The motherboard is powered, yet the computer fails to start.
The motherboard is powered, yet the computer fails to start.
Hey everyone, I started assembling my PC back in 2016/2017. It had an Intel 6700K processor, an Asus Z170 MAXimus VIII Hero motherboard with 32GB Trident Z RAM (upgraded from 16 to 32GB two weeks ago), an Asus PGX GTX1080 Ti 2TB NVMe SSD (just two weeks ago, 500GB), a Seasonic 650W power supply, a Lian Li O11 Dynamic Evo case (two years ago), Lian Li SL and AL fans (two years ago), a Corsair pump/res (two years ago), a Corsair block (last two weeks), and Corsair RADs (two years ago).
I’m aware it’s quite old, but it still runs everything smoothly in 1440p. I’m hoping for a quick fix since replacing parts now costs a lot, and we just had our second child last month—upgrading the motherboard and CPU isn’t feasible.
Over the years, I’ve swapped cases, fans, and RAM to keep things in shape for future upgrades. Recently, I replaced the waterblock and it worked fine for two weeks upstairs. After bringing it downstairs, I plugged it in—only the GPU lights and RGB on the motherboard lit. When I power up the PSU, the case light flashes briefly before turning off, and pressing the button doesn’t help. I’ve checked all connections and they’re secure.
I’ve disassembled and reassembled it many times without issues until I moved it back after maintenance. The error codes don’t illuminate, and the only lights are RGB and the power/reset LEDs. If those stay on, what’s going wrong? My first thought was the PSU failed, but I still see lights. If I disconnect the GPU cables, the GPU lights change from white to red. So power is reaching the motherboard. It worked perfectly for about 30 seconds before I moved it downstairs and didn’t drop it.
Sorry for the long explanation—I’m just unsure what to do and can’t afford new parts anymore. Thanks!
Probably something dislodged and now stuffs not making contacr or is making contact with piece of metal and shorting. Short of starting to unplug and replug everything/reseat (including cpu) there's little immediatly to be done since not even error codes are shown
Consider bypassing the power switch by connecting the two pins on the motherboard (typically where numerous small cables from the front of the case are attached, labeled such as hdd_led, pwr_button, etc.) that indicate pw_button.
These extension cables aren't something you can confirm without testing various components. Your GPU appears distorted in those images, which might indicate issues—consider checking if it's still functional and reseating it.
It functions upstairs but stops working once you lower it. Might be a water leak issue. I wouldn't rely on water cooling and would suggest removing the GPU. Also, consider stripping down to just the essentials.
Note: Your computer seems fine but isn't ideal for troubleshooting. I recommend taking the motherboard out with only the bare minimum components connected.
Edit: January 27, 2024 – leclod
appears to be soft tubes. disconnect your GPU from the mainboard and attempt to boot your system using igpu on the CPU. if it works, it suggests a PSU issue that has been developing over time or has electrical problems. PSUs typically fail gradually, and the white light on your GPU indicates power delivery issues. If you're using a pigtail cable, connect it with two separate PCIe cables—each 8-pin can handle about 150W. the PSU should provide around 250W to the cable, but for 300W you may still face problems. The problem could stem from a combination of these factors, so first try removing the GPU and see if it boots with the monitor connected to the mainboard.
No extension cables were used. They are cable mod cables. The GPU is bent. I purchased it brand new when it was released in 2017, so it's just due to gravity. However, I attempted to pull it out and it didn't work, indicating the issue isn't that simple.