Working on my roommate's PC to help her manage her cable connection. It seems she can't get it to start up.
Working on my roommate's PC to help her manage her cable connection. It seems she can't get it to start up.
UPDATE 28/05/2025: Fixed it, thank you all for your support. I detailed my actions in my final thread, added photos to the bottom of this post (updated with everything I've tried and tested). Today, my roommate needed help with cable management for her PC because she was getting a blue screen and overheating warnings. After cleaning dust from the CPU and cooler, re-seating the stock cooler felt manageable—no major stress on components. I unplugged all cables and used zip ties to organize them neatly. The MOBO PWR LED came on, and audio ports lit up. I tried jump-starting the system by touching a screwdriver to the power pins, but it didn’t work. I cleaned the motherboard thoroughly, checked for damage, and confirmed everything was secure. I unplugged and re-seated all hardware at least once, often. I also removed most drives and peripherals, but couldn’t get the PC back online. Now, the MOBO PWR LED is on, and the audio LEDs are active. I attempted a power jump, but it didn’t help. I’m still unsure if the issue was the power switch, cables, or the PSU itself. The specs are: Windows 11, AMD Ryzen 5 3600, RTX 3060, 8GB RAM, ASUS ROG-Strix B450-i case, EVGA 750W PSU, and a few RGB fans. I haven’t found the CMOS battery or updated BIOS yet. I’m planning to test RAM, GPU, and possibly CPU next. We don’t have a spare PC for testing, so I’m considering borrowing a PSU or buying a new one. The motherboard looks fine to the naked eye, but I’m still trying to figure out what’s wrong. I’ll take photos of the board and cables if that helps. I’m hoping you can advise on next steps. I’m also thinking about resetting CMOS or checking the PSU after testing.
I added pictures of most of the mobo and psu cable connections. (You might see the case pin adapter tested with and without any noticeable difference, just convenient for plugging in.) I included a photo of the LED showing power on the mobo—uncertain if it helps. I plan to try the psu tonight, maybe tomorrow, but more likely tomorrow. It's already 10 PM and I need to head to bed soon. I'll keep updating this thread as I test or take further action.
I realized I should have looked it up... My roommate thought it was just a normal power LED that stayed on even when her PC was running properly. At first, I assumed it was an error—my full ATX motherboard had four LEDs for different issues. I’m about to test the memory and check the PSU as well. I’ll share the results soon. Thanks a lot! I know I sound a bit silly.
You're checking the manual again for clarification. It mentions the standby power LED should match the MOBO's color when power is supplied. Also, it notes that the QLEDs on your PC weren't visible but you didn’t see any issues with booting. Keep going through the details—it might help.
I haven’t tried it yet, but it’s on my agenda for today. I didn’t notice the CMOS battery yesterday. I’ll look into its location now. Not used to handling mini-ITX boards. I’m planning to try shorting the power pins again—maybe I messed up before. Then I’ll check the RAM and GPU, reset the CMOS, and remove the PSU separately. I’ll follow the No BOOT No Post instructions from this forum and take any relevant photos. I’ll update you all morning/afternoon with my progress. I really hope I don’t have to test the CPU or motherboard. I’m not sure how to tell if the motherboard is having problems without getting into BIOS, and I don’t want to take out my CPU just to check with friends. It’s going to be stressful. My roommate has around $200 for any needed parts if we figure out the issue, and we could visit Canada Computers today if needed.
The CMOS battery could be located within one of the heat sinks.