The device isn’t powering up.
The device isn’t powering up.
My system is quite old, but it should still function. I took a three-week break and unplugged my computer completely before switching the power supply. When I returned home last night, I plugged it back in and flipped the switch—it won’t turn on at all. I’ve tried removing the GPU, RAM, and everything from the motherboard, but nothing worked. I bought a 750W PSU thinking it was faulty, but it still doesn’t power on. The fans aren’t running, and there’s no light at all. The NZXT logo on my water pump is flashing, but that’s the only signal reaching my system. What could be causing this? Is it a dead motherboard, a failing CPU, or something else? My computer is an AsRock X79 Extreme6 with an I7 3930K CPU, a Nvidia 960 GPU, Corsair DDR3 X8 4GB RAM, and an old 850W bronze PSU that turned into gold after the upgrade. I’m not sure what else to consider, but it seems like the motherboard might be the issue. I also don’t know what led to its failure—I lived alone and no one was in my apartment while I was away. Any advice or insights would be really helpful. I’m thinking about getting a refurbished motherboard first, but I need some guidance before making a decision.
No water damage was found, the whole apartment remained dry and everything was restored properly. I brought my PC to Geeksquad, but the problem persisted. All cables were connected when I left and returned. I only changed the power switch on my PSU, unplugged the surge protector, and then reattached everything. When I came back, I reversed my actions and now the system doesn't start. I suspect a problem with the motherboard because the NXT logo stays off even when powered on, suggesting it might not be receiving the correct voltage. Would that make sense?
I performed a full dismantling to examine my motherboard. It appears there was a capacitor short for the MOSFETs, likely caused by dust trapped in the north and south bridge heatsinks. A small burn mark from that capacitor may have created two crossing lines, leading to a short circuit. Given the age of my system, I’m planning an upgrade—first my motherboard and then the RAM. I’ll get a new motherboard, a Ryzen 5 5600X, though I’m unsure which one to choose since my brother has one that hasn’t been opened before. It’s a tough day, but the machine has been reliable for nearly a decade.