario
15) I purchased a computer speaker for $4 just to test if it emits any beeps (if possible). I’ll follow up, but I’m leaning toward considering a faulty CPU. (But I’ll double-check everything again.)