Trouble with your PC upgrade? Trying to figure out what's wrong!
Trouble with your PC upgrade? Trying to figure out what's wrong!
I'm facing difficulties identifying the problem with my PC. Recently, I upgraded multiple parts: the CPU cooler, SSD, CPU, motherboard, and power supply unit. At first, I replaced the CPU cooler thinking it might be limiting performance. When I swapped out the SSD—which housed the operating system)—it failed—then I also swapped it. Everything functioned until a blue screen appeared on Windows. After rebooting, a red light lit up near the CPU indicator on the motherboard. I removed components one by one, leaving only RAM and CPU. When I took out the CPU, the system booted but showed no RAM slots (which was accurate). I suspected the previous CPU had overheated after three to four years of use, so I ordered a Ryzen 7 (AM4 socket) as a replacement. After installing it, the PC still wouldn’t power on, even though it seemed to be connected. I thought about swapping the motherboard with another model to simplify troubleshooting. I also purchased a new MSI Edge Gaming B550 motherboard to match the old one. Once all components were installed, the system still wouldn’t turn on. I then bought a fresh PSU, though I was certain the previous unit was working. Testing the new PSU with the old motherboard worked fine, and so did the old one with the old board. The only difference was the CPU cooling brackets. Could those be the culprit? Even after removing them from the new board, power-up remains impossible. The board itself isn’t brand new—I bought it from Amazon Warehouse, which might be faulty. My next step is to get a replacement mounting kit for the cooler since I don’t have the backplate and plan to return the new board. Am I overlooking something? Is there another check I should perform? Edit 1 - Current Build: Motherboard MSI Gaming Edge B550 (AM4 Socket; BIOS updated to match the new build supporting the CPU) CPU Cooler Cooler Master Masterliquid Lite 240 CPU Ryzen 9 5900x (AM4 Socket) (Old CPU Ryzen 7 5800X) 4 x Corsair Vengeance 8Gb PSU Corsair TX750M (New PSU Corsair CX650) GPU I think it’s not relevant; some Nvidia RTX 2060 Also updated October 31, 2024 by Liparus01 Added Current Build
I cleared everything on your PC before checking, but it still doesn’t work. It seems the problem isn’t with the hardware but with the assembly. The AM4 bracket is labeled “universal,” so swapping it shouldn’t cause issues—unless the cooler is improperly secured. For safety, turn it off for a few seconds after powering down to prevent overheating. Could you share a detailed note of your current setup? That would help me track all changes.
I wasn't sure about the wording, but I attempted to identify the issue by disassembling parts one at a time until I reached the CPU and RAM. The post now reflects my latest build.
Have you changed all components except the RAM? Try using another RAM stick or testing one at a time in each slot on the motherboard. If the RAM fails, it can stop the system from starting and may trigger both the Dram and CPU lights.
You've got the bracket and cooler, but it's not showing anything. It looks like the PC is powered on? Are any error LEDs illuminating?
You've managed to restore everything step by step and are still running smoothly. Since you haven't made major changes beyond the CPU, it's wise to verify a few things to avoid problems later. Consider checking the system logs, ensuring all drivers are up to date, and confirming there are no pending updates or conflicts.