PC occasionally restarts. A $25 gift card is available if you manage to resolve the issue.
PC occasionally restarts. A $25 gift card is available if you manage to resolve the issue.
Hi. Recently I assembled a PC for my sister, but it doesn’t power on at all—no fan noise, no lights. It only boots if you’re really persistent and lucky. After taking it apart and rebuilding it several times, I’m fairly confident I didn’t cause any damage. All connections seem correct, cables are secure, and nothing appears to be damaged while it’s running. Performance checks show good temperatures and stable operation under load. I ran Cinebench and a demanding game, and everything functioned as expected. Edit: If you simply power it on and unplug it briefly, it sometimes starts randomly. I’ve tried checking cables, rebuilding, testing on a workbench, swapping RAM, and inspecting the PSU connections. Still unsure what to do next—especially since I don’t have access to a different motherboard or power supply. Offering a small reward: a $25 gift card to anyone who can fix this. It might be a motherboard issue, but I’m confident I’m fine. Full specs: Lian Li LANCOOL 215 Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3060 WINDFORCE OC, Samsung 1TB, Corsair 750W RM750x (2021), MSI PRO Z790-P, Wi-Fi, DDR4, ATX, Intel Core i5-12400F. Thanks for your help!
This could stem from several factors; RAM placement might be off, though that seems unlikely after you reorganized everything. An old BIOS setting could also be the cause. The PSU or CPU connection might be faulty. You mentioned not having access to another MOBO or PSU, which is concerning since either one is likely contributing to these problems.
The flaky boot issue likely points to a CPU or connection problem. Did you reposition the CPU during the rebuild? Was the thermal paste applied evenly enough to ensure proper cooling of the IHS? Also check for bent pins or any debris in the socket—especially if you have extra paste available.
Checking if turning it off through the power button functions consistently is normal. Once it starts working properly, it might indicate a problem with the connection or board linkage. This has never occurred before, which seems unusual.
Intel F CPUs lack integrated GPUs, which means the testing without a GPU led to the machine not starting. Likely you have another setup, and can connect the power supply to see if it works. This seems like the most probable reason and is simpler than checking a different motherboard.
It seems the opposite might be true—it could indicate a problem with the power button or the board's connection.
You can safely turn it off normally. It functions properly when powered on. I attempted this multiple times and remained extremely cautious during installation. All the pins on the motherboard were verified. Under full load, the PC maintains performance at around 100% with Cinebench. Even with the Noctua cooler set to a quiet mode, temperatures stayed below 50°C in a hot environment. It seems the issue isn't with the CPU itself, especially since it hasn’t been re-seated yet. If you suspect a fan spin or light issue, it’s likely related to cooling rather than hardware failure.