The PC is unable to start or lacks power.
The PC is unable to start or lacks power.
Hello everyone,
I recently experienced a total shutdown of my computer. It was completely unresponsive—no power at all, including the RAM LED, fan LEDs, motherboard LEDs, and any lights anywhere. I had been putting it to sleep the night before, which is something I usually do, and have been doing so for about a year or two. Four days prior to this failure, it froze while I was gaming (an unusual occurrence) and wouldn’t restart unless I completely cut off the power supply.
After turning it off, unplugging it, and plugging it back in, it functioned normally until just two days ago. Initially, I suspected the power supply unit (PSU) was the problem, so I replaced it with a new one and swapped in my old motherboard. However, even after that, there was still no power or lights. When I connected the new PSU, I tried jumpstarting the old one using a paper clip method with the 24-pin motherboard connector. Once the paper clip was secured on pins 4 and 7 of the 24-pin connector, fans and LED lights came back on, suggesting the old PSU wasn’t the cause. Still, I didn’t test it thoroughly before making the purchase.
Later, I returned the new PSU and bought a new motherboard, thinking that was the issue. After installing the new motherboard, I still had no power or lights. I double-checked all connections—8-pin CPU, 24-pin motherboard, and JFP1 cables—and everything seemed correct. The new motherboard is now installed.
I’m starting to wonder if this might be my problem. Could I have received a faulty new motherboard? Are there ways to test the motherboard itself? Or should I consider getting a new case? Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you all.
Remove all front panel connections from the motherboard initially. This will help confirm whether the issue stems from power-related faults or other factors. Your case won’t be considered a contributor unless there are problems with the front I/O mini board or power switches. Disconnecting and testing the motherboard’s power pins will clarify if that’s the source.
Using the second link and a few YouTube tutorials, I disconnected the motherboard and secured it with the RAM still in place, the 24 and 8 pin connector attached, along with the CPU and its matching fan. Despite my efforts to jump the board, I didn’t receive any power. In several of the videos, the creator moved parts or removed RAM modules to check the slots and channels, which inspired me to try a similar approach on my own setup.
I began by taking out one RAM stick and testing all other slots with the remaining stick (using both). Each time I reset the power supply and attempted to jump the board, but nothing worked. Then I reinserted both sticks, removed the CPU and fan, and was surprised when the motherboard and RAM gained power again after jumping it. This led me to suspect the CPU might be the issue.
I realized I had purchased a brand new 500W PSU a couple of years ago, so I decided to use it for this bench test as well. Similar to my previous setup, the new PSU only provided power once the CPU was removed from the board. Was this normal? (All tests were conducted with the new motherboard.)
Since my new board seemed to work, I tested my old one using the same method but also checked both PSUs. The board still only received power after removing the CPU. However, only its LED lights turned on. The RAM LEDs remained off. At this point, I wondered if something was wrong with my old board or if there was a bigger problem with the CPU? All of them—old board, old CPU, and old PSU—were roughly over a year old (bought in June/July last year).
Your PSU comment caught my attention, so I tested my old PSU using a paper clip method and a multimeter. I had to check the voltage values online for each pin, as some were outside their normal range. The multimeter showed 0 on some pins and 17 on one of the 12s. This seemed unusual given that the PSU powered my board without the CPU. I plan to recheck my old PSU tomorrow to confirm the readings. I repeated the test with my new PSU, which gave accurate results for all pins.
I’m likely going to replace the CPU soon and see if swapping it into my old components resolves the issues. Thank you for your assistance!
If the power response appears normal without the CPU, then the issue likely lies with a faulty CPU, damaged pins, or uneven tightening of the CPU cooler around the socket. This unevenness can cause the CPU to shift and lose connection to the terminals in the pin bed. There are no other plausible explanations for this behavior.
My PC is back to life again. Thanks for all your assistance!
I purchased the new CPU and put it into my existing components, but it didn’t receive power. Then I replaced the old board with the new one and everything started functioning smoothly.
It seems my problem was related to my CPU and motherboard. It’s unusual for me since my PC stopped working unexpectedly at night, and I checked everything—no bent pins or signs of damage. I’m not an overclocker, so none of my previous hardware was overclocked. In the BIOS I only adjusted the RAM speed settings.
It looks like the motherboard may have failed as well during the CPU issue.
Now I want to know what steps to take next time a PC problem occurs. Thank you!
My first thought would be that there might have been some electrical disturbance overnight. A power surge, brownout, or circuit problem could be involved. I don’t know exactly what happened. It could have been a faulty board that disabled the CPU. Still, I’m glad it’s working again. Good luck.