PC fails to power on following a graphics card upgrade.
PC fails to power on following a graphics card upgrade.
I wrote this because I wasn’t sure where else to turn with this situation. Before I begin, here are the details:
I quickly skimmed your message, maybe I missed something. In my opinion, if the power pins aren’t connected properly and the PC won’t power on at all, it’s likely the motherboard or power supply is faulty. If the RAM is bad, most of the system might still function, or at least attempt to boot. It works like your friend’s PC but gets stuck during RAM setup. Have you verified that the RAM matches his configuration? Did you or he reset the CMOS after installing it? You can try testing the PSU with a paperclip method or a multimeter (make sure it’s safe), unless you have a dedicated PSU tester. Alternatively, use a 3/4-pin to molex adapter and connect your case fans to the PSU connector. Luckily, someone nearby has a good PC, so you could ask them politely for help checking parts.
I spent a lot of time trying to fix things but nothing helped. Here’s a quick summary: TLDR – none of these solutions worked. I rechecked power cables, RAM, GPU, and even tried different setups. The motherboard seemed loose in some spots, which didn’t help. Changing the PSU or RAM helped only temporarily. Booting without a GPU or with one RAM stuck caused crashes and infinite loops. Even though I thought it might be dead, I’m worried it could have damaged other parts. What do you think?
The RAM compatibility issue is resolved since both systems use the same configuration. We've done this before without any issues. Regarding the PSU testing, I used a different power supply and also tried the paperclip method. Your advice could help clarify further.
I removed it while operating the system on another power source. The component was also outside the case during testing with one stick at a time. Regarding the shorting concept: There’s this unusual gap in my setup that isn’t meant for a screw but is used to align the board or something similar. It doesn’t seem to trigger the issue either, and it doesn’t make contact elsewhere.