PC Does Not Power On – Power Supply Tests Positive, Indicators Light Up – Check Motherboard Problems?
PC Does Not Power On – Power Supply Tests Positive, Indicators Light Up – Check Motherboard Problems?
Hello! Let's troubleshoot this PC issue together. Your brother's system isn't responding normally—only the USB HDD LED lights up when power is applied, but the main screen stays dark. He mentioned overclocking the CPU and removing the GPU and CMOS battery to reset the BIOS.
After reassembly, the machine didn’t power on at all. No fans, no display, just the indicator light. The only clue was the PSU LED staying on when switched on.
We checked the PSU with a multimeter and confirmed it was functioning properly. He tried a paperclip test and verified the voltage, so the hardware itself wasn’t the problem. Changing the CMOS battery didn’t help either. Resetting the RAM didn’t resolve the issue.
Possible causes could include:
- Faulty power supply or connection issues
- Overclocking affecting stability
- BIOS settings stuck due to improper reset
- Hardware damage from overclocking
Next steps:
1. Verify all connections are secure, especially the PSU and motherboard.
2. Try a different power cable or outlet.
3. Consider a professional diagnostic with a functional PSU.
4. If possible, check for signs of overheating or damaged components.
Let me know what you find!
CPU connected properly but fan visibility affected? Ensure all components are removed except one RAM stick, CPU, and cooler. If the CPU includes built-in graphics, skip the GPU. Disconnect any additional parts such as the power header, case, or USB devices. Your motherboard features a built-in power and reset switch—located on the bottom right near the panel header. Try restarting.
Note: Your manual is available for download with more debug information. Also, I haven’t used one of these before. You mentioned a PCI power socket near the GPU—have you tried that? Let us know your experience.
You also have a Dr Debug display (small 2-digit) in the bottom right corner that shows codes. The manual lists ways to access it for better troubleshooting. Edited February 6 by Apemanonline – spotted something I missed.
Ensure your GPU is ready to send the video signal to the screen. Verify if your CPU includes an integrated GPU (iGPU)—some Intel models don’t. You may need a dedicated graphics card for output. Confirm: without a graphics card, connect the monitor directly to the motherboard; with one, link it to the graphics card.
I removed every RAM except one stick, took out the GPU and WiFi card just to check if the motherboard had any video output. But it still won’t power on.
Did you reinitialize the BIOS according to the motherboard manual? If not, please do so—there’s an easy option available. Edited February 7 by leclod
It worked somewhat. I looked up the motherboard manual and found another button labeled "Clear CMOS Switch" in the reset section. I disconnected the power source and pressed it for ten seconds, and it activated immediately! The only issue was that my brother reset his BIOS (or at least, I think this explains why), which removed his Windows license. None of his boot devices appeared to have Windows installed. This could actually be an advantage since I encouraged him to test Zorin OS. Thank you for the support from this forum!